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Is Quantitative Research more Reliable than Qualitative Research? Mystery Resolved!

Data serves as a fuel powering (and controlling) major contributing sectors of the economy including business, education, research, medicine, etc. The first thought that pops up in a research scholar’s mind on seeing data, is to find patterns, connections, and relationships between and within numbers.

Broadly speaking, in research, data is considered to be of two types; Quantitative data and Qualitative data. Scholars can either use quantitative data/ qualitative data or both of them for the study purpose. But the choice is easier said than done.

Simply put, Quantitative research is used to validate the hypothesis, quantify attitudes, opinions, behaviors, and generalize results from a larger sample population. Whereas, qualitative research to formulate the hypothesis, provides insights into the problem or helps to develop ideas/hypotheses.

Although quantitative and qualitative research differ radically, their objectives overlap in numerous ways. This makes it confusing for scholars to judge when to use a qualitative approach and when to use a quantitative approach for research purposes.

Tip: A quantitative research is apt to answer questions like ‘what’, ‘where’, ‘when’, and on the other hand, qualitative research answers questions like ‘why’ and ‘how’.

For example, consider the question- How does the image of the ideal man influence the male population between the ages 23 and 38? This question, cannot be answered using one among qualitative or quantitative research. Instead, it makes use of both the methods. Firstly, one needs to know ‘what’ the image of the ideal man is. Next, find out ‘how’ this influences a particular segment of the male population.

To successfully conduct quantitative research:

  • Identify the research problem.
  • Prepare the research questions.
  • Review existing literature.
  • Develop a research plan.

Steps included in qualitative research are

  • Identifying a research problem/stating the problem.
  • Reviewing the literature.
  • Specifying a purpose and research questions.
  • Collection of data.
  • Analyzing the data.
  • Determining the quality of data

Now another question that arises is which approach is more reliable than the other?

This is a long-standing argument in research. It is important to understand that quantitative and qualitative research methods do not work against each other. Each research method has its own specific objectives.

Rule of thumb: Qualitative research methods are used to explore ideas, designs, or processes that do not require a concrete hypothesis. Qualitative methods are particularly useful for serendipitous discovery and often provide more in-depth insights.

At times, some studies make use of both the research methods which stand to complement each other. The advantage of a mixed methodology is, you get both projectable or predictive data and explanatory or contextual insights. Each research method has its own strengths and weaknesses. A combination of qualitative and quantitative research is typically best for most of the studies. By using both methods one can achieve a deeper level of insight through the exploratory nature of research in addition to the statistical evidence to support decisions.

To conclude, none of the methods can be stated as ‘more reliable than the other’. Quantitative research and qualitative research have their own set of advantages and disadvantages. Depending on the research problem, research objective, and research questions, one can use the suitable type of data.   

Are you looking for second set of eyes for your document?

The scholar document that you just wrote is brilliant. It’s the first thing that all of you scholars out there think. But are you sure that you are 100% right? Are you certain you have communicated all that you wanted to? Or you are bit blinded by your own intelligence? There are times when you have blinders on and when you reread your document you miss out on some important things, these things can be as small as grammatical errors or as complex as the flow of information. Second set of eyes looking over your document is always valuable.

Editors can catch mistakes, double check source and information, proofread, rephrase, and simplify the chapters that you have drafted. There might be sentence some parts that you are not happy with the, but you are not sure how to effectively make changes and fix things that are incorrect. This is the time that you require a professional editor to review your work and get some genuine feedback.

Usually the first draft of your work is the rough sketch. It is the outline that can help you to get the refined article. Presenting the first draft to the editor is a bad idea, it needs at least two more revisions. If you opt for self-editing it is quite possible that your brain automatically fills the gaps as your brain clearly understand what you were trying to say. The best option is to present the document to the editor.

A professional editor will help you catch errors that are not so obvious to others. They also won’t shy away from critiquing your work. Handing over the proofreading aspect will not only save your precious time but also save your energy. The editor will also keep in mind the quality of writing and flow of content. It will be analysed sentence by sentence and will fix the structure of the sentence in terms of voice, tone, style and format if necessary.

The editor is also responsible to check all the citation and verify what was quoted and where it was quoted. They also verify the consistence which gives logic to your writing. There are some elements that are missing in your document which goes unnoticed by you but not by the editor. A good editor will guide you till the end and will make sure that your writing will make a difference.

So, it’s time to develop your documents and get them edited by best professional in your field who are versatile and will help you to perfect your writing.

Handy tools for Citation and Referencing

Citation and referencing are crucial parts of your dissertation. If you do the citation or referencing incorrectly, it can even lead to your dissertation getting rejected. But there is no need for you to worry! Read on to know the handy tools for citation and referencing.

BibMe
BibMe provides an easy method of building a works cited page and guess what it is absolutely free. You just need paying for a pro account for saving your bibliographies. This fully automatic bibliography makers auto-fills and extremely easy to use! You simply need searching for a film, website, article or book or enter the information yourself. Now you can continue through adding it to your bibliography and cite to build your works. You can download your bibliography in Chicago, APA and MLA format.

Citation Machine
It helps professional researchers and research scholars for ideally crediting information that they utilize. The key goal of this machine is making it extremely easy for researchers for citing their information sources. But just like BibMe, if you wish to save your bibliographies, you will require paying for a pro account.

Cite This For Me
Cite This For Me permits research scholars for automatically creating website citations in Harvard, Chicago, MLA or APA referencing styles with the simple click of their mouse. You simply require browsing to the page you want to cite and click the button for generating the right formatted citation. You can then easily copy and paste the citation into your assignment or you can also ensure adding it to your online bibliography to it safe for later use. The citation program is also available with a Google Chrome extension.

