Research Methods Paper

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Knowing when to use quantitative research or qualitative research is fairly easy. If you want to know why someone is feeling a certain way or has a certain reaction you would use qualitative research. And if you wanted to know how they got to that reaction or feeling you would use quantitative research. The types of studies that you would use for quantitative research are descriptive and experimental. In descriptive you are only there in observation mode, you measuring things as they are(Quantitative Research Design , 2015 ).In experimental you take measurements, try some sort of intervention (Quantitative Research Design, 2015).

Mixed Method Research

Mixed method research is a method of collecting, analyzing and “mixing” quantitative and qualitative research (Webster’s, 2015). The strength to using mixed method is you get the best of both worlds if you will. You can take the experimental numbers and facts and figures side and mix it with the hands off observation ways. The mixed methods recognizes there are more aspects to science and in some case can help get into the gray areas.

During this paper we covered the scientific method both its abstract definition and how it can be used in the human services field. Also discussed were the steps of the scientific method. There was also an article summery that gave an example of how research is used in the human services field. This paper also spoke about the research methods used to collect and observe data and information like quantitative and qualitative and mixed research. Learning how to apply research to any human services position is important and no more so then in the case manger or a manger position. Learning how to help the target populations or read a trend in care is vastly important for the human service professional today.

Reference:

Monette, D., & Sullivan, T. (2011). Applied social research: A tool for the human services (8th ed.). Australia: Brookscole.

Nunn, P., Harries, A., Godfrey-Faussett, P., Gupta, R., & al, e. (2002). The research agenda for improving health policy, systems performance, and service delivery for tuberculosis control: A WHO perspective. World Health Organization.Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 80(6), 471-6. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/229660243?accountid=458

Quantitative Research Design. (n.d.). Retrieved June 2, 2015, from http://www.sportsci.org/jour/0001/wghdesign.html

Steps of the Scientific Method. (n.d.). Retrieved June 2, 2015, from http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_scientific_method.shtml

Webster, N. (1983). Webster's new twentieth century dictionary of the English language, unabridged: Based upon the broad foundations laid down by Noah Webster. (2nd ed.). New York, N.Y.: Simon and Schuster.