Over the past 16 years, only two building permits for new housing construction have been issued in Sedgwick County, Colorado. This is consistent with the depopulation (particularly of younger persons) and economic diminution that is attributed to a declining rainfall since the 1970s. These are quantitative details. It is unclear how much of the depopulation was due to perceived opportunities elsewhere, to copycat or fad behavior, and to perceived change in local economic opportunity. Why is qualitative analysis more likely to identify the leading cause of Sedgwick County's out-migration than quantitative methods? Which characteristics of qualitative research most influenced your response to this question?
It goes without saying that quantitative research has its key merits when it comes to using the data obtained from the research – it measures the quantifiable variables that show the impact, extent, and size of a phenomenon. When looking into the case of depopulation of Sedgwick County in Colorado, quantitative research shows the data sets and statistics of the interests that have a direct effect on the issue. In this case, we see the number of building permits that have been issued over time and the declining rainfall, which has had a direct effect on the agricultural and economic status of the area. These datasets measure the available quantifiable variables. However, it is important to have an adaptation of social imagination to be able to relate variables and interpret these datasets.
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Phenomena like perceived changes in the local economic opportunities, fad or copycat behavior, and perceived opportunities in other places are variables that cannot be measured directly using the quantitative means (Opentextbc, 2019) . As a matter of fact, these variables can only be prompted as responses from those involved and they cannot be evaluated as numerical data. That said, qualitative methodology is the best suited tactic for this particular study because it makes it possible to examine the variables that cannot be measured directly yet they have a major effect on the area of interest. Qualitative methodology also comes to play because it captures a wide and diverse range of responses unlike quantitative research. Qualitative researchers do not consider the reality as being totally fixed but they instead have the understanding that individuals bring a special perspective to the manner in which they understand the world around them ( Frost, 2011). The key reason why I believe that qualitative research is the best means of understanding Sedgwick County’s depopulation is because this region is fairly rural and people might be moving in search of other diverse opportunities. (Frost, 2011) greatly emphasizes on the need to understand the human experience, and this is the characteristic that influenced my response the most.
List the theoretical foundation and Permalink for each study, and add the studies to your RefWorks list. Then determine a theoretical foundation (laws, theories, models, concepts) for a study that you might like to research for your study? (Personality and workplace communication) Why did you select this foundation? Finally, comment on other learners' theoretical foundations and if/how they can be improved.
In his study on Qualitative Research Methods in Psychology, (Frost, 2011) bases his theoretical foundation on grounded theory. Grounded theory is an approach by Anselm L. Strauss and Barney G. Glaser, which is used on the study of interaction, action, and the meaning of the two. These two sociologists used the grounded theory to study how a social issue impacts professional practice in a given setting. Through this study, it then becomes possible to analyze the cause of depopulation in Sedgwick County. The main theoretical foundation for the study by (Opentextbc, 2019) is naturalistic observation by Ara Norenzayan and Robert Levine. Naturalistic observation is a form of data collection that is used to make an observation of people’s behavior in their environment. Researchers who use naturalistic observation aim at being as inconspicuous as possible when making their observations to help them get a clear picture of the behaviour of their subjects. This theoretical foundation comes to play when analyzing the people of Sedgwick County in a bid to understand why they are shifting to other regions. It is good to note that these two sources both agree on the definition of quantitative and qualitative research. They two studies used a survey type methodology, where each proves that the interventions are effective when it comes to understanding the differences in the two research methodologies which forms the theoretical foundation for the study.
The study that I might like to research for this study is personality and workplace communication. The term personality refers to the set of characteristics in an individual that determines their patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behavior. When it comes to communication in a workplace setting, the key focus is the personality of the individuals involved. An organization aims at maximising on the unique propensities and habits of an individual as distinct from their abilities, knowledge, and skills when seeking to improve organizational success. That said, the best theoretical foundation for a study on personality and workplace communication is personality theory, which looks into all the aspects of personality in relation to workplace communication. In this case, the focus is on personality theories that are especially designed for organizations. I chose this theoretical foundation because I believe that the best way to understand workplace communication is by starting with the unique personalities of all the individuals.
