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Student: Steven Clark Bradley THIS FORM MUST BE COMPLETELY FILLED IN Follow these procedures: If requested by your instructor, please include an assignment cover sheet. This will become the first page of your assignment. In addition, your assignment header should include your last name, first initial, course code, dash, and assignment number. This should be left justified, with the page number right justified. For example: Bradley EDU8002-8-6 Save a copy of your assignments: You may need to re-submit an assignment at your instructors request. Make sure you save your files in accessible location. Academic integrity: All work submitted in each course must be your own original work. This includes all assignments, exams, term papers, and other projects required by your instructor. Knowingly submitting another persons work as your own, without properly citing the source of the work, is considered plagiarism. This will result in an unsatisfactory grade for the work submitted or for the entire course. It may also result in academic dismissal from the University.
Course ID Number: EDU8002-8

Instructor: Janet Strickland

Assignment: 6

Course Title: Educational Research Methodology

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Running head: COMPARING AND CONTRASTING RESEARCH METHODS

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING RESEARCH METHODS Topic Paper Submitted to Northcentral University Graduate Faculty of the School of Business and Technology Management in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of International Education

by Steven Clark Bradley

Prescott Valley, Arizona February, 2014

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING RESEARCH METHODS Introduction

Many students of research have begun a research project and realized that they do not know the differences between qualitative and quantitative research methods. Some wrongly believe that both methods are interchangeable. Qualitative Research is conducted through gathering, considering, and deducing data by watching the actions and behavior of people in what they do and by their words (Leedy & Ormrod, 2010). In contrast, quantitative research is far more linked to statistical data from which measurements can be calculated from the information a researcher gathers. Another method of research that uses both qualitative and quantitative methods is called the mixed research approach. Though more recent than the other two methods, some researchers feel that the mixed method of research is more potent than the use of just one method of investigation and that it yields a more complete view of a topic being scrutinized. The purpose of this essay is to demonstrate how the three research approaches affect the development of a problem statement and a purpose statement and to point out some advantages of each and disadvantages of each research method. Using Qualitative Research Qualitative research is a method of study employed when a researcher investigates one essential idea. Researchers use qualitative research to pose open, common questions to contributors to assemble a thorough view of each person interviewed that can be analyzed for explanations and topics (Bogdan & Biklen, 2007). In qualitative research, the investigator will interpret the meaning of the gathered information and figure in their personal thoughts including research from the body of knowledge in their final reports. Qualitative research not only includes peer-reviewed articles, but also personal opinions of the investigator in the final document (Creswell, 2006). Qualitative research probes information to expand the grasp of fundamental opinions and motives in a given research problem. It yields discernment of the problem and

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING RESEARCH METHODS

exposes tendencies in thought and views that can take a researcher into more profound areas of the problem. Ways of collecting qualitative data The most common forms of data collection for this method of research are unstructured or semi-structured procedures. Focus groups, group dialogues, individual interviews, and the researchers own inspection from personal participation and experience are common qualitative approaches to information gathering (Leedy & Ormrod, 2010). The participants are chosen for the various investigative activities and should meet the predetermined sample size, which is usually small. The Development of a Qualitative Research Problem The development of a research project that follows the qualitative research method starts by identifying a research problem for investigation. It is important to identify the problem and why the study should be conducted. In qualitative research, it is important not to stray into quantitative language that can misinform readers. Therefore, comparisons, relating variables, proving hypotheses and measuring variables are not included in a qualitative problem statement (Leedy & Ormrod, 2010). Example of a qualitative problem statement Chinese high school students in international test preparation programs, who initially passed their university entrance exams, experience a higher than average failure rate in real-life university classrooms abroad. Relating Qualitative Research to a Purpose Statement A well-formed qualitative purpose statement should be written in one sentence generally that immediately shows the purpose of the study. It should state the situation in words that fit qualitative research such as explore, understand, discover or determine. The problem statement should state who the Participants are, where the problem exists and where the research will be

