Qualitative Research

Qualitative Research

Comparing Qualitative Research Designs

Introduction

The qualitative research methodology is a research method used primarily in the social sciences that is based on methodological cuts based on theoretical principles such as phenomenology, the hermeneutic, the social interaction using data collection methods that are not quantitative, with in order to explore the social aspects of the research, describe reality as experienced by their corresponding characters. Qualitative research requires a deep understanding of human behavior and the reasons that govern it. Unlike quantitative research, qualitative research seeks to explain the reasons for the different aspects of such behavior. In other words, investigates the why and how a decision was made, in contrast to quantitative research, which aims to answer questions such as what, where, when, how. Qualitative research is based on the small sampling, which is the observation of small population groups, such as classrooms, etc.

Discussion

Historically researchers have used basic approaches to qualitative and quantitative research methodology for conducting a research in their respective field of interest, and the major difference between the two methodologies is that qualitative research is generally based on text and non-numeric data, where as qualitative methodology includes only numeric data.

However, specifically research done using qualitative methodology tries to analyze the data by going into its dept and within precise situation. In other words, research in qualitative research aims to analyze data as obtained from the people and attempts to find the logic behind their explanations (Chism et al, 2008).

Further, qualitative research is considered elastic in nature, as most appropriately one qualitative research will consist on more than one research methods. In this aspect different scholars have described several approaches of this methodology, a few of them which are described below.

Interviews

The primary advantage of the interview is that it enables the research to generate first hand information from the desired respondent. The researchers and theorists claimed that the interviews are very effective because the researcher has an opportunity to know or unfold the characteristics of the respondent. The characteristics includes age, educational level, income and family back ground which influence the attitudes of the people in the context of social behaviour. The reliability of the interviews is very high as compared random distributed questionnaire because the researcher can evaluate the respondent him or herself. In case if the respondent is telling lies related to his or her education level then the researcher can evaluate that the truth and also record truthful information in the data base (Woods et.al, 2007). The information that generates in the interviews is more systematic because the researchers are asking the question which he has developed prior to the interview. The researchers used to arrange the question in a structure which is more effective to pullout the information. The systematic recording of the information also help the investors in developing a conclusion or summary of the information. The information gathered in interviews is very comprehensive because the researcher has full room for asking question to interviews (Morse ...