Introduction To Research Flashcards
Define Research
Defined as the Systematic Process of Collecting and Analysing Information (Data) for the advancement of knowledge of a topic or issue.
Define Social Research
Defined as the Scientific Process of Finding how individuals and groups in a social system interact and influence one another, or respond to life conditions and experiences.
Explains human aggregates and not individuals as it examines a society’s attitudes, assumptions, beliefs, trends, stratifications and rules.
- Quantitative Research
Focuses on gathering numerical data.
Advantages of Quantitative Research
- used when large quantities of data need to be collected.
- result is usually numerical and hence considered more objective.
- allows researcher to see changes overtime and help develop quantitative indicators.
- more representative of the population, hence it is commonly used for grants and proposals.
Disadvantages of Quantitative Research
- ignores a very important human element.
When to use Quantitative Research
- trying to measure a trend.
- simple objectives, yes or no.
- collect data, ratios, percentages and averages.
Data Collection Method
- surveys, experiment, logs, journals and archival records.
2.Qualitative Research
- focus on behaviour and the reasons for the behaviour through communication with participants, direct observations or analysis of texts.
- data is gathered from sampled individuals by means of direct and indirect observation or experience, open-ended questionnaires and interviews.
Advantages of Qualitative Research
- useful for studying a limited number of cases in depth.
- useful for describing complex phenomena such as understanding and describing people’s personal experiences of the phenomena.
- can be in form of words, text and images.
Disadvantages of Qualitative Research
- knowledge produced might not be generalised to other people or other settings.
- difficult to make quantitative predictions.
- can be more time consuming and resource intensive.
- results are more easily influenced by the researcher’s personal biases.
When to use Qualitative Research
- when there is a need to explore new meanings, definitions or phenomena that people are experiencing and feeling in a particular context.
- when there is a need to carry out in-depth study to describe the complexity of a situation, behaviour or phenomenon and break it down into more manageable parts.
Data Collection Method
- obeservations, in-depth interviews and forcus group discussions.
- Mixed Methods Research
- involves the use of both quatitative and qualitative research designs in a single study.
- purpose is to provide a better understanding of a research problem or issue.
- combines different measurements types such as interviews, observations with questionnaires data to understand the context of the issue or area of interest.
What are the three Purposes of Research in SSP?
- Relate Exploratory Research
- undertaken to explore an area where little is known or to investigate the possibility of undertaking a particular research study.
- achieve new insights into a new area of interest or concern such as understanding the impact of legislation and social policy on the clients and communities they serve.
- test the feasibility of undertaking a more extensive study on a subject that is relatively new.
- lays the groundwork that will lead to future studies. - Relate Descriptive Research
- describes the situation, needs and issues of the participants of interest.
- aims to gain insight into the changing social and economic circumstances of a group or groups of people.
- provide information systematically about a situation, problem, issue and programme. - Relate Explanatory Research
- attempts to clarify why there is a relationship between two or more aspects of a situation or phenomenon.
- aims to evaluate the effectiveness of social work services in meeting people’s needs or to demonstarte relative costs and benefits of social work services.
