C3(1): Quantitative & Qualitative Methods (Research Methods & Analysis)

Question 1

Babbie Earl R in his book ______ defined quantitative method as?

Answer 1

1. The Practice of Social Research
2. Quantitative research focus on collecting numerical data and generalising to explain a phenomenon

Question 2

What are the different quantitative methods?

Answer 2

1. Structured or Formal Interview
2. Questionnaire
3. Survey

Question 3

Strengths and Weaknesses of quantitative methods

Answer 3

Strengths:
1. Large scale data collection
2. High objectivity and replicability
3. High reliability
4. Summaries support generalisations

Weaknesses:
1. Over-simplification
2. Lacks in-depth understanding

Question 4

Prominent thinkers of quantitative methods (or) Name few thinkers who have used quantitative methods

Answer 4

1. Emile Durkheim - Study of Suicide, Statistical methods
2. Auguste Comte - Positivism
3. Talcott Parsons - Social Systems, Structured models

Question 5

What are the ‘5’ components of qualitative methods as said by Maxwell?

Answer 5

Remember: CGRMV
1. Conceptual Framework
2. Goals
3. Research Questions
4. Methods
5. Validity

Question 6

What are the few qualitative methods?

Answer 6

1. Unstructured (or) Informal Interview
2. Symbolic Interactionism (GH Mead and CH Cooley)
3. Phenomenology (Edmund Husserl)

Question 7

Prospects and challenges of qualitative methods

Answer 7

Prospects
1. In - depth understanding
2. Researcher observes directly (Eg: Malinowski - Trobriand Islanders Study)
3. High Validity, as researcher observes directly
4. High flexibility

Challenges
1. Drifting away
2. Low reliability
3. Low replicability
4. High ethical dilemmas (Overt and Covert studies)
5. Time consuming and cost inefficient

Question 8

Comparative methods are used by ___________ thinkers and what did Victor Jupp say?

Answer 8

1. Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, Max Weber
2. Victor Jupp says the comparative methods can be used to do: (Remember: CHS)
   2.1 Content Analysis
   2.2 Historical Analysis
   2.3 Statistical Analysis

Question 9

Critical Social Science Methodology
Lee Harvey: Main features of CSSM are _____

Answer 9

1. Abstract concepts and ideologies
2. Totality (Historical Context)
3. Deconstruction and Reconstruction

Question 10

Critical Social Science Methodology: prominent thinkers used it are?

Answer 10

1. Karl Marx - Class Struggle
2. Jurgen Habermas - Rational Discourses
3. Antonio Gramsci - Cultural Hegemony

Question 11

Critical Social Science Methodology Criticism

Answer 11

1. Martyn Hammersly: Difficult to identify sources of oppression and if oppressor get oppressed then the question who is oppressed?
2. Phil Carspecken: Critical theorists should be open to finding evidence that contradicts their theories

Question 12

[Feminist School]
Feminist Standpoint Epistemology
Examining unique experiences of women in society

Criticism: ________

Answer 12

Ray Pawson: Difficult to convince respondents as oppressors and excludes men (oppressor) leading to incomplete analysis