The Theoretical Methods Of Quantitative And Qualitative...

The sociologist is interested in understanding the self, other, and social environment, questioning and searching for an interpretation of the common, everyday, and taken for granted. In order to do this, the sociologist needs to apply some form of research and method, however the most successful direction for doing so has been long disputed. Although sociological method has been subject to many different styles and approaches, being constantly updated with new ideas and concepts, this essay will argue that in order to best reflect upon and develop an understanding of today’s world, the researcher needs to use and apply both qualitative and quantitative methods. To make this argument clear, this essay will first go into the understanding of sociological methods through epistemological and ontological views. Then this essay will explore the debate of quantitative or qualitative methods, and then argue for a mixed methods approach. Finally, this essay will utilise an existing re search paper and evaluate one of the many ways to inter-relating quantitative and qualitative method, being the concurrent triangulation design. In conclusion, this essay will prove that through the utilisation of both quantitative and qualitative method, the sociologist has the ability to open a free space for innovation and creativity (Martin, Gutman Hutton, 1988, p.163), in which both methods are able to strengthen each other and further support the interpretation of the phenomena at hand. TheShow MoreRelatedThe Social Construction Of Experience1437 Words   |  6 PagesIn particular, qualitative researchers tend to focus more on the social-constructed reality and the contextual influence, interaction and constraints between the researcher(s) and the participants. They are interested in finding answers to questions that focus on the â€Å"social construction of experience and how meaning is created† (Cooper White, 2012, p. 15). However, quantitative researchers â€Å"emphasize measurement and analysis, and focus on product rather than process† (Cooper White, 2012, p.Read MoreQuantitative And Qualitative Research Design1695 Words   |  7 Pagesphenomena they are interested in studying. Among the most widely used methodologies are quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method (Cozby Bates, 2012, Garza Landrum, 2015; Leedy Ormrod, 2013; Creswell, 2013; Gergen, 2015). Qualitative and quantitative research designs, for example, are types of research appr oaches that provide clear directions on how to carry out a research plan (Creswell, 2013). The quantitative research design is profoundly deep-rooted in the discipline of psychology where itRead MoreApplying A Mixed Methods For Choosing Text And Data Collection932 Words   |  4 Pagesstudy. 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