Choice of Research Method - Essay Example

Choice of Research Method Number: D ue: Outline Introduction 3 Definition of terms 4 Positivism vs. ISS 5 Relationship 6 Differences Between Positivism and ISS 6 Other View Points 7 Critical Social Science 8 Discussion 8 Conclusion 9 References 11 Introduction The early researchers have had issues on the kind of research method to use during their field research. Several issues have come into view, more so the use of qualitative and quantitative research methods. However, literature supports the use of mixed methods in data collection that would make use of the features of both methods. Social scientists have now abandoned the use of one method in data collection and advocated the use of the combination of both methods (Blaikie 1993). This essay through looking at the choice of the research method shall answer the “how” question that is mostly associated with the design, development and evolution of the information system for e-learning. This shall achieved by explaining the choice of the research method and its nature. Moreover, the research question and its connection to the research method is looked in depth under discussion. However, the problem arises on where or at which point during the research one should adopt which method, and at which point to use the other approach. The debate on qualitative and quantitative methods have continued for a while n have now and have not come to a conclusion. The issue of describing research based on qualitative/quantitative seem confusing to the early career researchers and the ongoing debate adds further to this confusion. This paper aims to bring into light the ongoing debate on the methods of research to use, the debates in literature surrounding the research methods, and the associated definitions are discussed. Definition of terms Quantitative Research This type of research is concerned with what people do, without necessarily having a complete understanding of the human actions. This research is concerned with the human behavior without paying attention to understanding such behavior. Nevertheless, where the human attitudes are being studied, the respondents are asked to answer questions without giving their own views. Qualitative Research Qualitative research is concerned with answering questions such as why? These kinds of questions are not put up to accept the quantitative answers. This kind of research is aimed at providing an understanding to the subject being studied and the actions of the subject being studied. Methodology and Epistemology Epistemology refers to the term knowledge. This term is used in the type of research where the researcher aims to know the outcome of a research. However, the term epistemology is related to methodology but in methodology is more practical than the latter that is more theoretical. Therefore the methodology in research is with the methods a researcher uses to understand the study better. The two terms are occasionally used in research to imply “: philosophy" and “practice” respectively (Fonnow & Cook 1991). Paradigms Paradigms give a research process the required assumptions to be as guidelines in the research project and the selection method. Throughout this paper I shall use paradigm and the selection research method interchangeably to mean the same thing. Positivism vs. ISS Positivism believes that the aim of knowledge in research is to describe the “phenomena” that humans experience. It asserts that the objective of any science is to follow and “stick” to what can be observed and measured (Gilbert 1995). That the knowledge beyond what a positivist can hold is not possible. This kind of philosophy hence embarks on measurements and hypothesis testing. This theory further proposes that statements are true if they can be verified empirically. However, the issue of empirical verification posed problems to the positivists and they had to accept modifications to this theory. Interpretive social science philosophy is based on the belief that science is subjective and therefore allows some form of correction in their research. This theory emphasizes on the importance of social interaction and its influence amongst the researchers. Thus several other studies have supported this view of interpretive social science as they believe that the observations in research are interpreted on the view of the researcher’s knowledge and their mental models. For example what a human being sees depends upon the observations and the previous experience that their concepts have taught them to see (May 2001). Therefore this theory assumpts that science is an ever-changing and ongoing process and that to understand it in full the researchers have to depend on the understanding of scientific theories and the development of those theories. Relationship to Quantitative and Qualitative Methods The understanding of interpretive social science calls for the use of a number of methodologies in doing research. The importance of this type of theory therefore does not encourage the use of a single method of research such as the as the qualitative or the quantitative paradigm but both. Nevertheless, through understanding of the limitations of the interpretive approach to research one is able to know the methodologies to be employed in research. Positivity approach to research has led to adoption of a variety of different tools and research methods. This is vital to research considering the difficulties experienced in systems analysis and their development. Branches of research strategies such as the qualitative and quantitative methods have been possible since this approach discourages subjection of any form of study. The positivity approach to research moreover is seen in the need to quantify social research and subject it to” experimental control and hypothesis testing” (Bryman 2008). Differences between Positivism and ISS The positivity approach to research does not take into account factors such as the social interaction amongst the researchers and their dependency just like the interpretive social science. Nevertheless, the positivity approach sees the researcher’s subjection to interpretation as being irrelevant to the research process (Kuechler & Vaishnavi 2008). However the interpretive social science takes into view the importance of such factors to understanding the development of scientific knowledge. In the positivity approach, the philosophy makes the assumption that the methods used in science are the only true methods that should be accepted in science while the interpretive social science refutes this assumption and believes that the research on people and their institutions need methods