Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of both quantitative and qualitative research methods with particular reference to communication research - Essay Example

Qualitative research is helpful in identifying limitations and boundaries of a field of study (Patton 1990). In terms of communication research, qualitative research can be looked as a strong approach as it allows the participants to contribute their detailed knowledge such as through detailed interviews. According to Merrigan and Huston (2004), the qualitative research method works well at the initial stages of a project because it allows the researcher to collect information in a manner that is descriptive and rough.

It is also said that by using qualitative method, the researcher is unable to have a fixed or fully defined aim; he/she may only have a rough idea about the aim of the project. The researcher is able to know about the outcome of the project or some specification of the project with the passage of time as he/she continuously uses the qualitative approach for collection of data (Patton 1990). Qualitative research is time consuming as compared to quantitative research (Adler 1994). The data that is collected by means of qualitative research is broad and extensive as the researcher gathers every minute observation into the study.

The researcher is the one who narrates everything described by other participants. Researcher is the one who gathers data. The data is not in the form of numbers or figures; it is in form of descriptive notes and pictures (Adler 1994). Reliability is analyzed by repeatedly obtaining the same results in a given time frame. However, validity is measured for the truthfulness of the results. The data collection methods can be combined as to analyze the concept of triangulation in qualitative method (Patton 1990).

Qualitative interviews can be taken in form of verbal interviews and can also be developed in form of questionnaires (Adler 1994). Direct observation deals with direct interaction with the research material such as videos, pictures and eye witnessed events and incidents. Case studies is a