According to Henrich et al. (2010) they argued that having a limited and narrow selection of participants becomes problematic due to the results precisely being bias to a certain group, which does not reflect the full extensiveness of human diversity. Sampling from a slim population creates complications because researchers often assume that the outcomes are universal, which leads researchers to construct and publish concepts that do not apply to all population. Thus, benefiting only the slim slice of population allows them to develop quicker because the researchers assessment provides support and incorporates factors that aids only towards the WEIRD
Week 4 Exercises BUS642 Business Research Methods and Tools January 29, 2012 1. Which circumstances could you make a case for using observation?.Compare the advantages and disadvantages of the survey to those of observation. Under The primary advantage to a survey over that of an observation study deals with the actual collection of data. With a survey the data collected is usually known and is more often than not directed to specific answers, because of the survey format in which observational studies collect data in a random way. However, observation can be a beneficial tool in certain situations.
This is because it gives the analysis a more statistical power. In a qualitative research there don't need to be a large number of people, a small group or even a single participant can give good results. Another difference is that qualitative researches are more subjective than quantitative researches, small groups of people are asked a number of questions and the researcher explores and probes into these questions. Quantitative research studies test theory while qualitative researches develop theory. Qualitative research generates rich, detailed and valid data that contribute to in depth understanding of the context, quantitative researches generate reliable population based and generalised data.
Qualitative and quantitative research use different tools for gathering data and tend to approach the data differently (Experiment Resources, 2012). Each research method has advantages and disadvantages in their use. Qualitative data is used mainly as a tool early on in information gathering to reduce the burden on quantitative studies. Qualitative research’s goal is to provide detail and understanding of data. Quantitative research is usually used after qualitative data has been gathered and uses that information to construct its own research gathering techniques.
By the same token, something that is simply wrong, whether the result of a mistake or a lie cannot be a fact. The easiest kinds of facts to understand are those that can be verified by others. By performing a scientific experiment or a thorough investigation, we can become convinced that a claim is an authentic fact. Other kinds of facts, though, may be more difficult to find, or may even be completely unknowable. For example, it might not be possible to know whether the global warming trend is part of a natural long-term cycle or is being caused by human activity.
What is it about theories in the natural and human science that make them convincing? A theory is a supposition or a system of ideas intended to explain an idea or occurrence. In the fields of natural and human science, there are many theories that have been declared by experts, in order to explain random occurrences and patterns. Any expert can publish a theory on a specific concept, but in order for that theory to be accepted by society first. This is where the convincing element of a thesis and theory should be very persuasive and eminent.
Internal inconsistencies in the study reveal that the validity of some of the findings is questionable. The paper concludes by suggesting the necessity for combining - or sequentially chaining - different methods in research of this kind. Introduction Qualitative studies in psychology can be fascinating and insightful but they may leave readers with a quantitative disposition worrying about the generality of their findings. Quantitative studies, on the other hand, whilst providing data from larger and more representative samples, seem more mechanical and arid to qualitative researchers. But both methods have advantages and disadvantages (see e.g.,
An advantage of a survey is that you can get lots of data in a relatively short space of time and a disadvantage is that the responses may not always be specific. The most common form of qualitative research is face to face interview which is basically a meeting with someone to discuss various issues. Quantitative data is data that is usually in the form of numerical or statistical data while qualitative data is a categorical measurement expressed not in the terms of numbers but rather by a means of a natural language description. One way to acquire quantitative data is surveys while participant and non participant observations , case studies and unstructured interviews to get qualitative data. If the researcher decides to use any of the quantitative research method , they should always consider the size, cost and the purpose of the research whereas with the qualitative, they should take into
The main type of data collected from scientific methods is quantifiable which in its collection and analysis is less affected by researchers thoughts, feelings and judgements. Without objectivity, there is no way of being certain that the data collected from a scientific study is valid; for example participants may be susceptible to investigator effects which would lead them to behave in an alternative manner. By being objective therefore, the data collected will be accurate as they have avoided researcher bias. Loftus and Palmer collected
This makes laboratory experiments highly reliable as they are replicable. The laboratory experiment has major advantages as the method can be used to establish cause and effect relationships. For this reasons positivist sociologists use laboratory experiments as they favour a more scientific method. Positivist sociologists however also acknowledge the short comings of laboratory experiments, such as, it is often impossible or unethical to control the variables. Also their small scale means that results may not be representative or generalisable to the wider population.