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General Forms of Research
General Forms of Research
Quantitative Research
Polit and Beck (2004) define quantitative research as “the traditional positivist
scientific method which refers to a general set of orderly, disciplined procedures to
acquire information.” In their book, Nursing Research Principles and Methods, they
explain that the research method utilizes deductive reasoning to generate predictions
that are tested in the real world. It is systematic since the researcher progresses
logically through a series of steps, according to a pre specified plan of action.
Quantitative researchers gather empirical evidence that is within the realm of the
senses. The method used in the analysis of data is usually statistical in nature. Thus,
the resulting information from the study is usually quantitative or measurable.
Furthermore, another criterion used in assessing the data in this kind of study is its
capability to generalize the effect of the results to the individuals outside of the study
participants.
The inflexible and narrow vision of quantitative research tends to present the
human experience in a restricted manner.
Qualitative Research
2. It usually follows an iterative process, which means that data collection and analysis
occur simultaneously. Data already collected are updated by the ongoing data
collection.
3. It focuses on gathering information from people who can provide the richest insights
into the phenomenon or interest. As a result, small samples are commonly used in
qualitative research. Study participants are usually selected in a purposive manner,
using only those for whom the topic under study is relevant.
4. Collection of data is continuous until saturation, or when it reaches the point where no
new information is revealed with respect to the key themes emerging from the data.
The value of qualitative study comes from its focus on the lived experience of the
participants, which enabled development of a greater understanding concerning the
outcomes that are important, relevant, and meaningful to the people involved.
The following are the various types of qualitative research based on different fields of
inquiry
With the given problem, the researcher has to discover the inner feelings,
emotional hardships, and mental disturbances that the respondent is experiencing.
2. Ethnographic study. This study involves the collection and analysis of data about
cultural groups or minorities. In this type of research, the researcher immerses with the
people and becomes a part of their culture. He or she becomes involved in the everyday
activities of the subjects, and gets to empathize with the cultural groups experiencing
issues and problems in their everyday lives. During the immersion process, the
researcher talks to the key persons and personalities called key informants who provide
important information for the study. The main purpose of this study is the development
of cultural theories.
In studying the problem, the researcher immerses with subjects and becomes
involved with the activities that exemplify the cultural practices of the respondents.
3. Historical study. This study is concerned with the identification, location, evaluation,
and synthesis of data from past events. This is not only limited to obtaining data from
the past, but it also involves relating their implications to the present and future time.
b. External criticism. This is based on the analysis of the material: the ink and the
type of paper used, the layout and physical appearance, and as well as the age
and texture of the material itself.
The researcher can consult authentic and original resource materials relevant to
the problem to determine the accuracy of information provided in the research paper.
5. Grounded theory study. The method involves comparing collected units of data
against one another until categories, properties, and hypotheses that state relations
between these categories and properties emerge. These hypotheses are tentative and
suggestive, and are not tested in the study.
This data was coded first to form concepts. Then, connections between these
concepts were identified. A core concept emerged and its process and implications
were discussed. School counselors’ professional interactions were identified as defining
experiences in their identity formation (Brott & Myers, 1999).
6. Narrative analysis. The main sources of data for this type of research are the life
accounts of individuals based on their personal experiences. The purpose of the study
is to extract meaningful context from these experiences.
The common types of narrative analysis are as follows:
7. Critical qualitative research. This type of research seeks to bring about change and
empower individuals by describing and critiquing the social, cultural, and psychological
perspectives on present-day contexts. As such, it ultimately challenges the current
norm, especially on power distributions, building upon the initial appraisal of the said
presentday perspectives.
Merriam et al. (2002) proposes the following three “crises” as a result of the questioning
performed:
Example: If our views of the self are themselves constructed by the society we
live in and the language we use, is true knowledge of the self, independent of these,
even possible? If our “selves” are constructed, then attempting to gain knowledge
through self-reflection is a miscognition and [it] instead results in the creation of a less
independent and more societal-regulated self (Bleakly, 2000).
9. Basic interpretative qualitative study. This is used when a researcher is interested
in identifying how individuals give meaning to a situation or phenomenon. It uses an
inductive strategy which is a process of analyzing patterns or common themes to
produce a descriptive account that summarizes and analyzes the literature that defined
the study.
1. The study requires a few cases or participants. Data collected are based on
the participants’ own categories of meaning.
5. Subtleties and complexities about the research subjects or topic are often
missed by more positivistic inquiries.
9. It can describe in detail the phenomena as they are situated and embedded in
local contexts.
10. The researcher usually identifies contextual and setting factors as they relate
to the phenomenon of interest.
11. The researcher can study dynamic processes (i.e., documenting sequential
patterns and change).
12. The researcher can use the primarily qualitative method of grounded theory
to inductively generate a tentative but explanatory theory about a phenomenon.
13. It can determine how participants interpret constructs (e.g., self-esteem and
IQ).
16. Qualitative data in the words and categories of participants lend themselves
to exploring how and why particular phenomena occur.
17. You can use an important case to vividly demonstrate a phenomenon to the
readers.
7. It is more difficult to test hypotheses and theories with large participant pools.
11. The results are more easily influenced by the researcher’s personal biases
and idiosyncrasies.