Citavi
Published in Switzerland, it is a reference manager and task planning program for Windows. The free version of this program is limited to approximately 100 references for each project. This is the reason it is perfect for research scholars. Moreover, it perfectly integrates with Word and Chrome.

CiteFast
Using this program, you can effectively cite your work in Chicago, MLA or APA style without leaving your homepage. You can then download your bibliography or create an account and save it for using it at a later date. Your bibliography will be kept safety till you keep visiting the website. But if you remain inactive for four days at length, your citations may get deleted.

Use any of the aforementioned handy tools and ensure great citation and referencing!

Freelancing has a long way to go!

As compared to most other professions, freelancing does not receive the same amount of individual interest or passion. Even in this advanced and technology-savvy world, freelancing is considered to be the last resort of sorts for professionals. Everyone wants to be an engineer or a doctor, but no one dreams to be a freelancer. The term itself does not evoke the same grandeur as some other professions. However, things have been changing with the turn of the millennium. Several people have appreciated the idea of freelancing, which is not always defined as working from the comfort of your home, as a career. Freelancing, if there ever was an apt definition for it, can be explained as working on your own terms and at your own time. Freelancing provides freedom from the daily 9-to-5 routine.

To facilitate this process, the Society for Asian Science Editors (SfASE) has been at the forefront for their Asian editorial brethren. SfASE is providing a common platform for Asian editors to come together and provide/receive assistance. There are several advantages for scholars using the SfASE platform. You have the freedom to choose your editor. The work is always delivered within the deadlines. Documents are assured with zero errors. There will be comprehensive and regular interaction with the clients regarding the works in progress.

Even editors can exploit the SfASE platform to their advantage. This platform provides assistance to editors in finding work along with providing training and growth opportunities. Other editors and peers using this platform can use it for networking throughout the world. The platform instills professionalism and assists in acquiring new skills concerning editing and its future.

The SfASE Web site provides an easy-to-use and advanced platform for all your editorial needs, be it for a scholar or an editor. You can register for an account and avail the comprehensive services at the click of a few buttons. An in-depth FAQ section answers questions that have frequently been asked. You can visit us at www. http://www.sfase.org or we can be contacted at editorialquery@sfase.org and sales@sfase.org.

The Benefits of Mentoring

The most important link between a mentor and a mentee is trust. A mentor is anyone who can be trusted to provide experienced and detailed advice to the mentee. In short, a mentor is any person who has the experience and provides guidance and assistance to a less-experienced person. Mentoring is the partnership and trust that exists between two people, the mentor and the mentee. There are several direct and indirect benefits of mentoring. We will try and enumerate a few of the benefits below:

The mentor’s experience is shared with the mentee
It improves the comprehension and relationship skills of the mentor
The instructor’s sense of self-worth is enhanced through sharing of knowledge
The guide might gain a deeper understanding of the subject and the organization in the process
The mentor’s career might get bolstered
It might even provide an overall satisfaction to the mentor
The mentee’s self-confidence considerably improves
The mentee might get a better grip on his/her career
It improves the mentee’s ability to speak up and also to be heard during any information exchange process
It makes the mentee more acceptable to suggestions
It might provide the mentee with a leadership role skillset
If the mentee is guided in a positive environment, it sparks his/her want to become a mentor in the future
The mentor acts as a future reference/contact

In fact, it is understood that a mentoring program is helpful not only for the mentor and mentee but also for the department and organization at large. The mentoring process has an inherent ability to facilitate coalitions within departments and better inter- and intra-departmental communication. Overall, the mentoring process can help in a quicker induction of newer staff members. It also appeals to the individual to improve performances in a collaborative setting. Furthermore, it encourages the individual to develop his/her commitment to the organization.

All in all, the mentoring process can provide a setting to improve job satisfaction considerably in the team as a whole, which can reduce the attrition rate in organizations.

Why your documents need proofreading?

To produce high-quality scholarly and academic documents, effective proofreading is of immense importance. If done cautiously, thoroughly and correctly, proofreading can ensure proper communication with the intended reader. Errors and mistakes result in imperfection and convey negligence.

Students should understand the need of proofreading their academic documents for multiple reasons:

Firstly, a proofreader brings a fresh and ideally objective perspective to a student’s writing. A trained proofreader will be able to focus on exactly what the students want to convey in his text and catch ambiguities and errors. If the proofreader is an expert in English language and a specialist in the student’s subject area, he or she will possess the skills to correct and polish grammar, spelling and punctuation and determine if the references made by the students are accurate, thorough and consistent. He will also ensure that the academic writings meet the high standards expected in the particular discipline and field.

Secondly, proofreading of academic documents ensures that it gets the precise attention of the proofreader so that every detail is examined and the student’s work communicates with precision and sophistication. It is imperative for a student to benefit from a successful proofreader with appropriate linguistic and academic skills to ensure that the academic writings represent both the student as well as his work as professionally and efficiently as possible.

Thirdly, as it is well known that academia is difficult. The language used in academia usually doesn’t always work exactly as it does in the rest of the world. It is often seen that academics love to take words and make them mean different things in different contexts. So it is essential for students to get their work improved by a subject specialist, by someone who has thorough knowledge in the relevant field and is an expert in it.

Finally, examiners often judge academic papers precisely on the students’ ability to use difficult and obscure language, because one of the main purposes of most student assessments is to give the students the opportunity to demonstrate that they understand their subject and have thorough subject knowledge. Students are required to show that they know how to do proper references, write formally and use technical language correctly.

So it is imperative that the students produce work that is improved so that it demonstrates their ability to use vocabulary correctly and fluently.