Comparison of Research Methods

We are ready to represent the best custom paper writing assistance that can cope with any task like Comparison of Research Methods even at the eleventh hour. The matter is that we posses the greatest base of expert writers. Our staff of freelance writers includes approximately 300 experienced writers are at your disposal all year round. They are striving to provide the best ever services to the most desperate students that have already lost the hope for academic success. We offer the range of the most widely required, however, not recommended for college use papers. It is advisable to use our examples like Comparison of Research Methods in learning at public-education level. Get prepared and be smart with our best essay samples cheap and fast! Get in touch and we will write excellent custom coursework or essay especially for you.

Comparison of Research Methods

Experimental methods, the questionnaire and observation methods

¢ñ. Experimental Method

Experimental method focuses on cause and effect. There are two kinds of experimental methods true experimentation, which is often used in areas such as psychology, and quasi-experimentation, which is more popular in management research. However, the processes of manipulating, comparing, and looking for differences are at the heart of experimental logic, whether expressed in true experimental or quasi-experimental form. In experiments researchers try to keep all experimental variables constant except the independent variable, which is changed in a precise way while measuring the dependent variables.




Advantages of experimental method

1. Experiments are the only means by which cause and effect can be established. It has already been noted that an experiment differs from non-experimental methods in that it involves the deliberate manipulation of one variable, while trying to keep all other variables constant; thus it enables us to study cause and effect and allows us to draw conclusions with far more certainty than any non-experimental method. Sometimes the independent variable (IV) is thought of as the cause, and the dependent variable (DV) as the effect.

. It allows for the precise control of variables, especially in laboratory conditions. The purpose of control is to enable the experimenter to isolate independent variables and to observe their effects on dependent variables. Precise control allows us to determine whether the IV is influencing the DV.

. Experiments can be replicated. The more often an experiment is able to be repeated with identical results, the greater the likelihood the theory being tested is valid. The experimental method consists of standardized procedures and measures which allow it to be easily repeated.

4. An experiment yields quantitative data which can be analyzed statistically. These tests indicate the probably accuracy of the results.

5. It is cheaper to perform than other research methods.

Disadvantages of experimental method

1. Experiments are representative of real life. Most experiments are conducted in laboratories¡ªartificial environments where people perform unusual tasks. The artificiality of laboratories may distort reality. It is therefore difficult to make generalized conclusions from experiments because they often do not represent real life.

. Precise control of variables greatly restricts the range of laboratory behavior. This problem, however, can be alleviated by a quasi-experimental research method performed in natural settings. This is not a true experimental method because of the inability to manipulate variables. It is possible, though, to compare two groups, the equivalent of an experimental and a control group. This method carries the added advantage that participants are unaware that they are part of an investigation.

. A major difficulty with the experimental method is demand characteristics. Some of the confounding variables in a management experiment stem from the fact that management experiments involve social situations in which subjects and observers are active, not passive, individuals. Subjects may unintentionally attempt to decipher what experimenters hope to observe. Experimenters, too, have expectations about what their results will likely be. This expectation of experimenters affects the test subjects and may skew experimental data.

4. It has already been noted that an advantage of the experimental method is the amount of control which experimenters have over variables. It must however also be noted that it is impossible to control completely all variables. There may other relevant variables which the experimenter is unaware of. It is, in particular, unrealistic to control completely the thought processes of subjects taking part in an experiment.

5. Since the acceptability of experimental results is theory-dependent, judgments about the adequacy of experimental results are not straightforward. Experiments are adequate only if the experimental set-up is appropriate and disturbing factors have been eliminated. This in turn requires knowledge of what those disturbing factors are and how they can be discarded. Any inadequacies in the relevant knowledge about these factors could lead to inappropriate experimental measures and faulty conclusions. Experimental facts and theory are therefore considerably interrelated. Experimental results can be faulty if the conditions producing them are deficient. It must be acknowledged, then, that the relationship between theory and experiment may involve a circular argument.

