Introduction
It is hard to disagree that academic research plays a significant role in people’s lives. While not everyone realizes it, precisely credible research papers can test hypotheses that affect healthcare, find new ways to eliminate social issues and explore the negative and positive effects of technologies. In order for a study to be adequate and reach its aim, it is vital to select the most appropriate research methods. This paper discusses qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods research types on the example of a specific topic.
Discussion
To begin with, the focus of qualitative research is words, concepts, and perceptions, while quantitative studies consider numbers, data, and statistics. The former explores people’s opinions and views on specific questions or phenomena. For instance, to learn how the Japanese see World War II, interviews or even focus groups can be involved, allowing participants to talk about their feelings and ideas and share knowledge. At the same time, quantitative research can measure percentages or differences. If I needed to know how many Japanese people thought that Japan’s apologies about its participation in the war were sufficient or compare this number to a number of Americans feeling the same way, I would use surveys. Finally, mixed methods research can use both qualitative and quantitative tools. For example, after conducting interviews with several Japanese people and identifying the most common views on World War II, I would gather statistical data to compare the actual prevalence of these ideas.
Conclusion
For my topic, I would choose qualitative research because I am interested in knowing people’s perceptions, not specific numbers and data. The nature of my research aims and questions is exploratory – I would like to get a better idea of the opinions of the Japanese about World War II. As a consequence, qualitative research would be appropriate and allow me to answer my question, and as for data collection methods, interviews, focus groups, and oral histories would be helpful.