Qualitative and quantitative research methods are commonly used to study social and individual aspects. Quantitative methods focus on social phenomenon or solving human problems with the use of numbers and statistical analysis to determine the validity of the hypothesis using deductive reasoning (Allwood, 2012). Qualitative research is harder to define because of its multifaceted nature, but regarding methodology, it refers to all research conducted without the use of statistical methods, one of the differences between quantitative and qualitative research methods. Additionally, qualitative research draws from multiple disciplines and focuses on the quality of various social aspects instead of quantity (McMillan & Schumacher, 2010). Notably, the quantitative analysis makes an objective attempt to develop universal laws to explain social behaviors using statistical methods. Conversely, qualitative research is based on the assumption that social phenomenon is independent of the subjects through inductive reasoning; hence the need for distance between the researcher and the research subjects (Allwood, 2012). Therefore, unlike quantitative research which focuses on creating social beliefs, qualitative research explains the creation of social phenomenon.
These aspects inform the particular research designs in numerous ways. Qualitative research is based on the assumption that social phenomenon is not independent of the subjects, but rather, they are the result of social constructs. Therefore, a qualitative research design will focus on a selected sample or case study to answer the questions how what and why (Trotter, 2012). The researcher will then involve themselves in face-to-face interactions with the research subjects and establish strong relationships with them for example in the case of ethnography. An example of quantitative research design will involve the use of pre-constructed instruments normally from randomly selected samples from which findings are generalized (Hussein, 2015). An example is a close-ended questionnaire administered to research subjects, thus denying them the opportunity to express their personal feelings and experiences (Yilmaz, 2013). I would rely on the qualitative research design for my thesis because I firmly believe that social phenomenon is a result of social constructions, and therefore, forming social beliefs without understanding the underlying causes is inadequate.
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References
Allwood, C. M. (2012). The distinction between qualitative and quantitative research methods is problematic. Quality & Quantity, 46 (5), 1417-1429.
Hussein, A. (2015). The use of triangulation in social sciences research: Can qualitative and quantitative methods be combined?. Journal of comparative social work, 4 (1).
McMillan, J. H., & Schumacher, S. (2010). Research in Education: Evidence-Based Inquiry, MyEducationLab Series. Pearson.
Trotter II, R. T. (2012). Qualitative research sample design and sample size: Resolving and unresolved issues and inferential imperatives. Preventive medicine, 55 (5), 398-400.
Yilmaz, K. (2013). Comparison of quantitative and qualitative research traditions: Epistemological, theoretical, and methodological differences. European Journal of Education, 48 (2), 311-325.