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING RESEARCH METHODS

done. The purpose statement declares a researchers aim of a study. It is clearly and concisely developed from the recognition of one or more researchable problems that the researcher has a good understanding of (Leavitt, 2001). A clear statement of the purpose facilitates the researchers communication to readers and effectively steers the research process toward a method of research. Example of identifying the qualitative purpose statement The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study is to determine the key reasons why Chinese high school students in international test preparation programs initially pass their university entrance exams but experience a higher than average failure rate in university classrooms abroad. The purpose statement begins with a concise sentence Page: 4 of the purpose of the study and by subjectively describing life experiences and identifying a single situation or idea. It sheds light and explores the depth, richness, and complexity inherent in the situation. Example of identifying the participants in a qualitative purpose statement A group of five international and local teachers, 35 students in grades nine through 12, and six administrators will be interviewed from two local high schools in Beijing and Wuhan, China. In this example of a qualitative purpose statement, the specific population and estimated number of participants is identified in the study is. The location where the study will be performed is also mentioned. Example of the information gathering procedure in a qualitative purpose statement A semi-structured interview procedure will be employed to gather students and administrators opinions of why formerly successful Chinese high school students have a higher than normal failure rate in their university studies abroad.

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING RESEARCH METHODS

The qualitative purpose statement here describes a semi-structured flexible and open analysis. The goals of this analysis are to collect, analyze, interpret and validate the information collected from the interview process. Advantages of Qualitative research Qualitative research has strengths and weaknesses. One advantage of Qualitative research is that most of the questions asked of participants start with the word, why making it easier to find answers to the problematic situation. Through opinions and the researchers own experience, it is simpler and easier to understand the participants answers to subjective questions, giving the researcher a lot of knowledge about the phenomenon. Because qualitative research is focused on a relatively small sample, there are also other positive outcomes. For example, qualitative research is beneficial because it is lower in cost; it is a smaller operation, and it does not require that a lot of time-consuming surveys. Disadvantage of Qualitative research A disadvantage to this type of research is that assumptions really cannot be made outside the scope of the sample. One can only gather the information that the small group gives, and a safe assumption of the rest of the population would not be feasible. It's not a research method that allows for statistical data, but can overcome this weakness by adding in another research method like mixed research. Using Quantitative Research The concept of quantitative research is to calculate a research problem by producing numerical or statistical data. It is used to measure feelings, opinions, conduct, and other variables. Quantitative research procedures aid in understanding the information gained from a large sample population by turning it into statistical data that can be interpreted. Quantitative Research evaluates data to devise facts and expose models in studies.

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING RESEARCH METHODS Ways of Collecting Quantitative Data

Quantitative information collection is much more structured than the qualitative research method. Quantitative research uses online surveys, paper surveys, phone surveys, roving surveys and live interviews and polls. The inherent goal of quantitative research is to find the one reliable certainty that follows throughout all the gathered data. In contrast, qualitative research focuses generally on more than one answer since qualitative interviews can reveal multiple answers and disclose a lot of vastly different information. Good researchers are aware that a phenomenon could lead to the analysis of different problems at the quantitative and qualitative phases of the research and account for that possibility. The Development of a Quantitative Problem Statement Quantitative research problems emphasize the need to explain, predict or describe some outcome or event. Quantitative research questions are explanatory and comparative and point out the variables the researcher is trying to gauge, influence or manage. The predetermined groups of participants in the study determine which type of structure is best for a quantitative research question (Leedy & Ormrod, 2010). Example of identifying a quantitative problem statement: Chinese high school students in international programs are poorly prepared academically and culturally for university training abroad because of the international programs and the local Chinese school administrations leadership styles. The example above demonstrates how a quantitative problem statement is centered on a cause and effect relationship. According to the problem statement above, the reason why many students do badly in their university experience abroad is because there is a struggle for control of the international programs. Quantitative research establishes effective cause and effect relationships through true experimental studies with controlled and experimental groups that demonstrate if suppositions are correct or unfounded.

