Discuss the reasons why a social scientist would do an exploratory study, and descriptive study. Select a research topic and show how it would be addressed through the 2 research designs.
Bryman, (2015) enlightens that research designs helps in formulating adequate research methods to help a researcher to achieve the objectives of his or her research project. To this end, a social scientist is likely to select the research design to utilize in a certain project based on the unique needs of the research project in consideration. Babbie (2015) argues that exploration design is best when a research intends to explore ideas and insights without necessarily offering conclusive solutions to the existing problems. For example, if a social scientist wants to understand the reasons as to why some people prefer large families, she may conduct a research that utilizes a questionnaire with open ended questions to allow different research respondents to give their own views in regard to why some people may prefer large families. In fact, Bernard & Bernard (2012) provide that exploratory research forms the basis for more depth research. For example, after the researcher collects data on why some people prefer large families through an exploratory design, he or she can the conduct another study to investigate which among the reasons obtained in exploratory research is the real reason as to why some people prefer large families.
In regard to descriptive research, Bernard & Bernard (2012) provide that it is a study that is designed to depict a phenomenon in an accurate manner. Denscombe (2014) expound that descriptive research involves studying the issue under investigation and making descriptions to explain the issue. Descriptive research may be either observational, a survey or a case study. The method chosen by the research depends on the most appropriate method in a given situation. To this end, a social scientist may decide to utilize descriptive research when s/he wants to have an accurate view of why an issue is happening in a certain way. For instance, if she wants to understand why some people prefer large families, researcher may decide to use conduct a survey to describe why some people prefer large families.
It is at times possible to make conclusion in regard to processes that occur over time. However, Rubin & Babbie (2016) argues that for a researcher to be able to approximate longitudinal studies, at least there must be relevant cross sectional data that can be used to draw conclusions . At times, cross-sectional data may successfully show processes that take place over time through the use of simple logic (Bryman, 2015). For example, asking people to tell details about their past can be used in making logical inferences. For example, in this case if most or all the students that came from families that were stable during their adolescence said the drink less when in college, the professor can conclude that family stability during adolescence has a direct relation to drinking less while in college. However such conclusions may also have some limitations. For example, if a significant number of students lie about coming from stable families during their adolescence, the conclusions made from such information would not be accurate.
A fellow student who has not taken research methods comes to you for assistance in developing a research project. Which of the research design issues discussed in this class this far would you suggest he address? Why? In what order? Why? What would be your response to his question: "Which of these is the most important?" Why would you respond this way to him?
I would suggest that he address a number of issues that have been discussed in the class. For example, he would need to come up with an interesting research topic that he would be interested to pursue, select the best research design based on the needs of the research project and then establish the best way to collect data and decide on how the data would be analysed to achieve the research objectives. All the issues, I have suggested are important as research has to follow a standardised procedure to enhance accuracy of the research findings.
References
Babbie, E. R. (2015). The Practice of Social Research. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning US.
Bernard, H. R., & Bernard, H. R. (2012). Social research methods: Qualitative and quantitative approaches. Sage.
Bryman, A. (2015). Social research methods. Oxford university press.
Denscombe, M. (2014). The good research guide: for small-scale social research projects. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).
Rubin, A., & Babbie, E. R. (2016). Empowerment Series: Research Methods for Social Work. Cengage Learning.
