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IFY_SSc_Lecture3_Intro_Social Science.pptx
- 1. Research Strategies: Qualitative, Quantitativeand Mixed Methods Research IFY Social Science Term 1
- 2. Content sheffield.ac.uk/international-college 2 • What ismethodology? • Quantitative methodology • Qualitative methodology • Quantitative or qualitative? • Mixed methods methodology
- 3. Why do westudy and discuss research strategies? sheffield.ac.uk/international-college 3 Image source: Freepixel.com on freepik • Studying research methodologies and methods introduces you to some of the choices that you as a researcher have for exploring a topic of interest. • It provides you with an understanding of how to collect and analyse data. • Studying research processes and strategies shows how the overall process of researching a topic works – from choosing a research question, to writing up your findings. • It trains you in recognising the difference between high quality and poor quality research.
- 4. To keep inmind sheffield.ac.uk/international-college 4 Social science does not take place in a vacuum – there are several factors that shape it. For example: Existing knowledge of the researcher As a researcher, you need to be aware of the developments in your field, and what other researchers discovered. You must become familiar with the existing literature on the topic you are exploring. Existing experience of the researcher Your life experiences affect the topics and questions that you are interested in and how you research them. For example, if you come from a place affected by natural disasters, you may be interested in the effects this has on human geography and migration trends. Theoretical approach of the researcher The questions that you choose to explore will be shaped and influenced by your existing understanding of the world. For example, if you were interested in researching inequality and why it occurs in society, it might be due to your conviction of theories that focus on tensions in society. Researcher’s philosophical views Different assumptions about our reality (=ontology), knowledge and truth (epistemology) also affect the type of questions we ask. For example, different researchers might have different ideas about what we can really know about the social world, and how predictable human behaviour can be.
- 5. Method vs Methodology sheffield.ac.uk/international-college 5 Method •The procedure, system or way of doing something systematically. • Answers the question: What and how you are doing? Methodology • The logos (logic, theory, philosophy, discussion, explanation, justifications) of the method(s) being chosen and used. • Discusses questions like: Why is the method the right one to use? What dilemmas and problems does this choice entail? How can these problems be mitigated?
- 6. What are methods? sheffield.ac.uk/international-college 6 •Research methods refer to techniques, procedures and tools for finding, collecting, analysing and interpreting data. • There are numerous methods that can be used in research, such as experiments, focus groups, interviews, observations, questionnaires and statistical analysis. • When designing research, your methodology will set and determine the framework for your project. You will have to make several decisions as you devise your plan, depending on what data you need to answer your research question. You may have to answer the following questions: – Will your data take the form of words or numbers? (Qualitative or quantitative?) – Will you collect original data yourself? Will you use existing data? – Will you perform an experiment, ask questions or describe an existing thing? – How will you analyse the collected data?
- 7. What is methodology? sheffield.ac.uk/international-college 7 •Methodology is the explanation and justification of the methods used to gain knowledge for a research project. • Methodology can also be described as the strategy a researcher uses to gather data and find answers to the research questions she has posed. • Methodologies should be judged by their ability to credibly answer the research questions. • Three most common methodologies are: quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods methodologies. Remember: Methodology focuses on the reasons for the choice of methods, and so it should not be confused with the actual methods of research themselves. The methods we use to gain knowledge will be guided by the methodology.
- 8. Quantitative methodology sheffield.ac.uk/international-college 8 • Quantitativemethodologies entail using methods for collecting data through measuring and quantifying things. • The data is then analysed through statistical inference and comparison of numbers. • There are many tools that can be used to achieve this, including surveys, questionnaires and structured interviews. • Quantitative methodology follows the scientific method in its attempts to discover and measure facts about society and social behaviour. • The scientific method is a logical process for the gaining objective knowledge. It is intended to be an unbiased way of discovering truth. – If the scientific method is followed, then the results of observation should be accurate. – It does not matter who’s making the observation. Image source: mindandi on Freepik
- 9. The scientific method sheffield.ac.uk/international-college 9 Obsv •Observation • Observation and description of phenomena Hypo • Hypothesis • Develop a hypothesis to explain the phenomena Pred • Prediction • Use the hypothesis to predict other phenomena or results of future observations Test • Testing • Test the predictions using observations and experiments
- 10. Quantitative study: Example sheffield.ac.uk/international-college 10 Whatis the effect of crime on the educational performance of children and young adults aged 14-18? What is the relationship between rates of belief in a god and levels of violence in society? Does an active social media campaign influence candidate popularity in the elections? Possible methodology: Quantitative Possible method: Statistical analysis
- 11. Qualitative methodology sheffield.ac.uk/international-college 11 • Qualitativeresearch tends to view social life in terms of processes and is used to explore people’s beliefs, experiences, attitudes, interpretations and interactions. It tends to assume that how we feel, imagine and explain our experiences is the key to our behaviour. • Qualitative researchers start their research by asking broad questions and tend to have at least some flexibility in terms of the direction of their research. • Qualitative methodologies use methods that can explore the interpretations, experiences, perceptions and perspectives of different aspects of social life. • Qualitative methods generate insights and are expressed by words, not numbers. • Examples of qualitative methods include interviews, focus groups and observations. The types of data generated includes field notes, audio and video recordings and transcripts. Image source: pressfoto on Freepik
- 12. Qualitative methodology: Example sheffield.ac.uk/international-college 12 Howdo residents of high crime rate areas perceive their environment? What does god, religious worship and prayer mean to people? What impact does active social media presence have on self- confidence and self-perception of teenagers? Possible methodology: Qualitative Possible method: participant observation, open-ended interviews, focus groups
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- 14. Qualitative or Quantitative? sheffield.ac.uk/international-college 14 Imagesource: UX Design Key characteristics Focus on numbers Focus on statistics Researchers view Research distant/removed Theory testing Static Structured Macro Hard data Generalisation Key characteristics Focus on words Participants’ experience Research close/immersed Theory emergent Dynamic Unstructured/Flexible Micro Rich and deep data Meaning Contextual understanding
- 15. Mixed methods methodology sheffield.ac.uk/international-college 15 •Mixed methods research design combines and integrates qualitative and quantitative methods in the same study. • There are several potential reasons for adopting a mixed methods methodology, for example: – Mixing methods allows for a close-up illustration of a single case, when research focus is on a bigger picture, or the opposite – for exploring the background of a single case study. – It can allow for more accurate measurement (triangulation). • Mixed methods is more complicated and expensive, and not necessarily better or more suitable. Example Does the American public think Joe Biden is doing a job as President? – Phase 1 – Quantitative: large-scale, population wide survey; – Phase 2 – Qualitative: focus groups and interviews to focus on particular social groups for more in-depth information.
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- 17. Summary sheffield.ac.uk/international-college 17 • Social researchdoes not take place in vacuum – researcher’s experience, skills, knowledge and philosophical outlook shape it. • Methodology is the explanation and justification of the methods used to gain knowledge for a research project. It is the strategy a researcher uses to gather data and find answers to the research questions she has posed. • Quantitative methodologies entail using methods for collecting data through measuring things. Its focused on numerical data and statistical analysis. • Qualitative research tends to view social life in terms of processes and is used to explore people’s beliefs, experiences, attitudes, behaviour and interactions. Its focused on words, descriptions and narratives. • Mixed methods research design combines and integrates qualitative and quantitative methods in the same study.