Quantitative and qualitative approaches - Quantitative approach: an approach to research that emphasizes numerical data collection and statistical analysis. - Qualitative approach: an approach to research that emphasizes people's lived experiences in their own words, and the researcher's interpretation of those experiences (any form of data other than numbers) Naturalistic observation - Researchers immerse themselves in a particular natural setting Issues in naturalistic observation - Participant observation: a type of naturalistic observation in which the researcher assumes an active role in the setting being researched. The researcher's purpose may or may not be concealed. - problem for participant observation: hard to remain objective - Concealed observation: a type of naturalistic observation in which those being studied are not aware of the researcher's presence. Systematic observation - Refers to the observation of one or more specific variables, usually made in a precisely defined setting. - The setting is often created by the researcher - Coding schemes: a set of rules used to categorize observations during systematic observation Issues in systematic observation 1. Inter-rater reliability 2. Participant reactivity Case studies - An in-depth analysis of a single person or setting often includes detailed descriptive accounts of behavior, past history, and other relevant factors. - Conditions are rare or unusual - Do not know if what holds true for one person also holds true for most people in the general population/ an issue of external validity Archival research - the use of existing sources of information for research, such as census data, archived survey data, and other forms of perceived written records
- Content analysis: systematic analysis of existing archives, such as written documents and mass media records like movies and television shows