Quantitative and Qualitative methods Flashcards
What is quantitative research?
Measures quantity and numerical data
What are the features of quantitative research? List 5 features
1) Measures quantity
2) Data is numerical
3) Experimental methods (follows hypothetico-deductive approach) which have testable hypotheses
4) Focuses on describing, predicting and identifying causes of behaviours
5) Large samples (typically)
What are the features of qualitative research? List 5 features
1) Measures description/quality
2) Data is often text based
3) NOT experimental methods (follows inductive approach)
4) Focuses on investigating the underlying meanings of behaviours
5) Small samples (typically)
Which research (quantitative or qualitative) would interview participants and ask them open-ended questions when collecting data?
Qualitative
Which research (quantitative or qualitative) would provide participants with an MCQ test to test their intelligence on a particular subject?
Quantitative
Which research (quantitative or qualitative) focuses on behaviour induced when conducting the study rather than the meaning behind the behaviour?
Quantitative
Which research (quantitative or qualitative) focuses on the meaning behind the behaviour rather than only the behaviour induced when conducting the study?
Qualitative
What are the 3 disadvantages of Quantitative research?
1) Might oversimplify the complexity of human behaviour
2) Fails to recognise the subject in nature of research with humans (motive behind certain behaviours)
3) Does not recognise the difference in people (handle participants as a collective rather than individuals with individual differences)
What are the 2 disadvantages of Qualitative research?
1) Can’t apply traditional notions of validity and reliability
2) Often not appropriate to make generalise predictions (data from an interview with 1 person can be very different from another interviewee; not generalisable)
What are the 2 disadvantages of Qualitative research?
1) Can’t apply traditional notions of validity and reliability
2) Often not appropriate to make generalise predictions (data from an interview with 1 person can be very different from another interviewee; not generalisable)
What are the 3 approaches of quantitative research?
1) Descriptive
2) Relational
3) Experimental
What is a descriptive, quantitative research approach?
Allows us to DESCRIBE a behaviour or phenomena
What is a relational, quantitative research approach?
Allows us to PREDICT a behaviour or phenomena based on its relationship with another behaviour or phenomena (correlation)
What is an experimental, quantitative research approach?
Allows us to DETERMINE the CAUSE of a behaviour or phenomena (causation)
Which quantitative research approach allows us to DETERMINE the CAUSE of a behaviour or phenomena (causation)?
Experimental approach
Which quantitative research approach allows us to PREDICT a behaviour or phenomena based on its relationship with another behaviour or phenomena (correlation)?
Relational approach
Which quantitative research approach allows us to DESCRIBE a behaviour or phenomena?
Descriptive approach
What type of quantitative conclusion (descriptive/relational/experimental) is this?
The most common A levels held by students enrolled on the Engineering degree are Maths and Physics
Descriptive
What type of quantitative conclusion (descriptive/relational/experimental) is this?
Students who obtain Maths and Physics A levels will go on to take an Engineering degree
Relational
What type of quantitative conclusion (descriptive/relational/experimental) is this?
Obtaining Maths and Physics A level causes individuals to take an Engineering degree
Experimental
What makes research experimental?
- Manipulation of at least 1 or more variables (independent variables)
- Other variables that are not tested for causation and may affect the outcome must be kept constant (control variables)
- Determines any differences arise as a direct result of variable manipulation
Match the conclusions with the type of quantitative research
a. Hangover intensity is greater following nights on cider than nights on beer
b. Hangover intensity will be greater following nights on cider than nights on beer
c. Cider causes a more intense hangover than beer
- Experimental
- Descriptive
- Relational
- C
- A
- B
What are the main aims of Triangulation?
- Maximise validity and reliability of research
- Double checks results of 1 method by using another method in the same piece of research
What does Triangulation imply?
All methods are limited in some ways