Answer to Question #268773 in Sociology for Tshire

Question

You are approached by the Department of Labour to conduct a study using qualitative research approach to determine women farmers’ experiences in the agricultural sector, in the North-West province, South Africa. The sampling target is 20 research participants.

Identify and discuss five distinctive characteristics of the research design. (5) Also provide relevant critique on the research design.

Answer 1

Although each design has its own set of strengths and drawbacks, and creating a single ideal research design is challenging, a good research design is frequently seen to have characteristics such as flexibility, appropriateness, efficiency, and economic soundness. A good design is defined as one that reduces bias while maximizing data dependability. A good research design should have the following characteristics.

Objectivity

The data gathering procedure and answer grading, the conclusions are regarded to be objective. The degree of agreement between the final scores provided to distinct people by more than one independent observer can be used to determine the procedure's objectivity. The more observers agree, the more objective the observation, recording, and assessment of the replies become. As a result, a good research design should allow for reasonably objective measurement equipment that lead to the same conclusion for every viewer perceiving a performance.

Reliability

The topic of knowledge's dependability is frequently raised when the presence of a problem prompts the knower to expect more than just guesswork, but something that will be beneficial in the particular context and maybe in other comparable situations. Any claim that is verified as trustworthy for a certain purpose is referred to be reliable knowledge.

Validity

Validity implies self-consistency or absence of self-contradiction. It is identified with formal truth or self-consistency. A valid reasoning conforms to the rules of correct reasoning. It is that type of reasoning where conclusions automatically follow from the premises legitimately.

Generalisability

The degree of generalisability is measured in terms of the findings' replicability and reproducibility across multiple measurements and circumstances.

Analysis

In social research, determining the units of analysis is crucial. The goal of the study, in general, influences the choice of the suitable unit of analysis. In social sciences, the objects, events, or entities under inquiry are referred to as units of analysis.