Question

For this discussion consider a topic in which you are interested in researching. Describe whether you would choose a quantitative, qualitative, or mixed-methods method to approach the topic. Try and relate it to aviation: Purpose Process Data Collection Data Analysis Reporting of Findings. (300-500 words) Thanks so much!!

Answer 1

Researchers have many ways of examining and relating their study. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed measures are all differentiated by the question, 'How is the researcher explaining his or her findings?' If the researcher uses numbers, they are using a quantitative measure; if they use a descriptive style, it is qualitative measure; and if they are somewhere in between, it is a mixed method.

Quantitative:

All the data collected will be counted/quantified

Aim: to approve/disprove a hypothesis. A hypothesis should be in a form of question

Advantage: It’s an efficient method of gathering information

Disadvantage: It doesn’t explain the question of ‘why?’

Qualitative

The data collected are non-numerical and gathered to be analyzed in-depth, not to be quantified

Aim: to answer a research question

Advantage: Contextual information is gathered, and thus, reasons of why phenomena happen can be explained and explored

Disadvantage: Time consuming

Mixed-methods

Combination of both

Advantage: balancing efficient data collection and in-depth analysis with the data that provides context

Challenge: researchers need to make sure that the two data are complement to each other and not duplicative

Conclusion:

The integration of quantitative and qualitative data in the form of a mixed methods study has great potential to strengthen the rigor and enrich the analysis and findings of any Data Analysis. By carefully selecting the mixed method design that best suits the evaluation’s questions and meets its resource constraints, evaluators can facilitate deeper, more meaningful learning regarding the effectiveness and implementation of Data Analysis Reporting of Findings.