In qualitative methods the research usually focuses on small samples instead of in the case of quantitative research whereas focus lacks and the methods usually inhabits a larger, random samples. Unlike a quantitative method where the research depends restrictedly on the investigation of arithmetical or quantifiable statistics, data from qualitative research comes in many medium e.g. moving images, text or sound.
Qualitative research was first recognised in the 1970s.
Examples of Qualitative data are participant observation, direct observation, unstructured interviews, case studies e.c.t, e.c.t.
Examples of Quantitative data are questionnaires, surveys, attitude scales or standardised tests.
They are practical issues that affect the methods sociologist may use. These can come from a range of financial issues to ethical issues.
- Coaching Interviewers is comparatively clear-cut and economical however it cost more to merely redistributing questionnaire to people.
- Surveys that resort to structured interviews can cover great group of people with restricted resources because they are moderately cheap to administer however they cannot match the huge numbers reached by postal questionnaire.
- Questionnaire and interviews collect straight forward factual information
- Questionnaire results are quantitative because they are closed-ended questions with coded answers. This makes them suitable for hypothesis- testing.
Some times there are specific factors could cause problems amongst certain research methods. Such as:
- Time~ Questionnaires would be more time consuming while the workload of surveys can be shared by a team
- Money~ researchers need an income and costs large scale. Social surveys are more high-priced than small focus groups.
- Characteristics and skills of the research some situations may be risky and not all sociologist could cope handle this, a woman may have difficulty doing P.O in a monastery access and opportunity. If there is no access to certain groups then secondary sources may have to be used as an alternative. An example of this is when you get researchers hoping to cover a survey on a specific gang or cult. This could be dangerous especially if that gang may have a record of crime and callous behaviour. The researcher may find it really hard if not impossible to get access into the gang or cult; and if he was to get access he could be in immense trouble especially if he went under cover.
- Some issues include ethical issues, sometimes certain research is taken on an undercover basis. This could be seen as illusory. Some people would argue that researchers should be 100% honest with there people they are researching on, it is only ethical, moral and honest that this form of sincerity is shown amongst whom the research is based on nevertheless when doing a research as an undercover researcher the questions of ethics arises. Is it morally correct that someone should be studied and researched on without consent or acknowledgement of such thing? The law is that undercover research can only be approved as long as there is no other alternative that is available.
Posivists like their research to be scientific whereas where Interprevists like to get into the shoes and go through the situation.
Feminists, Ann Oakley decides her choice of methods and topic according to her own experience of childhood and motherhood.
As a feminist she avoided methods which she descried as having a male-stream bias (positivism). She selected the more qualitative and intimate methods of unstructured interviews and participant observation. She deems that the commission of sociology is to include the lives of the respondents.
Thank you for reading my essay,
Maria Okpaloafe
