Writing An Introduction To Research Methodologies

Introduction to Research Methodologies
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Introduction to Research Methodologies
Describe the “research process.” What are the steps involved with conducting research? Define the concepts of quantitative research, qualitative research, mixed methods, and action research; discuss the strengths of each of these types of research.
Ndunda (2004) defines research as “the systematic application or use of a set of methods to provide trustworthy information about problems.” So, the research process is the action of using a set of methods to provide accurate or practical information regarding problems. One deduction to be made from this explanation is that research is done with the intention of solving a problem. As a researcher, one identifies a particular problem in the society or community and works towards finding a solution for the same.
There are seven steps involved with conducting research as indicated by Dr. Deborah Schreiber (2012). These include:
* Identification of the research problem
* Review of literature
* Specifying the purpose of research
* Developing the research questions
* Collection of data
* Analysis and interpretation of data
* Reporting on the research findings
Quantitative Research
This type of research is defined as “the systematic investigation of phenomena by gathering quantifiable data and performing statistical, mathematical or computational techniques” (Bhat, 2019). Quantitative research makes use of sampling methods and collects data through questionnaires, online polls, etc. It has the following strengths and weaknesses according to Matveev (2002).
Strengths
* It specifies the independent and dependent variables quite clearly.
* Leads to valid results
* The results can be generalized as they are reliable
* Fits studies that involve numbers
Weaknesses
* It is limited in that it cannot be used to measure phenomena like human emotions.
* The instruments of data collection are susceptible to errors, and thus the results could be flawed.
* It is limited to studies that involve numbers.
Qualitative Research
This type of research is mainly exploratory as indicated by Dr. Deborah Schreiber (2012) and is used to study opinions, motivations, as well as reasons. It is best used to develop or formulate hypotheses to be used in quantitative research. Its strengths and weaknesses are as follows:
Strengths
* The subject under study can be investigated in depth.
* It is based on man’s observations and experiences
* The data collected often has a predictive quality
Weaknesses
Data gathered is mainly subjective
It is difficult to assess data rigidity
It is time-consuming to mine data collected through qualitative research
Findings from qualitative research are quite difficult to present
Mixed Methods
Mixed methods is a type of research that involves the use of quantitative and qualitative data to develop answers or solutions to problems. It has the following strengths and weaknesses:
Strengths
It offsets the...