Knowing the social world

Knowing the social world

Knowing the social world-Approaches to social science research.

Introduction

Social sciences, a field of human behavioral sciences, have today reached its sheer peak because of human interest and a huge amount of research done on it. Many researchers have done a huge amount of research on it including quantitative as well as qualitative only to estimate human behavior and make this world a social heaven (Berg, 2007,, 297).

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).

Discussion

Fundamental Elements of Qualitative Research

Knowing fundamentals of qualitative research is important in regard that it makes one proficient in qualitative methods, necessary for empirical research. In a nutshell, it encompasses, introduction, Comparing Quantitative and Qualitative Research, Sampling, Recruitment and Ethical Guidelines (Black, 2002,, 173).

Introduction to Qualitative Research

A scientific kind of approach to research, qualitative research, comprises of explorations that, find answers to a particular question, systematically utilize predefined procedures for answering the question, collects proofs and data, constructs findings that have never been determined to date, generate findings that can be applied beyond the instantaneous limitations of the study (Sonia Ospina, 2004, pp.24-26).

Qualitative research works on solving and understanding a given research question or problem from the view of the localized population that it involves. Qualitative research is particularly efficient in acquiring culturally specific data regarding the social contexts, values, behaviors, and opinions about particular populations.

Strengths of qualitative research

The potency of qualitative research lies in its ability to offer complex textual metaphors of how people react in a given circumstances, that relate to a given research problem. It implies the knowledge of the research information to humanly subjects, outcomes of which may include contradictory beliefs, behaviors, emotions, opinions and interactions of individuals. Qualitative approach is also efficient in distinguishing intangible factors, like social norms, gender roles, socioeconomic status, ethnicity and religion, which ...