...There are three main types of research methodology: qualitative, quantitative and the mixed method approach. Qualitative research is collecting, interpreting and analysing data based on observing what people do or say. On the other hand, qualitative research refers to the meanings, definitions, metaphors, characteristics and description of things (Thomas, 2003). While, mixed research uses both qualitative and quantitative methods and blends the resulting data in certain ways (Jick, 1979). The design for this research is the use of a descriptive and interpretive focus group analyses through a mix method approach. The focus and purpose of the research is to analyze the usage of renewable energies throughout the Caribbean as an alternative energy...
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...Business Research Skills Qualitative Research Report Business Research Skills Qualitative Research Report Teresa Cooney B00251777 Teresa Cooney B00251777 Contents Introduction 2 1. Research Design 3 1.1 Qualitative Research Methods 3 1.2 Thematic Analysis 3 2. Findings and Analysis 6 References 8 Appendix 1 9 Appendix 2 13 Introduction This report has been commissioned by the University of the West of Scotland (Paisley campus) for the Business Research Skills course. All the information contained within the report has been collected through various sources, such as; text books, internet sites, case studies and relevant Journals. The aim of this report was to analyse the interview transcript from UWS Business School. The purpose was to evaluate the current trends and future thinking’s of an area of business and operational management. The report contains an analysis and explanation of research design and qualitative research methods. This includes the qualitative research method, Thematic research. It outlines the six phases of the Thematic Analysis process. Following on from this, included is a detailed Thematic analysis of the interview transcript provided by UWS Business School. 1. Research Design The term research design refers to the comprehensive strategy chosen to include different parts of study in a logical manner. This ensures the research problem is efficiently addressed. Research design represents the framework...
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...form should be attached to the front of all work submitted for assessment. Name: | Chao Sun | Library card number: | 31434921 | Coursework Title: | Paper 1 Paper 2 Research Essay Consulting Project Dissertation Proposal Dissertation | Tutor: | Dr Valerie Stead | * All submissions for coursework assessment should be your own work. * Any copying from the work of others will be heavily penalized. * Allowing other students to copy your work will also be penalized. I hereby confirm that I have read and understood the University’s regulations relating to plagiarism (as summarized in the MA in Human Resources and Consulting Participant Handbook) and that the work to which this declaration is attached is my own. Signature of Student: | | Qualitative Research Methods Review Taking “The Supportive expatriate spouse” as a case Introduction This Review is aimed at analyzing the qualitative research methods used in “The supportive expatriate spouse” by Jakob Lauring and Jan Selmer (2010).The specific research elements will be discussed in perspectives of suitability, benefits, limitations and ethical issues in context of the authors’ research. Research Methods The research question of the above article is to investigate the positive influence of accompanying spouses on their business expatriates. Samplings elected are sixteen Danish female accompanying women in a...
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...QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS PAPER Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methods Paper Obbie Brown University: Course: Tutor: Date: Appropriate Academic Research An appropriate academic research can be defined as the research and the experimental developments which comprise creative works which are conducted on a systematic basis with an aim of increasing the pool of an individual’s or a group’s knowledge. The knowledge could include the in-depth knowledge of mankind, culture and the society. The stock of knowledge is then used to devise alternative solutions to the existing problems (Brew & Lucas, 2009). Quantitative Research Quantitative form of research is predetermined and involves a large number of respondents. It involves objective measurements which are both quantitative and are statistically valid. Quantitative research entails hard and objective data. Quantitative research seeks to quantify data and generalize the results from the predetermined sample to the target population. It also aims at measuring the incidence of various views and opinions in a given sample (Balnaves & Caputi, 2001). Qualitative Research Qualitative research involves the collection, analysis and interpretation of data through the application of the observatory techniques as well as listening to peoples’ opinions. While quantitative research entails the counts and measures of phenomena, the qualitative research focuses on meanings...
