RESEARCH DESIGN

Research Design

Research Design

Introduction

Purpose statement

The purpose of the paper is to discuss that most research, but particularly in social sciences, is categorized as qualitative or quantitative. Qualitative research collects detailed descriptions and narratives in order to understand in-context and in-depth. Quantitative research collects data coded in numeric formats in order to analyze it statistically. Qualitative researchers use observation and unstructured interviews, while quantitative researchers use experiments, surveys and scales. Mixed methods incorporate descriptive and unstructured exploration into a framework of numeric measurements or numeric elements into a core of subjective and detailed description.

Research Questions

Does Qualitative research collect detail descriptions and narratives in order to understand in-context and in-depth?

Do Qualitative researchers use observation and unstructured interviews, while quantitative researchers use experiments, surveys and scales?

Do mixed methods incorporate descriptive and unstructured exploration into a framework of numeric measurements or numeric elements into a core of subjective and detailed description?

Hypothesis

Null: The mixed approach uses both qualitative and quantitative methods and blends the resulting data in certain ways.

Alternative: The mixed approach does not use both qualitative and quantitative methods and blends the resulting data in certain ways.

Mixed Research

The technique in which the qualitative and quantitative techniques are used collectively for data collection purpose is called mixed research. Mixed research method is the third most important kind of research. The results of the mixed methodology are more reliable because it is more descriptive in nature. The supporters of this methodology usually stick to the philosophy of pragmatism and the compatibility thesis. The concept of compatibility thesis is that the quantitative and the qualitative methods both are related and compatible to each other and their combination can be used to analyze the data in one research. On the other hand the pragmatism philosophy suggest that the techniques used for the data analysis should be such that provide the proper and practical result and the approaches must be applicable in the real world as well. Nowadays the mixed method supporters use the fundamental principles of mixed research and this principle suggests that the researcher must use such approaches which collectively have more strength and less weaknesses. This way the results would be more validated and accurate.

Classification of research methods

Many techniques can be used to combine different research methods for the social research context. The combination types are explained below. The multi method and mixed method studies are considered as two concepts in the literature.

Multi-method studies

Different methods for analysis and collection of data are used in the multi method studies in a single research. There are many examples for this and one of them is the qualitative study in which the interview and the observation technique are used collectively. On the other hand in the quantitative study, the researcher might collect data from computer resources and also from students as well. In simple words, the researcher takes the methods which are broadly compatible for a given set of values.

Mixed method studies

The approach of mixed methods combines different methods together. This approach also includes the semi structured interview as ...