Assignment task:
Discussion: Research Methodology (Quantitative, Qualitative, Mixed Method)
As a social worker, you will be asked to explore certain social science topics at the agencies where you will be working. You will need to know the difference between research methodologies and why you would use one type of methodology over the other.
For example, you may work with clients who are mandated to substance abuse treatment, and the agency wants you to explore if their program is effective at reducing substance abuse recidivism. What type of research methodology would you use? Choosing between the two methodologies might not always be that clear; however, you would want to clarify if the agency wants to use numbers (statistics) or in-depth quotes to gain an understanding of program effectiveness. You consider appropriate research methods for a study.
Post:
1. Identify three (3) important characteristic differences between quantitative and qualitative research.
2. Describe how the characteristics identified are essential to the type of research methodology.
3. Explain how you would know what type of research methodology you would use in a study.