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...The Qualitative Report Volume 8 Number 3 September 2003 447-461 http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR8-3/mccaslin.pdf The Five-Question Method For Framing A Qualitative Research Study Mark L. McCaslin University of Idaho, Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA Karen Wilson Scott University of Idaho, Idaho Falls, Idaho, USA The Five-Question Method is an approach to framing Qualitative Research, focusing on the methodologies of five of the major traditions in qualitative research: biography, ethnography, phenomenology, grounded theory, and case study. Asking Five Questions, novice researchers select a methodology appropriate to the desired perspective on the selected topic. The Method facilitates identifying and writing a Problem Statement. Through taking a future perspective, the researcher discovers the importance and direction of the study and composes a Purpose Statement. The process develops an overarching research question integrating the purpose and the research problem. The role of the researcher and management of assumptions and biases is discussed. The Five-Question Method simplifies the framing process promoting quality in qualitative research design. A course outline is appended. Key words: Qualitative Research, Five-Question Method, Biography Research, Phenomenology Research, Grounded Theory Research, Case Study Research, and Ethnography Research Introduction Planning a qualitative study for the first time tends to be an intimidating venture for graduate students just entering...
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...since swung back to the mind, but, however chequered its history may have been, it has remained predominantly shaded by the science umbrella. As Searle (1999) points out “academic psychology has placed great importance on the use of scientific approaches”, which has resulted in an emphasis on quantitative research methods, centred on collection of numerical data and statistical analysis (the empirical approach). However, since the 1960s there has been increasing criticism of such reliance on the quantitative data-collection characteristics of the scientific method, which has developed over subsequent decades into a strong shift towards more qualitative approaches. This has led to the somewhat inevitable, yet ultimately unhelpful, divide between competing methods: quantitative versus qualitative. According to Bauer, et al (2000), quantitative research deals with numbers, makes use of statistical models to explain the data and is considered ‘hard’ research, whereas qualitative research avoids numbers, involves interpretation of social realities and is considered ‘soft research. Both approaches, however, have their strengths and weaknesses. The strengths of quantitative research, as outlined by Burns (2000), includes precision and control – precision is achieved through quantitative and reliable measurement, control through sampling and design. Further, “experimentation leads to statements about causation” in that the systematic manipulation of a variable, in an environment where...
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...Qualitative research is a different approach to problem solving than quantitative research. The primary difference is in how a problem is approached. In the qualitative realm the method is primarily exploratory in nature. The researcher gradually delves deeper into the subject until reaching a core of information that can be used to implement problem solving. Qualitative research often depends on in depth interviews with small groups of individuals where quantitative method can take vast amounts of information, sometimes from millions of people and quantify it into trends that can improve medical practices over the norm. The purpose of Qualitative research is to gain an understanding of underlying reasons and motivations as well as to provide insights into the setting of a problem, generating ideas and/or hypotheses for later quantitative research and to uncover prevalent trends in thought and opinion. The advantage includes testing and validating already constructed theories about how and why phenomena occur, testing hypotheses that are constructed before the data are collected. It is used to generalize research findings when the data are based on random samples of sufficient size and generalize a research finding when it has been replicated on many different populations and subpopulations. It is useful for obtaining data that allow quantitative predictions to be made. Data collection using some quantitative methods is relatively quick (e.g., telephone interviews). It...
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...Qualitative research is a different approach to problem solving than quantitative research. The primary difference is in how a problem is approached. In the qualitative realm the method is primarily exploratory in nature. The researcher gradually delves deeper into the subject until reaching a core of information that can be used to implement problem solving. Qualitative research often depends on in depth interviews with small groups of individuals where quantitative method can take vast amounts of information, sometimes from millions of people and quantify it into trends that can improve medical practices over the norm. The purpose of Qualitative research is to gain an understanding of underlying reasons and motivations as well as to provide insights into the setting of a problem, generating ideas and/or hypotheses for later quantitative research and to uncover prevalent trends in thought and opinion. The advantage includes testing and validating already constructed theories about how and why phenomena occur, testing hypotheses that are constructed before the data are collected. It is used to generalize research findings when the data are based on random samples of sufficient size and generalize a research finding when it has been replicated on many different populations and subpopulations. It is useful for obtaining data that allow quantitative predictions to be made. Data collection using some quantitative methods is relatively quick (e.g., telephone interviews). It...
