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CARIBBEAN STUDIES – RESEARCH METHODS

Define Research - the step by step process of gathering information

Types of Research - Qualitative
Quantitative

Reason for Research - to generate new knowledge
To solve a problem
To be able to predict an event or outcome
To test a theory

Quantitative: - usually takes the form of statistical or numerical
information.   It can also be expressed in the form of a rate.   It is believed that the analysis of statistical data can indicate both cause and correlation.    

Advantages: - study easily replicable
Method saves time
It is cost effective
It collects standard data
Validity is enhanced by the use of large samples
Data is more objective

Disadvantages: - no indication about the respondents personal state
Unrepresentative samples can lead to inaccurate and invalid data
Generalization may not apply to all people in all
circumstances

There are four (4) types of Quatitative Research:
(1) Surveys
(2) Questionnaire
(3) Structured interviews
(4) Official statistics

Social Surveys: - usually large-scale research projects that collect
standardized data from a large cross-section of the population.     E.g.   Government   census.

  *       There are three (3) types of surveys:
(1)   Descriptive       - questions are close-ended and allow the  
      researcher to make correlations about
      social phenomena.

(2)   Attitude - asks mainly close-ended questions that attempt
to find out people’s feelings or opinions: e.g. a
party, political figure or brand of food.

(3)   Explanatory - seeks answers that require more than a simple yes
or no response.   They are given the opportunity to
clarify their feelings in greater depth.

Advantages of Surveys

(1) Valid due to data collected from a large cross-section of the population
(2) Data can be used to make generalizations
(3) Statistical technique can... [continues]

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