Research Methods, Coursework Example

Qualitative research denotes a research approach that investigates the all the elements that ensembles human behavior. Such elements include the following, views, feelings, emotions, attitudes and characteristics. It is the research method that seeks to identify what influences decision making in human beings. Qualitative research is used to conduct research on selected case studies where the suppositions made are based on informed opinion and what can be generally deduced in a normal circumstance. Qualitative research is more applicable in market research where particular marketing elements such as consumer behavior can be studied into finer details using the method (Niglas, 2008).

Quantitative research designates the research approach that investigates the social trends in the environment. The method relies on mathematical techniques, analysis of statics and computation approaches to give the desired results. Unlike quantitative research that mainly relies on informed opinion to derive a supposition, quantitative research relies on empirical inquiry to derive its assertions, the suppositions in this case relies on facts and figures on the ground and not any informed opinion. Mathematical techniques and tested hypothesis underpins the observation made in the study. The interplay between the facts under study relies on the on mathematical calculations. Quantitative research is based on an inquiry of a particular question in the research and gathers samples that have empirical characteristics. Analysis of data using the quantitative method relies purely on the use of statistics, where the researcher relies on the analysis to determine the assumed figures of the whole population by using a given sample. It is research approach that uses numbers to explain the events and occurrences that are evidenced in a population. The approach tests many questions which are directed to the respondents under study and collects information from the targeted respondents. The researcher using this method uses questions that are topic based and uses the topics to identify and define the respondents under the study. The research approach is mainly used in areas such as political science, economics, psychology and physics (Mingers, & Brocklesby 2010).

Mixed research method employs both qualitative and quantitative approaches in conducting a study. The research method may employ a particular approach that may use either qualitative research or quantitative research to enhance the performance of the research or may simultaneously use the two methods of research in one study depending on the nature of the topic that is being studied. Mixed method aims at employing different approaches to achieve an overall perception that is attached to views. The research approach therefore aims at eliminating one point of view that may associated to things in the environment, it crosses many boundaries of research to find a reliable perception on different issues (Niglas, 2008).

Action research is an initiative that may be taken by organizational members of the people of a community to improve the stakes of things in a given setting. It is aimed at finding solutions to problems or issues as they are carried out. The research method aims at improving the practices within an organization or a community. The participants of a given action suggest ways of improving its performance through research.

The two strategies to be addressed in this study are qualitative and quantitative approaches

The strategies to be used for qualitative research include the following

Qualitative research relies on observations to examine the facts under investigation and forms an opinion about the observations, strategies for selecting the samples to be investigated and the strategies for data collection and analysis. The inquiry strategy in qualitative research can be achieved by first determining the topic to be investigated and then selecting the target respondents. Data collection in qualitative approach include interviews, pictures, observations and discussions, for instance interviews can be done on focus groups which are sampled groups of individuals. By employing focus groups, the researcher investigates the topic understudy by survey which is very applicable when the researcher wants to the views and opinions of the respondents (Lowenthal, & Leech, 2009). Measurement and analysis can be accomplished by using interpretive approaches of the data collected, for instance the researcher can form an informed opinion based on the observations made and relate to prior events that exhibited similar characteristics.

The key strategies to be used in quantitative research method include the following

The research approach in this case would use empirical approaches to get information about the topic that is being investigated. The results would be expressed numerically and quantified to determine the assertions or hypotheses that are being tested by the study. The inquiry strategy in quantitative research would be achieved by applying data collection that embraces empirical approaches, experimentation and constructing mathematical models. The analysis of data in this method would heavily rely on statistical analysis to give the intended results from the facts under investigation.

Selection of a particular research method

Selection of a particular research method would be guided by the nature of topic to be studied, for instance topics that tend to focus on human behavior would call for qualitative methods, while those topics that need empirical evidence would call for quantitative methods. Topics that are science oriented call for quantitative research methods. Experimental research needs quantitative research method to give the desired information, while observational research requires qualitative approaches to study the behavior of groups or individuals (Lowenthal, & Leech, 2009).

References

Brannen, J. (2010). “Mixing Methods: The Entry of Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches into the Research Process.” International Journal of Social Research Methodology 8:173-184.

Mingers J., and Brocklesby J. (2010)., “Multimethodology: Towards a Framework for Mixing Methodologies”, Omega, Volume 25, Number 5, pp. 489–509 (21)

Niglas, K. (2008). “The Combined Use of Qualitative and Quantitative Methods in Educational Research.” http://www.tlulib.ee/files/arts/95/nigla32417030233e06e8e5d471ec0aaa32e9.pdf

Lowenthal, P. R., and Leech, N. (2009). Mixed research and online learning: Strategies for improvement. In T. T. Kidd (Ed.), Online education and adult learning: New frontiers for teaching practices (pp. 202–211). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.