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...SURGICAL NURSING Making patients better: a qualitative descriptive study of registered nurses’ reasons for working in surgical areas Carolyn Mackintosh BA, MSc, RGN, Pg Dip, PhD Senior Lecturer, Division of Nursing, University of Bradford, Unity Building, Trinity Road, Bradford, UK Submitted for publication: 13 May 2005 Accepted for publication: 16 December 2005 Correspondence: Carolyn Mackintosh Division of Nursing University of Bradford Unity Building Trinity Road Bradford BD5 0BB UK Telephone: þ44 1274 236546 E-mail: c.mackintosh@bradford.ac.uk M A C K I N T O S H C ( 2 0 0 7 ) Journal of Clinical Nursing 16, 1134–1140 Making patients better: a qualitative descriptive study of registered nurses’ reasons for working in surgical areas Aims. To explore the reasons and motivation identified by qualified nurses for working within the surgical area. Background. Little is known about the career decisions qualified nurses make, although it is clear that some areas of practice are more popular than others. This qualitative descriptive study considers one common area, surgery, and explores the motivation for decisions made by Registered Nurses (RNs) to work in this area. Method. A sample of 16 RNs working within surgical areas participated in semistructured interviews, using a thematic interview schedule. Findings were analysed using the framework suggested by Morse and Field. Results. Analysis of findings indicates that all participants actively...
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...OVERVIEW Qualitative Research Methods: A Data Collector’s Field Guide Module 1 Qualitative Research Methods Overview F A M I L Y H E A L T H I N T E R N A T I O N A L Qualitative Research Methods Overview OVERVIEW T • • • • • • his module introduces the fundamental elements of a qualitative approach to research, to help you understand and become proficient in the qualitative methods discussed in subsequent modules. We recommend that you consult the suggested readings at the end of the module for more in-depth treatment of the foundations of qualitative research. This module covers the following topics: Introduction to Qualitative Research Comparing Qualitative and Quantitative Research Sampling in Qualitative Research Recruitment in Qualitative Research Ethical Guidelines in Qualitative Research Suggested Readings Introduction to Qualitative Research What is qualitative research? Qualitative research is a type of scientific research. In general terms, scientific research consists of an investigation that: • • • • • seeks answers to a question systematically uses a predefined set of procedures to answer the question collects evidence produces findings that were not determined in advance produces findings that are applicable beyond the immediate boundaries of the study Qualitative research shares these characteristics. Additionally, it seeks to understand a given research problem or topic from the perspectives of the local population it involves...
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...INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS This chapter introduces the fundamental elements of qualitative research methods, beginning with a definition of qualitative of research, followed by discussion on the evolution of qualitative research methods and how it is different from quantitative research methods. Also discussed is the importance of ethical considerations when doing qualitative research. Just like all research, qualitative research is a type of research that seeks answers to a question; is systematically conducted and involves the collection of evidence. However, the uniqueness of qualitative research is that you may produce findings that were not determined in advance and also the findings may be applicable beyond the immediate boundaries of the study. It is especially effective if you want to obtain culturally specific information about the subjects involved; i.e. the values, behaviours, and opinions of a particular population. However, the term qualitative research is a general definition that includes many different methods used in understanding and explaining social phenomena. The following are some definitions by prominent scholars in the field: • According to Denzin and Lincoln (1994), qualitative research focuses on interpretation of phenomena in their natural settings to make sense in terms of the meanings people bring to these settings. Qualitative research involves collecting...
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...INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS This chapter introduces the fundamental elements of qualitative research methods, beginning with a definition of qualitative of research, followed by discussion on the evolution of qualitative research methods and how it is different from quantitative research methods. Also discussed is the importance of ethical considerations when doing qualitative research. Just like all research, qualitative research is a type of research that seeks answers to a question; is systematically conducted and involves the collection of evidence. However, the uniqueness of qualitative research is that you may produce findings that were not determined in advance and also the findings may be applicable beyond the immediate boundaries of the study. It is especially effective if you want to obtain culturally specific information about the subjects involved; i.e. the values, behaviours, and opinions of a particular population. However, the term qualitative research is a general definition that includes many different methods used in understanding and explaining social phenomena. The following are some definitions by prominent scholars in the field: • According to Denzin and Lincoln (1994), qualitative research focuses on interpretation of phenomena in their natural settings to make sense in terms of the meanings people bring to these settings. Qualitative research involves collecting...
