It was interesting to read about quantitative methods after reviewing qualitative research in the last module. Quantitative research answers the question of why. It is more about looking for an explanation on what happened and why it happened. It is important to understand that at some point in your research you use qualitative research to lead you to quantitative research and vice verse.
Quantitative research is based more on measuring and articulating it numerically by using statistical methods. There are different variables such as observable and measurable and these will vary depending on the unit of measurement. The observation stage of the research can be done in many ways such as individual, group, institution, newspaper (or novel), event or activity.
The advantages of using quantitative methods are:
o Comparison between groups
o Enabling research on areas that are not directly observable
o Description of change
o Explanation of dependencies between social phenomena
The disadvantages of using quantitative methods are:
o Only being able to measure quantifiable phenomena
o It simplifies complex reality
o Descriptions of perspectives are difficult
o Assumes there is extensive knowledge on subject matter
o Makes it difficult to study the process, it produces a static view
Using the theory approach offers a good framework for research such as outlining the problem, helping interpret the data, and locating the research for discussion. By taking samples of the groups you can lower the hazard of error by conducting random sampling. In this way you can estimated the errors and make overviews with certainty.
There are different methods to obtaining data that include:
o Survey research (we did this in module 6)
o Systematic observation
o Text analysis (newspaper, novels, etc)
o Statistical data
o Registered data
It seems that the best approach is to use both methods and decide which one works better for the type of research you are conducting.
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