RESEARCH METHODS

Analyzing and Comparing Research Methods

Analyzing and Comparing Research Methods

Introduction

Research, experimental and non-experimental development is used to increase the stocks of knowledge, i.e. knowledge of culture, humanity, and society and its use to devise new applications. It is used to gather or confirm facts, rearranging the results of previously done work, optimize new or existing problems, supporting theorems, or can develop new theories as well. Research projects are mostly an expansion on previously done work in the particular field. The validity of procedures, instruments, or experiments, research may reflect major elements of the projects, or the whole project. The primary purpose of basic research are discovery, interpretation documentation, or derive the systems and methods for the betterment of human development and knowledge (Trochim & Donnelly, 2008).

Qualitative research deals with investigation on its own ways. It interweaves disciplines, subject matter, and fields. It encompasses concepts, terms, and hypothesis. It comprises of methodologies related to post structuralism, positivism, and many other qualitative research prospects, and methods related to cultural, also interpretive studies (Berg, 2007,, 297).

Qualitative research is defined by Shank (2002) as “a form of systematic empirical inquiry into meaning”. The systematic inquiry points out to “ordered, planned, and public”, in which rules are agreed upon by qualitative research community members. The term empirical describes that this kind of inquiry is stranded in the light of experience. Inquiry describes that researchers try to comprehend how experiences are delivered and how they make sense! Lincoln (2000) and Denzin describe that qualitative research utilizes naturalistic and interpretive approach: Qualitative research encompasses the study of things in natural settings that make sense, and are applicable to the real world.

For example, qualitative research on leadership has led to some advantages, following are some as were discovered, ability to follow unpredicted ideas in research and discover processes, compassion to contextual aspects, aptitude of studying social meaning and symbolic dimensions, augmented opportunities, to discover new theories and ideas empirically, for comprehensive and longitudinal research of leadership phenomena, for more significance and concentration for practitioners.( Sonia Ospina, 2004) (Black, 2002,, 173).

Qualitative research

Qualitative research studies the behavior, attitudes, and experiences using methods such as interviewing or focusing groups. It works on an in-depth view from the participating subjects. Qualitative research methodology encompasses many different methods used for analysis. Some of the methods will be discussed below. (Catherine, 2002)

A researcher firstly, integrates together all the obtained data from the participating subjects. This step possesses some complexities and cannot be thought of as a straight forward step. For instance, if some tape recordings are transcribed, regarding the information obtained from the participant, we may be hiding some valuable information unintentionally. Details regarding what words are highlighted in a speech, where the spokesperson break in proceedings, and what time, the speaker hustle or slows down have to be recorded, hence we can interpret entirely what the participant is trying to commune  (Keith, Keith , 2005).

The researcher then assembles the pieces of information (for e.g. statements or ideas) into a range of groups ...