¢ò.The Questionnaire

Questionnaires are one of the most important quantitative research tools available. It is ¡°a form that people fill out, used to obtain demographic information and views and interests of those questioned¡± [Brehob, 001] or, in a more structural way, ¡°a method for the elicitation, and recording and collecting information¡± [Kirakowski, 18]. There are two main types of questionnaires mail questionnaires and online questionnaires.

Mail questionnaires are sent to respondents via postal service. They carry the following advantages

1. Questionnaires are cost-effective compared to face-to-face interviews. This is especially true for studies involving large sampling populations and large geographic areas. Written questionnaires become even more cost-effective as the number of research questions increases.

. Questionnaires are easy to analyze. Data entry and tabulation for nearly all surveys can be easily done with many commercial software packages.

. Questionnaires are familiar to most people. Nearly everyone has had some experience completing questionnaires, and they generally do not make people apprehensive.

4. Questionnaires reduce bias. There is a uniform presentation format so researchers¡¯ opinions will not bias a respondent¡¯s answers. There are no verbal or visual clues to influence the respondent.

5. Questionnaires are less intrusive than telephone or face-to-face surveys. Mail questionnaires allow subjects to respond at leisure, whereas phone or personal interviews obligate respondents to answer within the timeframe provided by the interviewer.

Disadvantages of Questionnaire

1. One major disadvantage of written questionnaires is the possibility of low response rates. Low response rates can destroy statistical analysis. They can dramatically lower our confidence in the results. Response rates vary widely from one questionnaire to another (10% - 0%); well-designed studies, however, consistently produce high response rates.

. Another disadvantage of questionnaires is the inability to ¡°probe¡± responses. Questionnaires are structured instruments; they allow respondents little flexibility with respect to response format. As such, they often lose the flavor of the response (i.e., respondents often want to qualify their answers). By allowing extended space for comments, researchers can partially neutralize this disadvantage. Comments are among the most helpful of all pieces of information on a questionnaire and they usually provide insightful information that would otherwise be absent.

. Nearly 0 percent of all communication is visual. Gestures and other visual cues are not available with written questionnaires. The lack of personal contact will have varying effects depending on the type of information being requested. A questionnaire asking for factual information will probably not be affected by lack of personal contact. A questionnaire probing sensitive issues or attitudes, however, may be severely affected.

4. When returned questionnaires arrive in the mail, its natural to assume that the respondents are, in fact, the same people you initially sent the questionnaires to. This may not actually be the case, however. Business questionnaires often get handed down to inferiors for completion. Housewives sometimes complete questionnaires for their husbands. Kids may respond to them as pranks. For a variety of reasons, respondents may not be those initially targeted.

5. Finally, questionnaires are simply not appropriate for some people. A written survey to a group of poorly educated people, for instance, may not succeed because of poor reading skills within the group. More frequently, however, people are turned off by written questionnaires because of misuse.

As Internet usage increases, online questionnaires are rapidly gaining popularity. Online questionnaires can be divided into three categories e-mail questionnaires, computer-direct questionnaires, and web-based questionnaires. They have the significant advantages of speed, cost-efficiency, and flexibility, but also carry sampling limitations.

Advantages of Online Questionnaires

1. Online questionnaires are extremely fast. A questionnaire posted on a popular website can produce thousands of responses within a few hours. E-mail questionnaires can produce similar responses within days.

. There is practically no cost involved once the set-up has been completed. Large samples do not cost more than smaller ones.

. You can attach pictures and sound files. Some web survey software can play video as well. If you want to show video or both sound and graphics, a web-based questionnaire may be the only practical way to have many people view and respond to video.

4. A significant number of people will to, when giving their answers to a computer, instead of to a person or on paper. (I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THIS MEANS.)

