Designing Research Flashcards
What does a qualitative research approach?
It approaches deals with systematic and in-depth investigation of events in natural settings. In most cases qualitative techniques use data in the form
of description. These data are collected from interviews, written observations and
conversations. The other sources of data are documentation and individual’s actions
analyzed and understand the phenomenon in form of texts
Triangulation research
In most cases the triangulation research approach referred to various methods used to achieve both study finding and conclusion. Its purpose is to create a mechanism to validate and check the results. That means the study deploys multiple data collection techniques which depend on researchers ombinations. These wide ranges of study techniques tend increase to strength of the findings through cross validation. However, this convergence of different research methods is also creating data credibility and congruent to its sources. If the data tends to diverge then the
assumption is that, there is a gap within the explanation given by research participants.
Building on this assumption the researchers need to be confident with the findings developed from triangulation research. Because the researcher is able
to verify, validate and fill the weakness caused in any of the methods.
So the applications of various study strategies in order to achieve study objectivity and
reliability
What does “Coding” mean?
In qualitative research, coding is “how you define what the data you are analysing are about” (Gibbs, 2007). Coding is a process of identifying a passage in the text or other data items (photograph, image), searching and
identifying concepts and finding relations between them.
Start with data -> Group into themes -> Develop codes from the data and themes
Mixed method approach
Inductive Research -> Working Theory ->Deductive Research -> Testing Hypotheses ->Confirming/Extending Theory
What does a quantitative research involve?
The quantitative research involves a systematic empirical investigation of issues using statistical, mathematical as well numeric approach in order to test hypotheses. The empirical investigation is based on surveys, web crawling, but also software-based on
interviews, observations and documents. All sources for qualitative research can also be quantified
How does a quantitative research start?
Quantitative research starts with creating a conceptual model in order to set all “variables” into relations, formulate hypotheses. This process needs to be based on theory
What is important for a theory?
There are many already tested and formulated theories – important is: A theory is only a
theory when it can be broken down into testable hypotheses.
Focus on how individuals make choices that favor their personal preferences and desires by creating ties that enable them to seek goals they wish to achieve.
Theories of self-interest
Theories of mutual interest and collective action (explaining social networks/crowd movements)
Centers on the question how coordinated activity produces outcomes that are unattainable by individuals acting alone.
Transactive Memory theory (explaining social networks/crowd movements)
Explores how decisions to form network ties are influenced by what individuals think others know
Contagion theories (explaining social networks/crowd movements)
Looks into the spread of ideas, messages, attitudes and beliefs through some form of direct or indirect contact
Exchange and dependency theories (explaining social networks/crowd movements)
Explains the emergence of networks based on the distribution of resources across the members of the network
Proximity theory (and homophily) (explaining social networks/crowd movements)
Explains network emergence based on the similarity of actors’ traits as well as their similarity of location
Theories of network evolution (explaining social networks/crowd movements)
Focuses on mechanisms of variation, selection, retention, and struggle or competition as explanations for the emergence of relations.
Theories of self-interest (allow to formulate sensemaking hypotheses)
Focus on how individuals make choices that favor their personal preferences and desires by creating ties that enable them to seek goals they wish to achieve
