Qualitative Research Essay

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BASIC CONCEPTS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
(An Essay)
By Deborah Sitorus

One of the ways to gain knowledge is by carrying out some research. As what Zacharia (2012) stated that in daily life most people conduct research to gain knowledge. A research can be carried out qualitatively or quantitatively depends on the research purposes and needs and the type of information the researcher is seeking.
My concern in this essay is to briefly share my understandings about basic concepts of qualitative research that I gained from my readings on some books on qualitative research methods as well as from the class discussion with lecturer and colleagues on qualitative research course at the university. The basic concepts of qualitative research that will …show more content…

271)

C. CHARACTERISTICS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH CONTRASTED TO QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

Viewed from this research paradigm, quantitative research is in contrast with qualitative research that usually based on some form of logical positivism which assumes there are stable, social facts with single reality, separated from the feelings and beliefs of individuals. Qualitative research is based more on “constructionism” which assumes multiple realities are socially constructed through individual and collective perceptions or views of the same situation (McMillan & Schumacher, 2001). Quantitative and qualitative research do represent very different ways of thinking about the world. Holliday (2002) shared the distinction between qualitative and quantitative research that the belief in quantitative research that reality can be mastered by the right research instruments is normative. It maintains that there is a normality that we can fathom and understand, and master by statistics and experiment. The universe is organized in such a a way that can become clear to scientist. It therefore maintains that with the correct use of technique it is possible to reveal objectives facts. In contrast, the qualitative belief that the realities of the research setting ad the people in it are mysterious and can only be superficially touched by research which tries to make sense is interpretive. It maintains that we can explore, catch glimpses, illuminate and then

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