5. You will get more accurate answers to sensitive questions, such as drug use or sex. Recent studies have shown that respondents are more likely to provide honest feedback on a computer surveys than on paper questionnaires or with human interviewers. The National Institute of Justice has found that computer-aided surveys among drug users get better results than personal interviews.

6. Ensuring skip patterns are accurately followed. The Survey System can ensure people are not asked questions they should skip based on their earlier answers. These automatic skips are more accurate than relying on an interviewer reading a paper questionnaire.

Disadvantages of Online Questionnaires

1. The interviewees must have access to a computer.

. As many people still do not possess online access, online questionnaires may have serious response rate problems in populations of older, lower-income, and lower-educational demographic groups.

. Although Internet usage is growing rapidly, it is far from universal. Online questionnaires therefore may not represent the entire population. This is true even if a sample of Internet users is selected to match the general population in terms of age, gender, and other demographics.

4. Online questionnaires could lead to biased samples because there is often little control over respondents. People with varying backgrounds from all over the world can complete a questionnaire. Moreover, some may respond to a single questionnaire multiple times.

Online questionnaires are probably most helpful when one¡¯s target population consists mostly of Internet users. Business-to-business research and employee attitude surveys often meet this requirement. Surveys of the general population usually do not.

¢ó.Observation Method

There are two main types of observation methods Direct (Reactive) Observation and Unobtrusive Observation. The commonly used methods in the former are Continuous Monitoring and Time Allocation, whereas the methods of the latter include Behavior Trace Studies and Disguised Field Observations¡£

In direct observations, people know they are being monitored. The associated drawback is that individuals may alter their natural behavior. The Hawthorne Effect states that workers react to the attention they are getting from researchers and, consequently, productivity increases. However, such artificial behavior may reveal aspects of social desirability or privacy in a relationship. Moreover, replicated observation can overcome this problem. Direct observation is relatively easy but a time consuming endeavor.

Unobtrusive observation is performed when individuals are unaware that they are being observed. When conducting unobtrusive observations, issues of validity may arise. A large amount of observation of a representative sample needs to be conducted in order to generalize findings. This is especially difficult when studying a specific group. Such findings are therefore often not strong in validity. Replication is also difficult in unobtrusive observation. The main problem with unobtrusive observation, however, concerns issues involving invasion of privacy.

Advantages of Observation Methods

1. Observations are usually flexible and do not require theoretical hypotheses. Before undertaking structured research a researcher may conduct observations to form a research question, and then find a relative theory.

. Observational research findings are considered valid because researchers are able to collect much first-hand information about a particular behavior.

4. With the observation method, one can obtain information in cases where language and culture pose as research obstacles.

5. The observation method can be used to compensate for deficiencies in other research methods, supply more specific information, or test the results of other research methods.

Disadvantages of Observation Methods

1. Waiting for certain behavior to recur can be a time-consuming task. Many people dont realize that observational research may be time-consuming. In order to obtain reliability, behavior must be observed multiple times. It is in a researcher¡¯s best interest to observe for long periods of time.

. In observational research, findings may only reflect a unique population and therefore cannot be generalized against the population at large.

. There are also problems with research bias. It is often assumed that researchers may see what they want to see. What one interprets is considerably influenced by one¡¯s past experiences. Individuals may pay extra attention to surprising or intense events while ignoring repetitive events. Past experiences can also have influence our expectations about the relative importance of various situations. Events may be noticed or ignored depending on an observers biases.

4. Conditions, sampling populations, and time are difficult to control. Quantitative and statistical analyses are therefore also difficult to perform.



Mind that the sample papers like Comparison of Research Methods presented are to be used for review only. In order to warn you and eliminate any plagiarism writing intentions, it is highly recommended not to use the essays in class. In cases you experience difficulties with essay writing in class and for in class use, order original papers with our expert writers. Cheap custom papers can be written from scratch for each customer that entrusts his or her academic success to our writing team. Order your unique assignment from the best custom writing services cheap and fast!