Sample Research Paper On Research Methods

There are various types of methodological paradigms that can be used in any form of research. A paradigm can be thought to be a perception drawn from a given collection of assumptions conventions, notions, and values that are by researchers or a public. Some of these methodology paradigms include quantitative paradigm, qualitative paradigm or mixed paradigm. Consider these research methodology paradigms: Quantitative research and Qualitative research.
Quantitative research is that type of methodology paradigm that depend basically on the collection of quantitative data. The quantitative data in this methodology paradigm depends on variables. A variable can be thought to be anything that can take different values. They keep on changing depending on the situation they are subjected at. There are various types of variables depending on the category they fall on. For instance under the category of level of measurement we can have two types of variables: categorical variable and quantitative variable. Categorical variable in this case can take various forms depending on is category or phenomenon. For instance in a variable gender we can have male or female. Under this category we can also have quantitative variable. Quantitative variable changes according to volume (quantity) of a phenomena. Under the category of the role taken by a variable, we can have independent and dependent variable. Independent variables have distinct values. They don’t depend on any factors to change. On other hand, dependent values depend on the values of other variables (independent variables) to change.
The advantages of quantitative research include: data collected with the help of quantitative paradigms is thought to be more specific and accurate due to standard methods that are used when collecting data. Quantitative data can be replicated to suit researchers’ interests. Also quantitative research data can be analyzed with the help of sophisticated statistical approaches which is not the case in qualitative research. The only drawbacks is that quantitative research methods are time consuming and incurs high costs.
Qualitative research methods on another hand are methodology paradigms that depends basically on the quality of data collection. There are different types of qualitative research methods: they include; phenomenology, Ethnogeny, case study research, grounded theory and historical research. In phenomenology paradigm, the researchers concern themselves on finding out how some phenomenon affect individuals. Ethnography on another hand is a qualitative research method that concerns itself in finding out more about the ethnicities (culture) of the given group. This will include the research of the group’s attitudes, norms, languages, practices and values. Case study research as part of qualitative research method identifies the area of study and analyze each and every bit of detail about such an area. For instance one can study a given university about courses offered. Such a university is considered to be the case study of your research. Grounded theory being part of qualitative research method studies the collected data thoroughly and generate a theory or theories from such analyzed data. For instance one can collect data about the cause of divorce in many marriages and ultimately making you to develop theory on causes of divorces in Marriages. And finally, historical research as a type of qualitative research method bases its research on the events that had already happened, that is, research is past events hence the term historical research. For instance one may decide to research on the aftermath of Second World War.
Merits of qualitative methods include: Researchers using qualitative research method have come up with advanced techniques in classifying and analyzing large bodies of descriptive data making such method to be reliant and effective compared to quantitative research method. Qualitative methods are well suited for formative evaluations. Demerits of qualitative research method is that they are not suitable for summative evaluations. Also the data collected using qualitative research method cannot be analyzed using sophisticated statistical techniques. As a researcher who is after quality and quantity, I have decided to use both qualitative research method and quantitative research method. This will give me an upper hand when it comes to reliability and effectiveness in the field of collecting and analyzing data.

References

Guba, E.G., and Lincoln, Y.S. "Effective Evaluation." Francisco,, 1989: 1-20.
Richard Tewksbury. "Qualitative versus Quantitative Methods: Understanding Why Qualitative Methods are Superior for Criminology and Criminal Justice." Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Criminology,, 2009: 1-21.