Qualitative Research Methods

1. Introduction

“Human beings are curious by nature-they want to know more about things or objects to satisfy their curiosity” (Brynard et al, 2014:1). In that regard, methods such as qualitative and quantitative research have been used as a means of gaining information. These methods of research vary both in scope and application. Nonetheless, this essay starts by considering the nature of research as well as the dimensions that guide the choices one makes about research methods. It concludes by placing special attention on the issues of reliability, validity and interobserver agreement in qualitative and quantitative research.

1. The nature of research

Research is not merely a process of collecting information, but research is spiral, meaning that it starts with the statement of a problem, which leads to research question, which ultimately leads to a solution of the problem (Brynard et al, 2014:4). Furthermore, some have understood research as the transferring of facts from one place to another, but the nature of research extend to describing the goal, formulating a theoretical statement, considering the availability of relevant information as well as gathering data (Brynard et al, 2014:4-5). And gathering data involves the collection, organisation and interpretation of data (Brynard et al, 2014:5).

2. Dimensions of research

In order to have a better understanding of the concept of research, four dimensions of research that guides the choices one makes about research methods needs to distinguished.

2.1. Epistemological

The assumption here is that the researcher search for knowledge with the aim of arriving at results that are in close proximity with the truth as possible (Brynard et al, 2014:3).

2.2. Methological

In this dime...

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...a because independently verified reports often are more accurate than a single report.

7. Conclusion

Research has been viewed as merely a process of collecting information, or simply a transferring of facts from one place to another, but research involves collection, organisation and interpretation of data. There are several methods used for conducting research, however, for the purpose of this essay only qualitative and quantitative research methods were reviewed. Furthermore, special attention was placed on the fact that in the process of conducting research, both qualitative and quantitative researchers face the issues of reliability and validity. Nonetheless, the response to these issues is that a certain extent of reliability and validity can be reached through establishing a degree of interobserver agreement with regards to accepting the believability of data.