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING RESEARCH METHODS Relating Quantitative Research to the Purpose Statement In Quantitative research, a purpose statement links the group of variables being

examined. For example, if a researcher wanted to study if the lack of effective leadership causes students to do poorly in their university program abroad, the purpose statement could read like the examples below. Example of identifying a quantitative purpose statement The purpose of this quantitative correlation study is to examine the impact of high school and international programs leadership styles in Beijing and Wuhan, China on their students future academic achievement in universities abroad. This purpose statement identifies the goal of the study and the variables that will be researched. There is a cause and effect relationship between academic success in university abroad and the divisive attitudes and leadership in the high schools they attended. Example of identifying the participants and location in a quantitative purpose statement A group of five teachers, 35 students in grades nine through 12 and six international and local Chinese administrators from two schools in Beijing and Wuhan, China will be interviewed. A quantitative research purpose statement should point out the precise population the researcher aims to investigate. The population represents those that the problem affects. In this case stated above, the affected population is ninth to twelfth grade high school students whose future success is placed in jeopardy and the administrators mentioned in the purpose statement as the cause of the problem. The location where the problem occurs should be clearly mentioned. The place of the study should be directly linked to the population being studied. Example of identifying the intent a quantitative purpose statement A semi-structured interview procedure will be employed in order to gather perceptions of how the competition for leadership between the local school and international program leadership affects students educational prospects in their future studies abroad.

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING RESEARCH METHODS

The purpose of the study is the intention which the study hopes to realize at the end of the study. This statement is intended to show how the information will be gathered and the goal of the project, as stated above. Advantages of the Quantitative Approach to Research Quantitative research is empowered by statistical data that furnishes the evidence needed to prove or disprove a hypothesis. One benefit of the quantitative research method is that it is easier to transform the numerical data into charts or tables that can be easily and honestly interpreted. Also, the various surveys and other information gathering tools that are used in quantitative research can procure data on a large scale. Disadvantages of the Quantitative Approach to Research One of the disadvantages of quantitative research is that it requires a lot more planning for gathering information from the research participants. This naturally increases the cost of an investigation. Therefore, a researcher might conclude that quantitative research is not needed unless larger scale research needs to be done to prove a cause and effect situation. Also, data can change over the course of a study requiring repetition of the various means of gathering information to make the data more reliable. Using the Mixed Method Research Strategy A mixed study combines both qualitative and quantitative research methods and allows researchers to determine why, how, what, where and when a situation occurred. Consequently, a mixed method study needs several research questions to cover the combined forms of gathering and interpreting research information. The mixed research method gives a researcher a broader perspective. Only using Quantitative research leads to the use of testing or statistical analysis to establish cause and effect (Clark, 2007). Conversely, investigators using only qualitative research, employ mostly observations to explain a problem. Using mixed method research exploits the positive aspects of

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING RESEARCH METHODS both methodologies and expands a point of view on a subject as a whole. For example, the

results from a quantitative experiment may reveal an irregularity that would not be apparent in a qualitative subjective opinion or observation. Alternatively, interpretations from subjective observations could present shades of difference not seen in surveys or questionnaire. Example of a qualitative research method in a mixed method problem statement Chinese high school students in international test preparation programs, who initially passed their university entrance exams, experience a higher than average failure rate in real-life university classrooms abroad. Typically, a mixed-methods research study will start with a qualitative examination of a topic. Qualitative research allows the investigator to outline a problem with more detail, since it includes not only statistical information but subjective details from the participants and the researcher as well. Example of a quantitative research method problem statement Chinese high school students in international test preparation programs, who initially passed their university entrance exams, experience a higher than average failure rate in real-life university classrooms abroad because of the high school and international program leadership styles. In the example above, the researcher could use a quantitative research tool, such as surveys, to authenticate or nullify any comments recorded in the qualitative stage of the mixed research methodology. Relating Quantitative Research to the Purpose Statement All researchers are unique. Those who lean toward one preferred research method or the other run the risk of endangering their own research with bias or prejudice. The Mixed research method is one way for such researchers to overcome this tendency and help them produce truly fair and honest research.

