Analysis of The Doctoral Research Process

According to Yin (2003), there are two types of research approach. This includes quantitative research approach and qualitative research approach. A quantitative research emphasizes on transforming the data to numbers, quantities and statistics to formulate facts and to uncover patterns in a research. It addresses research purposes through empirical analysis that involve numerical measurement, the relationship between variables and analysis approaches (Zikmund et al., 2010). The sample size being investigated is typically large (Anderson, 2006). Quantitative research mainly uses questionnaires, surveys and other equipment to collect numerical or measurable data (Anderson, 2006). On the other hand, a qualitative research typically emphasizes words more than numbers

Research, no matter what field, is often conducted and analysed in accordance with two basic approaches: quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative approach aims to test a hypothesis and examine the relationship through generating numerical data or other information that is than converted into numbers, whereas the qualitative approach is more exploratory, aiming to gain a deeper understanding of the research subject. Through breaking down and examining the key features in each of these approaches it is evident that although they both begin with a problem the researcher aims to understand they fundamentally differ. The table below shows side by side comparisons, highlighting the differences that can be used to differentiate these approaches, described broadly across three main categories.

Quantitative research is an approach that uses theory, variables, measurements and statistical analyses to test theories (Creswell, 2013). Qualitative research is an approach that does not rely on proving a theory, a set of variables, or running an experiment. Rather, a qualitative research approach allows for exploring and understanding meaning individuals or groups ascribe to a social or human problem. A qualitative approach allows for meaning and explanations to develop through, interviews, review of artifacts, and observations (Neuman, 2002).

Quantitative research deals with numbers and is measurable. Some examples of quantitative data are cost, number of participants and time. This type of research is systematic and uses the more traditional scientific method of data collection and presentation. Qualitative research has data that is nonnumeric in nature and it is difficult to measure. As the root of the same suggests, it gives a quality description of the data being viewed. It can include descriptions or verbal responses. Qualitative data is subjective in the sense that the answer can be different amongst various people.

A qualitative study addresses the complexity of human experience, focusing on the big picture (Rebar & Gersch, 2015); while a quantitative study breaks a problem down into small pieces and focuses on specific parts to see how they all relate (Rebar & Gersch, 2015). Qualitative methods focus on subjective information, and never try to predict or control the phenomenon of interest (Rebar & Gersch, 2015); on the other hand, quantitative methods focus on statistics and objective information, and can yield predictions and control (Rebar & Gersch, 2015).

The key distinctions between qualitative and quantitative data are qualitative data is subjective, ask What?, Why?, literature review may be done after study is complete, develops theory, focus is complex, facts are biased and values are involved, qualitative data is about discovery, describing, understanding, sharing results to who are concerned about the study. Basic with analysis is part of, the researcher conducting the study is part of the process, and participants are involved, reasoning is dialectic and inductive, describes the meaning of what was discovered in the study conducted, uses communication and observation, and strives for trends and theories easy to understand. Study conducted has a flexible approach in a natural setting, provides information worth counting (Anderson, 2006). Quantitative data provides objectives, ask questions how many?, literature review must be done early in the study, tests theory, focus is

According to Denscombe, M., (2010), even though, both quantitative and qualitative research use the same methods to collect the information, interviews, surveys, observations, as primary data, and documents, as a secondary data; how the results are put and collected and how the method is conducted will determine the final result, whether to get qualitative or quantitative data.

Both qualitative and quantitative research methods have their specific qualities which make them useful to a researcher, however in the course of this short essay I will explain why, for several reasons, qualitative research is better. As both methods operate within different assumptions, it is important to stem criticism for each method 's respective theoretical base in order to adequately judge them. In the course of this essay I will highlight each method 's theoretical assumptions and then I will assess each method by pointing out their positive and negative factors.

Quantitative and qualitative research methodologies utilize questions with the objective of investigating and answering posed research questions through an evaluation-based method (Dobrovolny & Fuentes, 2008). This structured process enables a researcher to develop a systematic approach to facilitate the harvesting, evaluation and presentation of data (Dobrovolny & Fuentes, 2008). Even though both quantitative and qualitative research methods possess many of the same characteristics, the inherent differences of each method provides the researcher with a level of flexibility that enables them to determine the best approach for answering the questions they endeavor to explore.

The key distinction between quantitative and qualitative research data in a nutshell is that quantitative research produces measurements and numerical results; quantitative research develops information or numerical data that can be translated into numbers and convey statistical conclusions while qualitative research generates non-numerical data; qualitative generates hypothesis or questions and are normally in the beginning of the research (Murphy, 2007).

Qualitative and quantitative methods each bring a unique perspective to research and both methods satisfy the major goals of research in different ways.

Moreover, the two of the most important concepts in testing are reliability and validity, whereas validity refers to if the test measures of what it aims to measure. On the other hand, reliability refers to the consistency of the measurement (Hogan, 2007). Hence, both concepts give tests their value. Further, a measure can be reliable validity; however, a test cannot be valid if it is not reliable. According to Hogan, (2007), the expected components of testing are consistency, replication, and dependability. Thus, using these terms, a test consistently must produce the same or similar information, and it must tend toward replication “within a certain margin of error” (Hogan, 2007, p. 113). Furthermore, the test must be dependable and produce the same score for an individual.

As a graduate student choosing a research design on a research topic is very important to the completion of a doctoral program. Often times as research students they struggle with the research process in which they require additional help or assistance on a chosen topic. Many students depend upon their instructors and the additional assistance of the school library and the dissertation center. In choosing a subject to complete research one of the most important factors is the methodical approach in which will be sought in the research process. (Vankatesh, Brown, Bala, 2013).

In this proposed study, the researcher will use a mixed methods approach (Jack, Norman & Helen, 2012). Jack, Norman & Helen define a mixed method as a procedure for both quantitative and qualitative data at some stage of the research process, to understand a research problem more completely (Jack, Norman & Helen, 2012). Jack, Norman & Helen (2012) define qualitative research as “research studies that investigate the quality of relationships, activities, situations, or materials” (p. 426). In a qualitative research, people use more explanatory data, and data are collected in the form of words and description rather than numbers and statistics. A qualitative research is a method of analyzing, and interpreting data by observing what people do and say (Jack, Norman & Helen, 2012). In contrast to qualitative researches, a quantitative research is a formal, objective, systematic process in which numerical data are used to obtain information about the world (Burns & Grove, 2005). Data of the quantitative research is in numerical form such as statistics, and percentages.

Qualitative and quantitative research methods are two very broad research methods that are used in research to help answer questions that are being researched. Researchers all approach their methods differently and use various ways to determine the way they reach their research study. The differences in how this is done is what makes the study approach unique. Qualitative research for example gathers the information to come to a hypothesis where a quantitative research starts off with a hypothesis. Qualitative is in the form of non-structured in depth interviews and or group discussions. The information from these interviews and or groups observations is then recorded to see what is going on and see if there are patterns being formed. Whereas quantitative research is more structured using things like surveys, questionnaires and observed observations where mass amounts of people can be reached. That information is then input into a computer and statistically analyzed.