Name : Muhamad Nazarudin Asyidiq

NIM : 1808042051

Semester/ Class : II/A

Subject : Quantitative Research Methodology

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

INTRODUCTION

Research methodology has an important role in the research world. It has an advantage

for the researcher to conduct the research, not only to conduct the research, but also it helps to

achieve the goal of the research. For understanding the research methodology, we have to

understand some terms, namely the first explanation about the differences among approaches,

methods, and technique, the second is the definition of quantitative and qualitative

approaches, and the last is the strengths and weaknesses between quantitative and qualitative

approach.

EXPLANATION

1. The Differences between Approach, Method, and Technique

The definition of research methodology based on what I have read in the Mr. Akmal’s

power point is a set of rules, activities, and procedures to achieve the goals of the research. It

is related with my experience when I have conducted the research in the undergraduate

program, the research methodology helped me to know the process to conduct the research so

that the goals of my research could be achieved. However, to understand the research

methodology, we have to know the terminology in the research methodology, namely:

approach, method, and technique.

The definition of approach based on the information that I have gotten from the power

point is starting point to view a particular problem. The problems could be gotten from a
various sources, for instance it comes from a teacher perspective which is called teacher

approach, communication point of view which is called communicative approach, and

linguistic aspect which is called linguistics approach. According to the text of Priya Chetty,

she states that approach is a plan and procedure that consist of the steps of board assumptions

to detailed method of data collection, analysis, and interpretation. Based on both definitions,

there is the method that is said, so that the approach is related with the method.

What is the method? Method is procedure for accomplishing or conducting something

in a systematic way. Kesuma (2007;1) states that method has to mastered because it is related

with the working process to ease the implementation of activity. Furthermore, Bakker defines

that methods is the steps of conduct according to the certain rule system. Beside that, we have

to know the definition of technique.

In our daily activities we often uses word “technique” in the conversation or in the

others activities. It is always defined as the way which used to solve the problem. In fact, if

we examine in-depth, the definition of technique is not likened as aforementioned statement.

Based on the Mr. Akmal’s power point, the definition of techniques is a specific way to solve

the problem found in conducting the procedure by referring to the method used. Moreover, in

my example based on my experience in undergraduate program, when I used one-group pre-

test and post-test technique by referring data collection.

The three aforementioned terms, namely approach, method, and technique are related

each other in the implementation of research methodology. Therefore, we have to master and

understand all the terms.

2. The Differences between Qualitative and Quantitative Approach

The types of research methodology are qualitative and quantitative approach.

According to Creswell (Creswell, 2014, p.32), quantitative approach is an approach for testing

objective theories by examining the relationship among variables. Also, he says that
qualitative approach is an approach for exploring and understanding the meaning individual

or group ascribe to a social or human problem. Based on both definitions, there are some

differences between qualitative and quantitative.

In the qualitative research, there are some features that can be separated, one of them

is the aim of the qualitative. The qualitative research is to complete detailed description or to

reveal all phenomena (holistic context). Creswell says that the research participant could not

take to the lab, but it could be researched in the natural setting, for example in the classroom,

in the college, in the library, and any other fields.

The design of qualitative research also emerges the study unfolds, describe

explanation and use inductive of making conclusion. In gathering the data, the qualitative

research uses the instruments through interview, and class observation. Moreover, the

qualitative approach is provided in the form of words, such as in doing interview; pictures, for

example is videos; or the object, it is artifacts.

Another characteristic in qualitative research is rich of data, time consuming, and less

able to be generalized. Why the data of qualitative is rich? Because the data is provided by

using words and pictures, the data collection, for example the participant is explained one by

one. It is happened because the participant is in different character. Of course, in the

explanation, it will be time consuming, and less able to be generalized.

There are some characteristics in quantitative research. In quantitative research the

researchers classify features, count them, and construct statistical models in an attempt to

explain what is observed. Then, all aspects of the study are carefully designed before data is

collected. Furthermore, researcher uses tools (questionnaires or equipment) to collect data.

The quantitative approach provides the data is in the form of number and statistics.

The example of number is one, two, three, and any others. Moreover, the kinds of number are

cardinal number, ordinal number, etc. the statistics means the formula for managing or
analyze the number. The quantitative data is more efficient too, because after the researcher

counting and construct the statistical model, the result could be able to test hypothesis.

