Exam (elaborations)
Educational Research 771 Exam paper
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- Stellenbosch University (SUN)
This document includes the questions and answers of the Educational Research exam.
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Le-Anne Goliath16688627
Question 1/Vraag 1 Howe (1992) argues that the “quantitative” and “qualitative” divide
is based on both a literal and derivative distinction. With this in mind critically discuss
whether a questionnaire is a quantitative or qualitative research method/technique
According to Sandra Harding, method is defined as the techniques we use to gather empirical
evidence and is a way of proceeding when we conduct social research. While methodology can
be thought of as an interpretive framework which guides a particular research project. In this
way, methodology refers to different knowledge interests such ass positivism, interpretivism
and so forth.
All empirical research uses the senses to collect data by either observing human actions,
listening to informants or examining historical traces. For the purpose of this task, the focus
will be on listening to informants.
The interview and questionnaire are both techniques that are traditionally placed in the
qualitative and quantitative camp traditionally. The distinction between quantitative and
qualitative research methods are based on two things. Firstly, we have the derivative
distinction. This can be though of as a philosophical distinction and looks what which paradigm
the research is informed by or derived from. The positivist paradigm is found to be derived
from quantitative, while the interpretivist paradigm is derived from qualitative. This would
mean that if a researcher is aiming to understand an aspect of human behaviour, then they will
be using the qualitative method as the research would have been based on the interpretivist
paradigm. While the researcher who aims to predict and control human behaviour would be
using quantitative methods as this is the criteria for the positivist paradigm. This distinction is
made on the methodological level
The second way in which to make the distinction between research methods is by looking at
the data. This distinction is on the level of data (method) and is done once the researcher has
the data. Data in the form of numbers would be considered quantitative while data in the form
of words, prose, narratives and visual images would be considered qualitative. So, instruments
that produce numbers are informed by quantitative techniques while instruments that produce
thick descriptions in words use qualitative techniques.
With the literal distinction the questionnaire can be either qualitative or quantitative. What is
for certain is that the data produced is based on what is written. If a questionnaire uses a Likert
scale to produce data, then the research method would be quantitative since the data produced
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