that are very different from those of natural science. Other View Points If the positivity approach and the interpretive social science theories are arranged in a circle to represent two extremes then the sophisticated methodological falsification model would appear in the middle. This method of research might seem to offer a solution to the difficulties of the positivity and interpretive social science approach and try to reconcile both methods. The notion of this model is the research program that consists of the hard core with important assumptions and other propositions that are universally accepted by scientists. The hardcore is surrounded by the protective layer with hypothesis and other theories regarding research. The model further proposes that every research has both positive and negative “heuristic” The positive heuristics consists of the methodologies that are needed to change the research program while the negative heuristics consist of the paths in a research that need to be avoided (Lee 2000). Critical Social Science The critical thinking skills can be applied in social science and other research disciplines. However, critical thinking in social science requires a certain degree of knowledge in the field. Nevertheless, one cannot make a consent decision in research of they do not have the basic skills and therefore one of the initial steps in critical thinking is having humility. It is possible to understand that one cannot be able to carry out research and think critically on a given area if they have little knowledge on the subject. Critical thinking moreover requires “skepticism” (Reich 1995). They believe that not all people are correct and that the information in newspapers and books is never always right. They need to know that since even experts disagree amongst themselves they too need to think about this amongst themselves. The critical social science is important in knowing that there is no right method in place for the research questions and therefore the research method will depend on the questions being answered in the research. Critical thinkers in social science therefore do not fully depend on the statistical assumptions, or the research numbers and figures since they are aware there might be some errors in them. Discussion The objective of any research is to generate and evaluate the knowledge of the study. This knowledge is however expressed in form of different theoretical concepts. Research is an activity that leads to the understanding of a certain concept, it is however systematic, critical and it is guided by the desire to understand a phenomenon. This kind of research is subject to criticism from the public and other empirical tests. Therefore there exist varied perspectives of the knowledge, its aim, and its validity. Since the research makes a contribution to the knowledge and therefore the question still remains whether theory should be used to represent this knowledge? Practice should therefore be the sole output of research. Developing of the practice concepts should be the sole aim of the research organizations. Theory is valuable in research because it is practical and more often increases the knowledge in a scientific discipline and provides guidelines to sensitive research questions (Lee 2000). Taking practical consideration in research is vital since they enable knowledge to be viewed in a systematic manner. Through practice the researcher is able to understand the concepts more clearly and involves all the features of the research methods. However, there is no conclusive definition of the practical consideration in research and therefore this has led to limited understanding of the behavioral sciences. The research method starts with the problem to be solved and the questions of interest to the study. Therefore the type of theory developed whether epistemology or practical consideration will depend on the nature of this questions and the problem the research wishes to address. This kind of connection on the research method more often depend on the aims of the research theory. This would be followed by the selection of the research method that is appropriate to test the specific theory type in the research. This however does not suggest that there is a linear correspondence between the particular type of question developed by the researcher and the specific method to be used. However, at times the choice of the research paradigm epistemology or the practical aspect of the study. Clearly there is no similarity favourism on the type of research method used and other types of research questions, problems, and the theory types. Making use of the different paradigm methods in the research is vital to clearly sort out the differences and similarities of the research questions being presented in the research. Nevertheless, the use of epistemology should be used in the research method over the practical consideration if in the end leads to discovery of important facts that the latter cannot be able to achieve. According to Bryman (2008), the “ subjective experience” might be used as an important tool in the research, and the decisions for good methods of research are important for a successful research. The practices of doing a good scince research need to be thorough laid out. Practical consideration is necessary but not always sufficient in the selection of the research methods. Conclusion The debates on the methodologies in research have led to the recognition of other social sciences that use a variety of methodological approaches. The emergence of the SMF model that discourages the use of a single research method can serve as a useful model in guiding the future research. The need to use qualitative methods need to be based on whether such methods can provide additional information in addition to what quantitative methodologies provide. References Blaikie, N. 1993. Approaches to Social Inquiry. Cambridge: Polity Press Bryman, A. 2008. Social Research Methods. 3rd Ed. : Oxford University Press Fonnow, M & Cook, J. 1991. Beyond Methodology: Feminist Scholarship as Lived Research. Bloomington: Indiana University Press (Ch 5) Gilbert, N. 1995. Researching Social Life. London : Sage (Chs 1 & 2) Kuechler, B & Vaishnavi, V. 2008. On theory development in design science research: anatomy of a research project. European Journal of Information Systems 17(5): 489-504. Lee, A. 2000. Irreducibly Sociological Dimensions in Research and Publishing. MIS Quarterly 24(4): v-vii. May, T. 2001. Social Research: Issues, Methods, and Process. 3rd Ed. Buckingham: Open University Press Reich, Y. 1995. The study of design research methodology. Transactions of the ASME. Read More