Other learners’ theoretical foundations focus on organizational performance when discussing personality and workplace communication. While organizational performance is an important aspect to keep in mind, I believe that this theoretical foundation can be improved by paying more attention on the people rather than the company because the people are the key determinants of the communication patterns at the organization.
Critics of qualitative research often posit that it is subjective due to the fact that the researcher collects the data. Therefore, the researcher's own prior experiences, prejudices, and attitudes may bias the data, and therefore, the results of the study. How would you respond to someone who presents this criticism to you?
I think that this criticism is partially true because it is the researcher who collects and finally organizes the data (Mehra, 2013) . However, if we look at the three main qualitative research methods used, which include focus groups, participant observation, and in-depth interviews, you realize that they can all be recorded. It is a good thing to see that the proof and integrity of the data can be maintained regardless of the fact that the researcher interacts with it throughout all the stages of their research. Besides, in a situation where the researcher is questioned on the authenticity of the researcher, most of them make an effort to prove something that is drawn from their hypothesis with the goal of benefiting the entire society. That said, a single or two instances out of the several thousands are not enough to hold much water.
It is also true that there are times when the researcher may force the respondents to provide the kind of answers they expect by framing the questions in a manner that prompts the respondents towards a particular direction (Yilmaz, 2013) . However, this accusation is not enough to capsize the ship of qualitative research methodologies, which are considered to be the best because they have the potential to openly describe the subjects of the research or bring out a behavior naturally.
Drawing on your prior knowledge, the studies and literature research you have completed, and the readings for this topic, reflect on the role of ethics in the research process. Discuss strategies as a learner might employ to protect participants and the institutions (University/data collection site) in a study. Explain any concerns/uncertainties you have regarding ethical conduct during research of study
Ethical considerations account for one of the most important aspects of a research. There are several aspects of ethics, and they all aim at ensuring that the research is conducted in a fair manner. Confidentiality in maintaining the safety of data; integrity by remaining open and honest throughout the research; informed consent by seeking prior permission to perform the research amongst the potential respondents; objectivity by ensuring that there is no alteration of data or subjective involvement when conducting the research; openness by ensuring that the participants are fully informed regarding the research; treating every participant in the research equally and ensuring that there is no discrimination on whichever basis; legality by operating in line with the laws of the land, are some of the key factors that come to play in ensuring that the research is in line with the ethical standards (Resnik, 2015) .
There are situations when the researcher will face ambiguity and stress due to a number of reasons. One of the key issues likely to be faced has to be that of cultural differences. A researcher, therefore, needs to remain culture sensitive as they conduct the research. Every individual responding to a research is different, and this means that conclusions that are drawn from a small number of respondents are not sufficient. It is also important for a researcher to understand that the ethical principles used when dealing with adults tends to change in a situation where the respondents are children (McKenna & Gray, 2018) . Proper analysis of the population at hand is, therefore, important. Finally, when conducting an international research, the researcher should be aware of the laws governing the land.
References
Frost, N. (2011). Qualitative research methods in psychology: Combining core approaches . McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
McKenna, L., & Gray, R. (2018). The importance of ethics in research publications. Collegian , 25 (2), 147-148. doi: 10.1016/j.colegn.2018.02.006
Mehra, B. (2013). Bias in Qualitative Research: Voices from an Online Classroom. The Qualitative Report , 15 (1), 630-630. doi: 10.4148/2470-6353.1070
Opentextbc. (2019). Qualitative Research – Research Methods in Psychology. Retrieved from https://opentextbc.ca/researchmethods/chapter/qualitative-research/
Resnik, D. (2015). What is Ethics in Research & Why is it Important? National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences , 2000 (82), 15-24. doi: 10.1002/ev.1133
Yilmaz, K. (2013). Comparison of Quantitative and Qualitative Research Traditions: epistemological, theoretical, and methodological differences. European Journal of Education , 48 (2), 311-325. doi: 10.1111/ejed.12014