However, it may miss contextual data.

3. The Strength and Weaknesses between Qualitative and Quantitative Approach

The Strengths of quantitative

The first is simple numeric data (Creswell, 2012, p.13) In the meaning of terminology,

data means a group of information collected often used to prove or disprove a hypothesis.

Whereas numerical is information that is something that is measurable. In the advantage of

quantitative, we are able to perform just about any mathematical operation on numerical data.

In this case, the mathematical operation, it provides an allowance on the formulation of

statistics. Therefore, the results or in the end of calculating the data could be greatest and

least. The examples of numeric data are formulation of mathematics, and the data itself (the

score of the test).

The second is data are in the form of number (Creswell, 2012, p.13). As we know that

the numbers were 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and many more. But we have to know that the number have the

kinds. The kinds of number were cardinal, ordinal number, and many more. But the point is, it

is only apply for the researcher who preferred the number.

The third is larger sample sizes enable the conclusion to be generalized. The other

strengths of the quantitative approach are the larger sample sizes enable conclusion to be

generalized. It can be done because no matter of the number of sample, can be simple because

the sample is delegated by number, therefore, in providing the result, it can be looked simpler

or only a few. Therefore, in the quantitative approach, the researcher can conclude the

conclusion part turn into generalized.

The forth is evaluation of the multiple data sets can be done at once and that too at a

faster pace and accurately. The important things that we have to know, the qualitative
research is able to have some tests and formula, (e.g. t-test, normality test, homogeneity test,

and any others). However, all the test can be done at once, faster, and accurate for evaluation.

The fifth is data are more efficient, able to test hypotheses (Creswell, 2008, p.13) The

efficiency here means the result or product of your measurement. The result is so clear

because there are only a few answers that are significant and no significant. These two terms

here called the hypotheses.

Quantitative data allows the researcher to measure and analyze the data, and that is

why it used to test hypotheses in experiments. Not only be efficient, but also be specific,

narrow, measurable, and observable. Because the researcher identify is only a few variables to

study. From a study of these variables, you obtain measures or assessments on an instrument

or record scores on a scale from observations. For example, in a study of adolescent career

choices

The sixth is the manual implementations of ideas can be automated completely which

can save time. In the research, usually, the researcher has some ideas that want to implement

in his/ her research. Fortunately, it will not spend the time, but it can be automated completely

which can save time. For example, in the close quantitative interview, for preparation: you

can arrange some questions, responds’ categories, instruction, any others. The purpose of the

response category is to provide some answers and than the interviewer choose the options.

The responses itself can compared with the responds’ category and there are a lot of questions

that can be asked in the brief time.

The Weaknesses of Quantitative Approach

The first is quantitative research does not study things in a natural setting. (Creswell,

2012, p.13). The researcher does not involve himself in the research site completely, the

example of the natural setting here such as at school, college, any others. Therefore, the
researcher will miss contextual detail and the researcher cannot get the meaning have for

different people as qualitative does.

The second is a large sample of population must be studied, so it is expensive and

time-consuming. It means that the more statistically accurate the result will be, so the study is

expensive and time consuming, and even the preliminary results are usually not available for a

long period of time

The third is often fails to answer more on why and how. It can be happened because

the quantitative method only reveals what and to what extent.

The strengths of qualitative

Based on the strengths and weaknesses that I mentioned earlier, we could get the

strengths and weaknesses of qualitative because there are some inverses. The strengths of

qualitative approach is the data are rich, however it will be weakness because the data is

taking a much time. The other strengths of qualitative is the data collected from the

participants deep and rich, but the weakness is, in analyzing the data, it is less able to be

generalized and take a long time.

CONCLUSION

In summary, the explanation about approach, method, and technique are linked to each

other. The approach is a beginning perspective in a particular problem, then the method gives

the systematic procedure to solve something, and the technique gives a specific way to solve

the problem found in conducting the procedure. Furthermore, the differences between

qualitative and quantitative approach are that the qualitative focuses on the quality so that the

in the form of words, pictures and objects. Whereas the quantitative focuses on the quantity so

that the data is in the form of number. Both of them have strengths and weaknesses.

Therefore, I propose that in choosing the qualitative or quantitative, the researcher could

decide which the most minimum of weakness of each approaches.