1. What are the limitations and strengths of historical research? Historical research (1) cannot exercise much control, (2) measurements are limited (not real figures to work with), (3) must rely on the accounts of others (the researcher was not there), (4) cannot replicate or repeat history (reinvent), and (5) there is a generalization problem.

The strengths are: (1) the researcher can collect many viewpoints, (2) he or she can evaluate the evidence for accuracy, (3) this kind of research is unintrusive (only the important stuff was recorded (subjective)), (4) this is a good way to learn about history, and (5) control is a problem in any kind of research, even this kind.

2. What are the key terms associated with historical research? To do historic research, the researcher has to (1) collect information, (2) classify it into primary (actual speeches and eyewitness accounts) and secondary (a summary of data already looked at), and (3) must evaluate his or her resources (external criticism (looking for signs of authenticity) and internal criticism (is information of any value to the research question)).

3. How do qualitative and quantitative research differ? The differences are: (1) quantitative has a goal of generalization to other sample populations and qualitative is very interested in the specific context to understand why the group is unique, (2) qualitative collects an outsider's viewpoint (tries to stay neutral) and quantitative tries to be a part of and to understand from, (3) quantitative tries to explain events and qualitative tries to interpret, (4) quantitative seeks simplest theory and qualitative wants fullness to cover all possible viewpoints, and (5) quantitative tries to be objective and neutral while qualitative says nothing about neutrality.

4. What are the procedures of qualitative research? The topics for qualitative study are: (1) topics that defy quantitative, (2) attitudes and behaviors (can collect information on how people behave in different situations), and (3) social processes and events (following an athlete to the Olympics to understand his or her feelings and experiences).

The procedures of qualitative research are: (1) be concerned about the context of the situation being observed, (2) need to gather information on site in a neutral setting, (3) need a human instrument (open-ended conversation and interviews. Researchers decide on data), (4) emergent design (study and methodology change as the study progresses), (5) general questions become more specific as research progresses (questions become more clear and more refined), and (6) establish trustworthiness and show that research is worthwhile (triangularization (draw conclusions based on multiple sources), maintain an audit trail for validity of the research process, snowball sampling, deviant case studies (talk to the deviant cases), and inductive analysis (collect samples and develop theory)).

5. What roles can the qualitative researcher take? The roles of the qualitative researcher are: (1) complete participant (most unethical because subjects being observed are not told the truth), (2) participant as observer (attempt to be a part of the group but tell them what you are doing. Being honest, though, can affect the results), (3) observer as a participant (part of the group but not participating), and (4) complete observer (unintrusive). No one knows you are observing, but you do not try to be a part of the group. The subjects are rarely aware of what you are doing, such as with a two-way mirror.

6. How do case studies and single-subject research differ? Single subject is experimental design. Case study is qualitative and focuses on behavior. Single subject focuses on one specific behavior. Case study describes behavior. Single subject wants to alter behavior (experiment that taught children to behave). The unit of analysis can be an individual, intact group, or organization.

7. What are the major pitfalls associated with qualitative research? The major pitfalls are: (1) provincialism (still impose the researcher's perspective on everything observed), (2) hasty conclusion (researcher does not triangularize or do any of the other forms for multiple sources), (3) questionable cause tries to establish cause but researcher did not do a thorough job, (4) suppress evidence (intentionally or unintentionally), and (5) questionable classifications (classify people or ideas wrong or in a questionable fashion).

				Tom of Bethany

Back To TLEE's Home Page

Index to Selected Essays And Book Reviews

Lesson 3. The Research Proposal

Reaction to Video Lesson 25

Send email to: tlee6040@aol.com