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...10 Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology Deborah Biggerstaff Warwick Medical School University of Warwick, Coventry UK 1. Introduction In the scientific community, and particularly in psychology and health, there has been an active and ongoing debate on the relative merits of adopting either quantitative or qualitative methods, especially when researching into human behaviour (Bowling, 2009; Oakley, 2000; Smith, 1995a, 1995b; Smith, 1998). In part, this debate formed a component of the development in the 1970s of our thinking about science. Andrew Pickering has described this movement as the “sociology of scientific knowledge” (SSK), where our scientific understanding, developing scientific ‘products’ and ‘know-how’, became identified as forming components in a wider engagement with society’s environmental and social context (Pickering, 1992, pp. 1). Since that time, the debate has continued so that today there is an increasing acceptance of the use of qualitative methods in the social sciences (Denzin & Lincoln, 2000; Morse, 1994; Punch, 2011; Robson, 2011) and health sciences (Bowling, 2009; Greenhalgh & Hurwitz, 1998; Murphy & Dingwall, 1998). The utility of qualitative methods has also been recognised in psychology. As Nollaig Frost (2011) observes, authors such as Carla Willig and Wendy Stainton Rogers consider qualitative psychology is much more accepted today and that it has moved from “the margins to the mainstream in psychology in the UK.” (Willig & Stainton...
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...Quantitative and Qualitative Research Most of the people who are conducting a research are not aware of the difference between qualitative and quantitative method, these two terms are the most important element in a research. Many mistakes are made since most people think that they can use both elements interchangeably. Both methods have their own explanation, although two of them are used in a research but they can’t be used together in one research. Catherine M. Castellan (2010, Vol. 2, No. 2, p. 4) assumes that “quantitative and qualitative research programs claim different philosophical perspectives, and correspondingly, work with different underlying assumptions.” A research of “Qualitative versus Quantitative Methods: Understanding Why Qualitative Methods are superior for Criminology and Criminal Justice” is made by Richard Tewksbury, University of Louisville on a Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Criminology, Vol. 1 (1) 2009. In this research of criminology and criminal justice, Richard Tewksbury (2009, Vol. 1) stated that “because of the unique contributions – depth of understandings being primary -- that qualitative methods can provide it is argued that such approaches should be used more frequently, be more frequently and strongly valued and seen as unique, often superior approaches to the creation of criminological and criminal justice knowledge.” A quantitative research is an explanatory research that’s mainly used to identify a problem in a research by converting...
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...Quantitative and Qualitative Quantitative and Qualitative Research The purpose of this paper is a comprehensive comparison of quantitative vs. qualitative research techniques for MBA 5210 Business Statistics. The paper will weigh the relative merits and demerits of each providing interpretation of the potential applications of qualitative and quantitative research to various fields of study as per the requirements of the paper. Qualitative and Quantitative Overview Researchers have long debated the relative merits quantitative vs. qualitative research techniques have to offer field researchers. It is important that one understand the implications of each in order to weigh the relative importance and relevance of each to the field. Qualitative and quantitative methods have a long history of providing researchers with information regarding specific events, phenomena and subjects. The primary difference between the two forms of investigation is the methods each employs to uncover the ‘reality’ behind a given situation. These separate realities are explored below. Benz & Newman (1998) suggest that qualitative and quantitative research methods align in a continuum. Qualitative research derives its foundation in naturalistic philosophy, whereas quantitative research focuses on positivistic philosophy (Benz & Newman, 1998). Qualitative research is more likely to adopt an individual phenomenological perspective, whereas quantitative approaches tend to emphasize...
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