Qualitative Research Methodology

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Chapter Three Research Methodology 3.1 Introduction This chapter will provide insight into the research methodology that will be deployed throughout the study. The chapter will further aim to define the difference between qualitative and quantitative methodology, discuss what data collection is and which methods were chosen to undertake the research study. 3.2 Research Methodology Welman, Kruger & Mitchell (2005:2), 3.2.1 Quantitative research methodology defined 3.2.2 Qualitative research methodology defined The very nature of qualitative research methods does not lend to statistical or empirical calculations of validity (Brink, 1993:35). Qualitative research can be defined as “any kind of research that produces findings not arrived at…show more content…
Social science is defined as “a branch of science that deals with the institutions and functioning of human society and with the interpersonal relationships of individuals as members of society” (Merriamwebster. n.d). Furthermore, “qualitative research involves an interpretive, naturalistic approach to the world. This means that qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of, or to interpret, phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them” (Ritchie). “One of the key benefits of qualitative research is that it allows the researcher to see and understand the context within which decisions and actions take place. It is often the case that human decisions and actions can only be understood in context- it is the context that helps to explain why someone acted as they did” (Myers, 2013:5). To gain a clear insight, understanding and knowledge about the environment and decisions taken or not taken by the City of Cape Town, Southern sub district, the researchers have to undertake a qualitative research method. This will enable the researcher to utilise research tools such as semi-structured interview and semi-structured questionnaire that will provide information that can be interpreted and analysed by the researchers during the…show more content…
The questions are based on the schedule with little freedom to deviate from it (Welman et al, 2005: 165) 3.3.6 Unstructured Interviews An unstructured or non-directive interview is an interview in which questions are not pre-set. This allows the researcher to draw information by engaging the interviewee in free and open discussion on the topic. The form of the unstructured interview is when the researcher prepare a few questions in advance in relation to a topic that he/ she wishes to cover. The advantage of this approach is that it allows the researcher the opportunity to explore in-depth issues raised during the interview. (Hair et al., 2003:138) Unstructured interviews are informal and are used to explore an in depth interest of a general area. There are no predetermined questions, but the researcher needs to have a clear idea about the aspect, that he or she wants to explore (Welman et al., 2005:

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