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 Tuesday September 14 2004

Qualitative vs Quantitative

I’ve started reading for essay two of three which is due on October 15. The first research methods essay was brutally difficult to write and incredibly dull as it dealt primarily with statistics and which test to choose based on the research design and variables involved. Yawn confused This essay, however, does not appear to be as difficult nor as boring. (that doesn’t mean it isn’t boring!).

I spent about 2 hours at starbucks, before church yesterday, reading the some of the required articles and then again for about 4 hours this morning. Amazingly I only needed two coffees to get through it and didn’t fall asleep even once. 


The topic is to evaluate qualitative and quantitave research and pay particular attention to issues of validity and reliability; also to suggest possiblities of overcoming the limitations of each method. Finally, we are required to posit three research questions for each method (total 6) and detail why the research is best conducted with that methodology. All of this must be written in 1500 to 2000 words. Obviously this essay is going to be very compact and tight - in fact I am a little concerned that I will end up being over the word limit.

With this essay I am taking a new approach to writing. Instead of waiting until I have read everything and starting to compose, I will be reading the relevant material for each section and then writing that section. If I come across material related to another section of the essay I will write a short note about it and append it to the end of the essay. Obviously there are dangers here with regards to unity and cohesiveness, but I think that overall this will make the writing process easier for me. I’m sure that I will also have to spend a little more time editing at the end, but I feel this should be worth it.

I have already written the introduction to the paper and have started formulating the evaluation of qualitative research (really I prefer the term ethnographic research - though I am not sure why) in my head and may start writing that later today after I go to the gym and finish my lesson planning.


Sean. inscribed these words of wisdom on Tuesday Sep 14, 2004 at 04:03 PM
general_linguistic_study | Research_Methods |

Picture of John

John wrote 32 words  on  Thursday Sep 16, 2004  at  08:31 PM Korea (South)

Blinger,

Enjoy that one - I finished a paper on that topic last Jan for USQ. Unlike you though, it sounds as if I had a few more boring required readings!!

-John

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Ana Leiguarda wrote 99 words  on  Tuesday Oct 26, 2004  at  12:03 AM Argentina

I am interested in the topic of language learning strategies and I writing my first research proposal.  I am having some difficulties with the instruments I need to design to collect the data and with the data analysis. My research question is
Q1: “Is there a relationship between the frequency of use of the memory strategies taught to 6th grade EFL students doing their third level of English and their ability to use the structures of the simple past accurately?
If anyone can guide me a little I would greatly appreciate it.

Ana Leiguarda
Universidad Nacional de Córdoba
Argentina

Sean.

Sean. wrote 101 words  on  Tuesday Oct 26, 2004  at  11:49 PM Korea (South)

Ana,

That sounds like a very specific research question. I am struggling with my own proposal which is a little more broad in focus and more qualitative than quantitative.

I feel that a qualitative research question is easier to work with for myself as I continue to be baffled by the choices for statistical test. Even provided I choose the correct test, I then have to learn how to do the stats for it; for me that is a little too forbidding a prospect.

Which program are you doing your graduate studies at? I would like to learn more about it.

Picture of Ana Leiguarda

Ana Leiguarda wrote 74 words  on  Thursday Oct 28, 2004  at  12:05 PM Argentina

Dear ScS,
Thank you for your lines. I am pursuing my postgraduate studies at the moment, and I graduated from the National University of Córdoba in Argentina. After five years of studies you get a teaching degree.Then you can start you Master’s program which lasts for about 2 years and a half and you have to submit a thesis to get your MA diploma. I hope I answered your question.
Best wishes,
Ana Leiguarda

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