Which research methodologies are particular to quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research?
- I would strongly suggest looking at Crotty (1998), the start of chapter 1, page 6. In my view this is the clearest explanation there is on how to determine the links between epitistemology, theoretical perspective, methodology and methods for qualitative and quantitative research. It provides tables to work this out and an example of a flow diagram to present it.
the answer is definitely depend on what the researcher is doing to start research for developing knowledge in a particular field of study!!. in my opinion, epistemology is a major method of thinking about the research philosophy! based on the foregoing, there are four types of research philosophy namely: positivism, realism, interpretivism and pragmatism.
- Positivism philosophy is suitable when the researcher attempts to test or find out universal laws about social phenomena. this philosophy supposes that social reality can be measured objectively using traditional scientific methods via independent observers. This social reality might be satisfaction, attitudes, behaviors and beliefs. Consequently, this type of philosophy typically uses quantitative measurements and statistical analysis.
- Interpretivism philosophy is suitable when the researcher attempts to understand the reasons behind human actions; it can be measured subjectively without identifying independent and dependent variables. Thus qualitative research method can be used to look for interpretation of social and organizational context.
- Realism is similar to positivism philosophy but focus on explaining within a context.
- Pragmatism uses when the researcher adopts qualitative and quantitative measurements together.
I do not know if I have answered the question properly. Let me know and I will try to do it better.
regards!
Dear Salah Alhyari
Thanks for a very pertinent and concise answer. It is very practical and refreshing. However, I have one more questions to ask you again: Are there not two traditions of interpretivist philosophy, namely, realism and phenomenology?
Dear Tichaona
The heritage of this strand of interpretivism comes from two intellectual traditions: phenomenology and symbolic interactionism. Phenomenology refers to the way in which we as humans make sense of the world around us. In symbolic interactionism we are in a continual process of interpreting the social world around us in that we interpret the actions of others with whom we interact and this interpretation leads to adjustment of our own meanings and actions.
Please have a look at the below link
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.102.4717&rep=rep1&type=pdf
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