Qualitive and quantitive method of social reseach
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
KEY CHARACTERISTICS
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
KEY CHARACTERISTICS
· CONTROL: This is the most important element because it enables the scientist to identify the causes of his or her observations. Experiments are conducted in an attempt to answer certain questions. They represent attempts to identify why something happens, what causes some event, or under what conditions an event does occur. Control is necessary in order to provide unambiguous answers to such questions. To answer questions in education and social science we have to eliminate the simultaneous influence of many variables to isolate the cause of an effect. Controlled inquiry is absolutely essential to this because without it the cause of an effect could not be isolated.
· OPERATIONAL DEFINITION: This means that terms must be defined by the steps or operations used to measure them. Such a procedure is necessary to eliminate any confusion in meaning and communication. Consider the statement `Anxiety causes students to score poorly in tests'. One might ask, `What is meant by anxiety?' Stating that anxiety refers to being tense or some other such term only adds to the confusion. However, stating that anxiety refers to a score over a criterion level on an anxiety scale enables others to realise what you mean by anxiety. Stating an operational definition forces one to identify the empirical referents, or terms. In this manner, ambiguity is minimised. Again, introversion may be defined as a score on a particular personality scale, hunger as so many hours since last fed, and social class as defined by occupation.
· Events can be understood adequately only if they are seen in context. Therefore, a qualitative researcher immerses her/himself in the setting.
· The contexts of inquiry are not contrived; they are natural. Nothing is predefined or taken for granted.
· Qualitative researchers want those who are studied to speak for themselves, to provide their perspectives in words and
KEY CHARACTERISTICS
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
KEY CHARACTERISTICS
· CONTROL: This is the most important element because it enables the scientist to identify the causes of his or her observations. Experiments are conducted in an attempt to answer certain questions. They represent attempts to identify why something happens, what causes some event, or under what conditions an event does occur. Control is necessary in order to provide unambiguous answers to such questions. To answer questions in education and social science we have to eliminate the simultaneous influence of many variables to isolate the cause of an effect. Controlled inquiry is absolutely essential to this because without it the cause of an effect could not be isolated.
· OPERATIONAL DEFINITION: This means that terms must be defined by the steps or operations used to measure them. Such a procedure is necessary to eliminate any confusion in meaning and communication. Consider the statement `Anxiety causes students to score poorly in tests'. One might ask, `What is meant by anxiety?' Stating that anxiety refers to being tense or some other such term only adds to the confusion. However, stating that anxiety refers to a score over a criterion level on an anxiety scale enables others to realise what you mean by anxiety. Stating an operational definition forces one to identify the empirical referents, or terms. In this manner, ambiguity is minimised. Again, introversion may be defined as a score on a particular personality scale, hunger as so many hours since last fed, and social class as defined by occupation.
· Events can be understood adequately only if they are seen in context. Therefore, a qualitative researcher immerses her/himself in the setting.
· The contexts of inquiry are not contrived; they are natural. Nothing is predefined or taken for granted.
· Qualitative researchers want those who are studied to speak for themselves, to provide their perspectives in words and