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Qualitative Research Across Disciplines

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49 views5 pages

Qualitative Research Across Disciplines

Uploaded by

Ruel Acosta
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

2nd Semester Practical Research 1

Lesson 4
Qualitative Research in Different Areas of Knowledge

I. Preliminaries

Objectives
Content Standard:
The learner demonstrates understanding of:
The value of qualitative research; its kinds, characteristic s, used,
strengths, and weaknesses.
The importance of qualitative research across fields of inquiry.

Culminating Performance Standard


The learner is able to:
Decide on suitable qualitative research in different areas of interest

Power Standard
• Use appropriate kinds of research in making decisions.

Learning Competencies
• widen your vocabulary
• express your worldviews using newly learned words;
• explain how qualitative studies take place in other areas of knowledge;
• differentiate hard sciences from soft sciences concerning research
studies; and
• specify the data collecting technique for a certain area of knowledge.

II. Content:

Qualitative Research in Different Areas of Knowledge


2nd Semester Practical Research 1
Lesson 4
Qualitative Research in Different Areas of
Knowledge

Concept Notes
RESEARCH IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF KNOWLEDGE
Subject Area Research Approaches

Research studies happen in any field of knowledge. Anthropology, Business,


Communication, Education, Engineering, Law, and Nursing, among others, turn in a big
number of research studies that reflect varied interests of people. Don't you wonder how
people in these areas conduct their research studies?
Belonging to a certain area of discipline, you have the option to choose one from these
three basic research approaches: positive or scientific, naturalistic, and triangulation or
mixed method. The scientific approach gives stress to measurable and observable facts
instead of personal views, feelings, or attitudes. It can be used in researches under the hard
sciences or STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine) and natural sciences
(Biology, Physics, Chemistry). The positive or scientific approach allows control of variables
or factors affecting the study. (Laursen 2010)

To become positivist or scientific in conducting your research study, you must collect
data in controlled ways through questionnaires or structured interviews. For instance, in the
field of medicine, to produce a new medicine, a medical researcher subjects the data to a
controlled laboratory experiment. These factual data collected are recorded in numerical or
statistical forms using numbers, percentages, fractions, and the like. Expressed in
measurable ways, these types of data are called quantitative data.
The naturalistic approach, on the other hand, is people-oriented. Data collected, in this
case, represent personal views, attitudes, thoughts, emotions, and other subjective traits of
people in a natural setting. Collecting data is done in family homes, playground, workplaces,
or schools. In these places, people's personal traits or qualities naturally surface in the way
they manage themselves or interact with one another. The naturalistic approach focuses on
discovering the real concept or meaning behind people's lifestyles and social relations.
Unlike the scientific approach that makes you express and record your findings
quantitatively, which means in numerical forms, the naturalistic approach lets you present
things qualitatively through verbal language. Using words ratselther than numbers as the unit
of analysis, this second research approach concerns if. With qualitative data—one type of data
that exists in abundance in social sciences, which to others exists as soft sciences. Considered
as soft sciences are Anthropology, Business, Education, Economics, Law, Politics, and all
subjects aligned with business and all those focused on helping professions such as, Nursing,
Counseling, Physical Therapy, and the like. (Babbie 2013)
Having the intention to collect data from people situated in a natural setting, social
researchers use unstructured interviews and participant observations. These two data
gathering techniques yield opinionated data through the use of open-ended questions and
actual participation of the researcher in the subjects' activities. Collecting data through these
subjective-prone research methods indispensably results in the gathering of qualitative data.
All in all, from a social science researcher's viewpoint, these qualitative data resulting from
naturalistic approach of research serves as the basis for determining universal social values
to define ethical or unethical behavior that society ought to know, not only for the benefit of
every individual and community but also for the satisfaction of man's quest for knowledge.
(Sarantakos 2013; Ransome 2013)
In the field of Humanities, man's social life is also subjected to research studies.
However, researchers in this area give emphasis not to man's social life, but to the study of
the meanings, significance, and visualizations of human experiences in the fields of Fine Arts,
Literature, Music, Drama, Dance, and other artistically inclined subjects. Researches in these
subjects happen in any of the following humanistic categories:
1. Literature and Art Criticism where the researchers, using well-chosen language and
appropriate organizational pattern, depend greatly on their interpretative and
reflective thinking in evaluating the object of their study critically.
2. Philosophical Research where the focus of inquiry is on knowledge and principles of
being and on the manner human beings conduct themselves on earth.
3. Historical Research where the investigation centers on events and ideas that took place
in man's life at a particular period.