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING RESEARCH METHODS Example of identifying a mixed method purpose statement

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The purpose of this mixed methods study is to examine the higher than average failure rate of Chinese students in real-life university classrooms abroad by obtaining statistical, quantitative results from surveying a sample of five international and local Chinese teachers, 35 decisively selected students and six administrators to explore these results in more depth by semi-structured interviews and other elicitation materials. In the quantitative phase of the study, research questions address how selected the students and education leaders serve as predictors of the cause of the students failure rate in universities abroad. The qualitative stage uses twenty case studies from the student body and education leaders to explore the in-depth results of the statistical tests. Recent approaches to research design include using the mixed method of research that combines both qualitative and quantitative research (Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2003). There are some advantages and disadvantages to this approach. Advantages of the Mixed Approach to Research By combining statistical analysis with subjective examination, an investigation becomes more widespread and enlarged. Because mixed research is both qualitative and quantitative in nature, it is possible to use the increased amount of information to develop more hypotheses. Mixed research can enhance debate and present more data for dialogues and investigation. Disadvantages of the Mixed Approach to Research Though mixed research does give specificity and dependability to a research topic, it can also render qualitative research into a tool that is used for research without actually employing the research method as a system. In addition, mixed research does not use the power of quantitative research fully and statistical data can be skewed and corrupted by the infusion of subjective qualitative research.

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING RESEARCH METHODS Also, a great deal of training is needed before researching with the mixed research

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method. It is also held to a higher standard of scrutiny by reviewers of peer-reviewed journals. There could also be a greater need for more background information than a single system of research demands, which would require researchers to work in multiple teams which increases costs substantially. Conclusion It is important to let the research problem point to the best specific research methodology that should be used for a specific study. Additionally, the researchers experience, instruction, and their outlook on society and the world plays a role in the research method that is appropriate for the individual investigator. Finally and perhaps most importantly, the audience for whom the research is being done plays an important part in the choice of whether to use the qualitative, the quantitative or the mixed method of research analysis Creswell (2006). There is no one method that is superior to the other. It is most important to choose the method that fit the research one is conducting.

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING RESEARCH METHODS References

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Leedy, P. D. & Ormrod, J. E. (2010). Practical research: Planning and design. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Merrill. Bogdan, R. C. & Biklen, S. K. (2007). Qualitative research for education: an introduction to theories and methods (5th ed.). Boston, Massachusetts: Pearson Education. Creswell, J. W. & Clark, V. L. P. (2006). Designing and conducting mixed methods research. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications. Leavitt, F. (2001). Evaluating scientific research: Separating fact from fiction (Chapter 4).Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Clark, V. L. P. (2007). Designing and conducting mixed methods research, Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications. Tashakkori, A. & Teddlie, C. (2003). Handbook of mixed methods in social and behavioral research. Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.

COMPARING AND CONTRASTING RESEARCH METHODS Annotated Bibliography Entrees

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Kim, M. (2010). Preferences of high achieving high school students in their career development. Gifted and Talented International. 25(2), 66-74. This study reveals the importance of developing programs that can meet the needs of gifted students future careers. AP courses and mentoring were stated by students as the types of courses and programs that best meet their needs for their education. Gifted students also stated that the most important influential factors for them were their families and their own interests. The majority of students mentioned their own interests and the expectations of their parents as highly important. This shows the deep involvement of the gifted international students families in molding their childrens futures. The study suggested the deep importance of students parents, teachers, and that these factors play a critical role in developed gifted students to achieve their high expectations in their career development

Wrigley, H., Chen, J., White, S. & Saroui, J. (2009). Assessing the literacy skills of adult immigrants and adult English language learners. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education, 121.Wiley Periodicals, Inc.: Wilmington, DC. This paper discusses the difficulties that adult English language learners have and also how vital understanding English well is in an international atmosphere. Such issues as being gainfully employed, income, and receiving government assistance are all affected by language proficiency. The writers pointed out that though immigrants normally have the same rate of employment as adult citizens, they average much higher rates of poverty. The writers of this article talked about the significance of local and national appraisals as a good way to help immigrants live better by learning of their plight and helping them to raise their standard of living. The article challenged readers of the need of better educational programs in language and reading and writing in the immigrant communities of America.