When
designing a research project, there are various components that need to be
considered whether it’s a quantitative or qualitative research study. In the
two chapters, the two designs were examined thoroughly. When reading about
these methods, I kept asking myself where does the research fit in?
The
quantitative methods of research consist of designing the survey or experiment,
the population and sample size, instrumentation, variables in the study, and
the data analysis. As the name implies, identifying survey or experiment design
is the first step in undertaking a research project. The sample size and
population are targeted after that to see if a research would want to have a
random sample that represents the population or a stratified that represents
the population who have certain characteristics. The instrumentation is what’s
going to be used to help with the measuring of data. After all the variables
have been accounted for a researcher interprets the data. The qualitative
research takes a different approach.
The
qualitative research methods in the chapter consist of strategies of inquiry,
researcher’s role, data collection, data analysis, and the reliability and
validity of the research. Every research question should be looked at through a
strategy of inquiry that must be selected at the beginning. The researcher’s
own biases are known and explicitly stated in the project to better understand
his or her perspective. Data collection and procedures are clearly stated to
have some realistic boundaries in the process. At the end, the methods and
results need to have reliability and validity but will not always have
generalizability.
As I was
reading through the chapters, I was extremely excited about the idea of doing qualitative
research in different aspects of topics and reporting them to the world. I was
extremely excited until I contemplated on who the “world” truly entailed and
wondered how it was useful to them. In undertaking any research project, I hope
that the researcher is trying to resolve an issue or point one out rather than
simply gaining points through the academy for his work. After reading several
regulations and procedures to follow for qualitative research, I asked myself
how many people will actually understand the writing when it comes down to
looking at the problem and taking action to resolve it.
Once the
work is published, how is it going to help the community? I felt that the
research itself may not be the best method for creating activism or change-
mostly because the community affected may not be able to obtain the research
that the person did. Furthermore, I asked myself how does research truly help a
community since people within the community are the ones who know the problems
they face. Their own voices do not need to be substantiated with protocols and
procedures for voicing their opinion and are the quickest method to reaching
their community. Many social movements have been started through people within
the community, but I have never seen an article or research finding have a huge
impact in creating an enormous social movement.
At the end,
I simply want to know, what audience is the qualitative research trying to
please through the studies undertaken? Is it the best method of approach to
resolving issues in the community? And isn’t it more impactful to have a single
person, within the community, to unify the community with his or her concerns
rather than scholars behind the desk writing an article?
Jose, your response to this week's readings got me excited to do my own research and got me asking the same types of questions.
ReplyDeleteI guess the audience that you are trying to reach depends on what type of qualitative research you plan on doing. I think I've narrowed mine down to a holistic type of qualitative research. That way I get a well-rounded response from observations and data. My hope is that my audience will be the pool of scholars that I work with and those that are in my general discipline.
Even though it seems like I have a plan, I don't think I do. I will be using this book (and the other two) through out this whole process.
I partly agree with your statement, "I felt that the research itself may not be the best method for creating activism or change- mostly because the community affected may not be able to obtain the research that the person did." Quantitative research is definitely more effective when presenting facts for community activism. However, I do believe that qualitative research is utilized in many forms of activism. Religions, political parties, and educational institutions all utilize this abstract design of research and all of the aforementioned groups sometimes mask their data as quantitative. For example, political parties all utilize detailed statistics when pointing out an issue in need of activism; however, when the parties start explaining their different modes of approach to a problem, they might use interviews, fear-based rhetorics that shines a dark light on the opposing party, or hypothetical situations that their method could help. I think the true form of research is a mixed-method design. Social activism relies on both the perception of an audience (qualitative) and the use of raw data (quantitative).
ReplyDeleteHey Jose. I'm really intrigued by the way you think. I agree with Micah, as far as the ways that research can be used to benefit the community that is being affected. I do agree that a mixed methods approach is most often used when dealing with social activism--kind of goes back to Aristotle don't you think? People like numbers, or more specifically, politicians, legislators, businesses, etc. pay attention to the numbers that represent the people's interests. When you think about it, those people, organizations, corporations, etc. can't be "bothered" with personal narratives of individual's problems, but I digress....
ReplyDeleteI think I understand your frustration, because I share it. Let's face it, a lot of research isn't going to go much further beyond the walls of the academy, and within every community there are people who will research, analyze, and discuss a problem--but not a solution, or if they do come up with a solution how to actualize it. I can't tell you how often I've had to deal with this...It seems to me that research is necessary to prove to people outside of the community that there is a problem, its severity, and a suggestion for a solution to it (i.e. funding, government programs). I know this is really long, but I hope I make sense.