The makeup of a good research question - Essay Example

Brikci and Green (2007) suggest using a qualitative approach for studies that aim to “understand the perspectives of participants, explore the meaning they give to a phenomenon, and observe a process in depth” (p.7). Qualitative research questions, therefore, aim to generate opinions, beliefs, and values. Questions that explore, for instance, the perception, idea, thoughts, or emotions of study participants would be classified as qualitative in nature. Mack, Woodsong, MacQueen, Guest, & Namey (2011), meanwhile, state that a qualitative research question is “open-ended” (p. 3). Examples of these questions would involve the why’s and how’s of the object being studied.

The data format of the answers derived from these questions is textual in nature. Quantitative research questions, on the other hand, aim to “quantify variation, predict causal relationships, or describe the characteristics of a population” (Mack et al., 2011). Questions that explore the differences, relationships, and characteristics of the object being studied, therefore, are quantitative in nature. The answers generated from these questions are usually numerical in nature. These questions sometimes aim to quantify otherwise unquantifiable objects by transforming them into measurable variables and relationships.

Another defining characteristic of a quantitative question is its reliance on experiments and surveys as research methods. While quantitative and qualitative research questions differ in the way they attack a research problem, combining them can lead to a more insightful and comprehensive research study. Some studies, for instance, begin with a quantitative question to uncover manifest characteristics of an object being studied and then proceed to a qualitative one to delve deeper into the meanings and relationships within that object.

References Brikci, M., & Green, J. (2007). A guide to using qualitative research methodology. Retrieved fromhttp://evaluation.msf.at/fileadmin/evaluation/files/documents/resources_MSF/MSF_Qualitative_Methods.pdf Mack, N., Woodsong, C., MacQueen, K. M., Guest, G., & Namey, E. (2011). Qualitative research methods overview. In Qualitative research methods: A data collector’s field guide. Retrieved from http://www.fhi.org/en/rh/pubs/booksreports/qrm_datacoll.htm