Assessment number and title: Item 1: Essay
Student: Fale Ikenasio
Student number: 11489641
Subject code: HCS204
Subject coordinator: Ndungi Mungai
Word count: 1500 words
Discuss your understanding of qualitative and quantitative methods; use examples from research reports/studies to highlight how these different methods approach social issues.
In the welfare line of work, research is usually conducted to enable a decision or action being made. It is also seen as a fundamental tool for social change, as it’s a mean to bringing about change, establishing of intervention strategies as well as implementing new services. (Alston & Bowles. 2003. Pg: 5) Deciding upon the appropriate research method or approach to use, is an important factor that is resolved and determined within the early stages of a research. The selection process of the appropriate strategy to use heavily depends upon the nature of the research problem, or the issue being addressed and studied. There are a number of research approaches that can be applied within a research study, the two major approaches that are commonly adopted or used within many research projects is either a qualitative or quantitative approach. The two research strategies aren’t viewed as rigid or polar opposites, but more in a sense of how they represent ends on a continuum. (Bryman, 2012. Pg: 35) The obvious differences between these two methods are seen in means of the techniques, the structure and the overall process implemented within these individual approaches. It’s more in a sense of how these two methods examine and explore parallel or contrasting issues, specifically social issues, in which provides a more profound and complex distinction between the two approaches....
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...ng, 23:4, 360-374, DOI: 10.1080/08952841.2011.611391
Duvall, N.S.; & Hall, M.E.L. (2003). Married Women in Missions: The effects of cross-cultural and self gender-role expectations on well-being, stress, and self-esteem. Journal of Psychology and Theology, 31(4), 303-314. Retrieved from: http://web.b.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.csu.edu.au/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=08d5265b-89a0-404f-a162-ae18b36d361d%40sessionmgr198&vid=4&hid=113 Accessed on: 3/4/14
Family & Community Services. (2012). Women in NSW 2012: Education and Learning. Retrieved from: http://www.facs.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0018/257202/Women_NSW_Tagged.pdf Accessed on: 3/04/14
Jones, B.T. (2013). The Social Ecology of Homelessness: Exploring the Dynamics of Engagement among Homeless Street Adults, Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment,
23:1, 53-74, DOI: 10.1080/10911359.2012.739532
Qualitative research aims to gather information from data collection methods and transform it into written words. Such as transcribing recorded interviews, taking field notes from observations, using words to outline images (Denscombe, 1998, p. 174). On the other hand, quantitative research aims to gather information from data collection methods and transform it into numbers. Such as analysing conducted surveys and pulling numbers to transform it into statistics, tables and graphs (Denscombe, 1998, p.174-177).
According to Merriam-Webster, research is defined as careful study done to report new knowledge on a topic. ("Research | Definition of research by merriam-webster," n.d.). Success in the field of Guidance and Counseling is dependent on accurate information. Counselors well versed in pertinent research make a strong impact on the clients. Counselors using research as a guide for intervention have a better understanding of the clients why and also the how to serve the client best.
In social research, researchers are always confronting with a vast majority of options for opting the research methods. Among all of the existing research methods, quantitative and qualitative research paradigms appear to be the most celebrated methods for the majority of the social researchers. However, social researchers (e.g. David and Sutton, 2004; Johnson and Onwuegbuzie, 2004) have argued for many decades with regards to the differentiated nature and ideologies of the terms ‘quantitative’ and ‘qualitative’ within social research. Some researchers (e.g. Ayer, 1959; Schrag, 1992; Maxwell and Delaney, 2004) who advocate quantitative research uphold a ‘positivist philosophy’, that objective social science observation is desirable and that the determined scientific outcomes need to be valid and reliable (Johnson and Onwuegbuzie, 2004:14). In this sense, research quantitatively denotes that research intends to quantify the
Qualitative research relies on subjective data to provide a deep understanding of the meaning of an event from the point of view of certain individuals (Lobiondo-Wood & Haber, 2014). In contrast, quantitative research uses an objective approach (Lobiondo-Wood
According to Smith (1983) quantitative research is to explain, predict and develop laws that can be universally applied and Qualitative research is the interpretation and understanding of what people give to their situation. The researchers clearly stated the purpose of their studies, aim, objectiv...
Quantitative methods in the social sciences are an effective tool for understanding patterns and variation in social data. They are the systematic, numeric collection and objective analysis of data that can be generalized to a larger population and seek to find cause in variance (Matthews and Ross 2010, p.141; Henn et al. 2009, p.134). These methods are often debated, but quantitative measurement is important to the social sciences because of the numeric evidence that can be used to drive more in depth qualitative research and to focus regional policy, to name a few (Johnston et al. 2014). Basic quantitative methods, such as descriptive and inferential statistics, are used regularly to identify and explain large social trends that can then
Research can be quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative research is objective and involves measuring the phenomena under investigation. Qualitative research is subjective, explores experiences and feelings, and involves the recording of phenomena that cannot easily be quantified (Toates, 2010, pp. 5-6). Both are empirical since they involve data collection (OU, n.d.).
Gelo, O., Braakmann, D., & Benetka, G. (2008). Quantitative and Qualitative Research: Beyond the Debate. Integrative Psychological & Behavioral Science, 42(3), 266-290. doi:10.1007/s12124-008-9078-3
Quantitative research may be seen as the less contentious of the two because it is more closely aligned with what is viewed as the classical scientific paradigm. Quantitative research involves gathering data that is absolute, for example numerical data so that it can be examined as unbiased as possible. The main idea behind quantitative research is that it is able to separate things easily so that they can be counted. The researcher generally has a clear idea of what is being measured before they start measuring it, and their study is set up with controls. Qualitative research on the other hand is a more subjective form of research, in which the research allows themselves to introduce their own bias to help form a more complete picture. Qualitative research may be necessary in situations where it is unclear of what is exactly being looked for in a study, while quantitative research generally knows exactly what it is looking for. Questionnaires and surveys are quantitative socio-legal research, because it is the collection of numerical data, or data that can be easily being turned into a numerical form. In terms of analysing quantitative data, Excel is the b...
In this paper, I will define quantitative and qualitative research methods and provide examples in the context of social issues which will hopefully provide insight into how this methods are properly applied.
We believe it is clear that both qualitative and quantitative research have many benefits and many costs. In some situations the qualitative approach will be more appropriate; in other situations the quantitative approach will be more appropriate.
Perri 6 & Christine B., 2012. Principles of Methodology: Research Design in Social Science. London: Sage.
Qualitative and Quantitative study designs both can be beneficial in research design. They both provide valuable options for researchers in the field. These techniques can either be used separately in a research study or they can be combined to achieve maximum information. This paper will define the terms qualitative and quantitative; describe the similarities and differences between each; discuss how qualitative and/or quantitative research designs or techniques could be used in the evaluation of my proposed research; and discuss why linking analysis to study design is important.
Traditional research may use quantitative or qualitative research method. According to Hendricks (2009), quantitative research is a general conclusion based on hard data. Hen-dricks describe quantitativ...
Another option available to a researcher is mixed methods which focuses on collecting, analyzing, and mixing both qualitative and quantitative data in a single study; also, it is based on the premise that the use of quantitative and qualitative combination provides a better understanding of the research problem than either approach alo...