Research methods table (wod)

1. RESEARCH
METHOD
DESCRIPTION TYPE OF DATA
(qualitative/quantitative
/primary/secondary)
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
INTERVIEW A meeting in which someone
answers questions about
himself or herself for a
newspaper article, television
show, etc./
Quantitative/Primary They are useful to obtain detailed
information about personal feelings,
perceptions and opinions/ they allow
more detailed questions to be asked/
They usually achieve a high response
rate. I found this useful because I out
useful information from the
interviewer.
They can be very time-consuming
setting up, interviewing,
transcribing, analysing, feedback,
reporting/They can be
costly/different interviewers may
understand and transcribe
interviews in different ways. I
could not find this useful because
people rarely come to the
interview.
QUESTIONNAIRE A list of questions that several
people are asked so that
information can be collected
about something.
Quantitative/Primary Practical/Large amounts of information
can be collected from a large number
of people in a short period of time and
in a relatively cost effective way/Can
be carried out by the researcher or by
any number of people with limited
affect to its validity and reliability.. I
found this useful because I out useful
information from the questionnaire
Is argued to be inadequate to
understand some forms of
information - i.e. changes of
emotions, behaviour,
feelings/Phenomenologists state
that quantitative research is
simply an artificial creation by
the researcher, as it is asking only
a limited amount of information
without explanation
/Lacks validity. I didn’t find this
useful because certain people put
unnecessary answers .
FOCUS GROUP A group of people who have
been brought together to
discuss a particular subject in
order to solve a problem or
suggest ideas.
Quantitative/Primary/Secondary It is comparatively easy to conduct/It is
economically efficient/It generates
opportunity to collect data from the
group interaction
It gives speed in the supply of the
results/It allows a relatively large
sample size for a qualitative study
The research is not carried out in
a natural setting and the
researcher has less control over
the data generated
2/The data may be difficult to
analyse/The interviewer must
have good interview
skills/Assembling a group may
require additional resources

2. SURVEY An examination of opinions,
behaviour, etc., made by
asking people questions.
Quantitative/Primary High Representativeness/ Low Costs/
Convenient Data Gathering/ Good
Statistical Significance/ Little or No
Observer Subjectivity/ Little or No
Observer Subjectivity
Inflexible Design/ Not Ideal for
Controversial Issues/ Possible
Inappropriateness of Questions
INTERNET
RESEARCH
The large system of connected
computers around the world
that allows people to share
information and communicate
with each other. /A detailed
study of a subject, especially
in order to discover (new)
information or reach a (new)
understanding.
Qualitative / Secondary The Internet is available 24 hours a
day/Internet pages can be more
quickly updated than paper
sources./Some newspapers magazines
and encyclopaedias are available
online./Some books not available in the
library may be available online./Many
different types of media are available
on the Internet.
Anyone can create a web page.
/Authority of the work may not
be readily apparent.
/What you see today may not be
what you see tomorrow /There is
nothing to prevent the author
from changing tomorrow what
you quoted today.
Internet information is usually
not organized in any way to help
in finding it./Archived materials -
newspapers, magazines, etc. may
not go back very far.
/Media available in different
formats may require software not
available on your computer.
/Most journals and magazines
are not available on the Internet
except through databases which
require a paid subscription.
/Most books are not available
through the Internet.
LIBRARY
RESEARCH
A building, room, or
organization that has a
collection, especially of books,
for people to read or borrow
usually without payment./A
detailed study of a subject,
especially in order to discover
(new) information or reach a
(new) understanding.
Qualitative/Primary The library is a lot quieter than a
coffee shop/ Nice architecture creates a
pleasant working environment/ It’s
free./ Comfortable desks/ Access to
research material/
No telephone/VoIP calls/ Not very
much social interaction/ You’re
not allowed to plug in your
computer/ No eating/drinking at
your desk (except in the cafe).