Hard Sciences vs. Soft Sciences


Just like in other subjects under soft sciences such as marketing, man's thoughts and
feelings still take center stage in any research studies. The purposes of any researches in any
of these two areas in business are to increase man's understanding of the truths in line with
markets and marketing activities, making him more intelligent in arriving at decisions about
these aspects of his life. Research tes that are useful yp for these areas are the basic and
applied research. (Feinberg 2013)
A quantitative or qualitative kind of research is not exclusive to hard sciences or soft
sciences. These two research methods can go together in a research approach_ called
triangulation or mixed method approach. This is the third approach to research that allows a
combination or a mixture of research designs, data collection and data analysis techniques.
Thus, there is no such thing as a clear dichotomy between qualitative and quantitative
research methods because some authorities on research claim that a symbiotic relationship,
in which they reinforce or strengthen each other, exists between these two research methods.
Moreover, any form of knowledge, factual or opinionated, and any statistical or verbal
expression of this knowledge are deduced from human experience that by nature is
subjective. (Hollway 2013; Letherby 2013)
2nd Semester Practical Research 1
Lesson 4
Qualitative Research in Different Areas of Knowledge

SEATWORK NO. 1
Directions: With the same partner, check the right column representing your
decisions about each statement in the first column. Accomplish the last column, too.

Statements Agree Disagree Reasons/Reactions/Comments


1. Reasons happen in just one field of
knowledge.
2. All research types apply to all data
collecting techniques.
3. Sticking to one data collection
technique is the best research
method.
4. Subjectivity exists in any social
science research.
5. Subjectivity and objectivity are
inseparable.
6. Quantitative research tends to be
more objective than subjective.
7. Past events in a person's life are the
focus of triangulation.
8. Biology and Chemistry are hard
sciences.
9. It is necessary for the qualitative
researcher to conduct his or her
research in a laboratory.
10. The mixed method of research
happens only in a quantitative
research
ACTIVITY 1
Assessing the Extent of Concept Learning
Directions: Put a check mark (/) under the heading that speaks of the extent of your
concept learning.

Concepts Very Much To a certain Not at all


extent
1. I can now differentiate quantitative and
qualitative research
2. 1 have learned the essence of participant
observation in social science researches.
3. Now, I know the difference between hard
sciences and soft sciences.
4. I could compare and contrast the different
humanistic research methods.
5. 1 learned about the primary goals of
social science researchers.

Common questions

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The naturalistic approach benefits qualitative research by allowing data collection that represents personal traits in real-world settings, capturing authentic perspectives and social dynamics . However, it also presents limitations, such as potential biases introduced by the researcher's presence and the lack of generalizability due to the focus on specific contexts and subjective experiences .

In the humanities, interpretative and reflective thinking allows researchers to evaluate and find meaning in human experiences, often focusing on literature and art criticism or philosophical inquiries . This contrasts with hard sciences, where the emphasis is on experimental verification and measurable data. While humanities seek to understand meanings and narratives, hard sciences pursue causation and empirically-backed conclusions .

This perception exists because quantitative research often relies on controlled experiments and numerical data, which minimize subjective interpretation and focus on universal laws and measurable outcomes . This objectivity is crucial in the hard sciences, ensuring consistency and reliability in results, while making findings broadly applicable across different contexts .

In social sciences, qualitative research examines ethical behavior through the lens of social values, often exploring moral implications in natural settings using subjective data . It values participant observations and personal reflections to understand ethical norms. In hard sciences, ethical behavior is often evaluated through adherence to procedural norms and the impact of scientific outcomes on society, focusing more on technical compliance than personal perspectives .

Considering both hard and soft sciences is vital as they offer contrasting methodologies that highlight different aspects of human understanding. Hard sciences provide structure and precision through quantitative measures, while soft sciences embrace diversity of thought through qualitative analysis. Together, they present a fuller picture of reality, utilizing the strengths of both to address complex problems in a more rounded and effective manner .

In social sciences, subjectivity is integral, with qualitative research focusing on personal perspectives and experiences, often studied in naturalistic settings. Researchers actively engage with subjective data through methods like unstructured interviews . In contrast, hard sciences emphasize objectivity, often using controlled experiments to minimize subjective influence, striving for measurable and observable facts .

This misconception arises because qualitative research often deals with subjective data and lacks the controlled environment typical of quantitative studies. It relies on linguistic analyses rather than numerical data, which can be perceived as less objective or replicable . In academic settings that prioritize empirical and universally applicable results, the value of contextual and narrative understanding provided by qualitative research might be underestimated .

The mixed method approach enhances research studies by combining qualitative and quantitative research designs, data collection, and analysis techniques. This approach acknowledges the complementary nature of the two methods, where qualitative methods provide depth of understanding and context, while quantitative methods add rigor and generalizability . The symbiotic relationship is due to the fact that all forms of knowledge, whether statistical or verbal, are derived from human experience, acknowledging both the subjective and objective dimensions .

Qualitative research in the context of soft sciences focuses on subjective traits such as personal views, attitudes, thoughts, and emotions, often collected through unstructured interviews and participant observations in natural settings . This contrasts with quantitative research, which emphasizes measurable, observable facts recorded in numerical forms, often used in hard sciences .

Participant observation plays a crucial role in qualitative research within the social sciences by allowing researchers to engage deeply with participants in their natural environment. This technique helps in gathering rich, opinionated data by observing behaviors and interactions first-hand, unveiling the real meaning behind social relationships and lifestyles .

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