Week Seven Tasks & Assignments

Core Topic: Research Approaches: An Introduction

Task 1 –Pair work. Matrix completion: General Characteristics of qualitative and

quantitative research using selected articles.

Student: Hernán José Del Castillo Negrete-Martes-4-6pm

Article Summary. Please use the APA style to cite your articles.

a. Article Summary. Read both the qualitative and the quantitative article. Then write
a 10/12-line summary of each one as follows. Negotiate the two articles you want to
work on.
Qualitative Article Summary. (Manyibe, Benard M; Manyibe, Edward O; Otiso, Kefa M
;Fall 2013). The number of continental African college students in U.S. colleges and universities
has grown tremendously, making it imperative for their host institutions to understand their unique
leadership development needs in order to serve them effectively. This qualitative study examined
the pre-college leadership development of African students in U.S. colleges and universities. Four
themes that describe the experiences that influenced the leadership development of the participants
during their pre-college years emerged from the data: family, church, African cultures, and high
school influences. The study is based on a 2006-2007 sample of African students at a mid-size,
Midwestern U.S. university. The Journal of Negro Education; 82, 4;
(Page 422). Doi:1498933812

Quantitative Article Summary.

(Abdulkadir Kurt, Mehmet Erdoğan; 2015) This study aims to present the trends of
research on curriculum evaluation through analyzing research methods, sample, content
features, curriculum evaluation models and decisions made on evaluation undertaken
the years of 2004-2013 in Turkey. The research obtained using different databases were
subjected to content analysis with paper classification form developed by Sözbilir,
Kutu, & Yaşar (2012). Research were examined in terms of trends and subjected to
thematic analysis by using meta-synthesis method. A total of 38 studies 21 of which are
research article, 9 master thesis and 8 doctoral thesis were reached as a result of
systematic survey in a given years. Survey design among quantitative research methods
was used mostly in selected studies, questionnaire, scale and observation forms were
used frequently as data collection tool and descriptive analysis was mostly used among
data analysis methods. According to research findings descriptive studies were chosen
frequently; Math, English, Science and Technology were determined as mostly
evaluated courses and research area. Primary and high school students and teachers
were the most commonly used sample group, the sizes of samples most commonly
ranged between 101-300 and 301-1000; randomly, cluster and purposeful sampling
were determined as used the most common sampling techniques. Scholarly Journals
Turk Egitim Dernegi; 40; 178; (Page 199). Doi:10.15390/EB.2015.4167
 b. Table completion. Read the lists of the characteristics of qualitative and
quantitative research and complete the following table.
General Characteristics of two Basic Approaches (5 for each approach)
Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
 Purposeful -- cases for study [e.g., people,
organizations, communities, cultures, events, critical
incidences] are selected because they are “information
rich” and illuminative. That is, they offer useful
manifestations of the phenomenon of interest; sampling
is aimed at insight about the phenomenon, not empirical
generalization derived from a sample and applied to a
population.
 Data -- observations yield a detailed, "thick
description" [in-depth understanding]; interviews
capture direct quotations about people’s personal
perspectives and lived experiences; often derived from
carefully conducted case studies and review of material
culture.
 Personal experience and engagement -- researcher
has direct contact with and gets close to the people,
situation, and phenomenon under investigation; the
researcher’s personal experiences and insights are an
important part of the inquiry and critical to
understanding the phenomenon.
 Empathic neutrality -- an empathic stance in working
with study respondents seeks vicarious understanding
without judgment [neutrality] by showing openness,
sensitivity, respect, awareness, and responsiveness; in
observation, it means being fully present [mindfulness].
 Inductive analysis -- immersion in the details and
specifics of the data to discover important patterns,
themes, and inter-relationships; begins by exploring,
then confirming findings, guided by analytical
principles rather than rules.
 Data gathering instruments contain items that solicit
measurable characteristics of the population (e.g. age,
the number of children, educational status, and
economic status).
 Standardized, pre-tested instruments guide data
collection thus ensuring the accuracy, reliability and
validity of data.
 For more reliable data analysis, a normal population
distribution curve is preferred over a non-normal
distribution. This requires a large population, the
 numbers of which depend on how the characteristics of
the population vary. This requires adherence to the
principle of random sampling to avoid researcher’s bias
in interpreting the results that defeat the purpose of
research.
 The data obtained using quantitative methods are
organized using tables, graphs, or figures that
consolidate large numbers of data to show trends,
relationships, or differences among variables. This
fosters understanding to the readers or clients of the
research investigation.

 Researchers can repeat the quantitative method to

verify or confirm the findings in another setting. This
reinforces the validity of groundbreaking discoveries or
findings thus eliminating the possibility of spurious or
erroneous conclusions. Project can be used to
generalize concepts more widely, predict future results,
or investigate causal relationships.
 Researcher uses tools, such as questionnaires or
computer software, to collect numerical data.