Research Methods: Qualitative vs. Quantitative in Social Work Studies

This report provides a comparative analysis of qualitative and quantitative research methods within the field of social work. It examines two research papers: one focusing on qualitative methods in social work practices and the other on quantitative methods assessing social workers' awareness of human trafficking. The report reviews the methodologies applied, including exploratory and descriptive designs, sampling techniques, data collection methods (surveys, questionnaires, and interviews), and data analysis tools (SPSS). It highlights the strengths and weaknesses of each approach, such as the importance of appropriate sample sizes in quantitative studies and the potential for misinterpretation in qualitative studies. The report also discusses the use of secondary data, the role of interpretivism, and the need for reliability and validity in both types of research. The conclusion emphasizes the importance of choosing appropriate methods for effective research and drawing valid conclusions based on reliable data.

RESEARCH IN
SOCIAL WORK

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Present study will discuss qualitative and quantitative methods in social work. For the
present report two research papers have been taken into consideration. For qualitative study
social work practices and for quantitative social workers' awareness in identifying human
trafficked victims articles have been chosen. Methods applies in these studies will be reviewed in
the current assignment.
MAIN BODY
Qualitative studies are the papers in which researcher take support of theories and models
in order to conduct systematic research. On other hand quantitative researches are the methods in
which individual has to apply statistical tool in order to get accurate results (Bernard, 2017). In
quantitative studies' researcher prepare hypotheses and on the bases of results of these tested
hypotheses' conclusion are being dram. Two different studies for the review are discussed as
below:
Quantitative study
The research paper of a quantitative study on social workers awareness in identifying
human trafficked victims is about human trafficking of adolescents. Adolescents are the victims
those who suffer from crime of human trafficking. Social workers are responsible to identify
these victims and prevent them from such critical issue (Mertens, 2014). The study has been
prepared with the aim to examine knowledge of social workers regarding human trafficking and
awareness of social workers so that correct action can be taken by concern authorities to protect
these people in the country.
In order to prepare this study researcher has applied various quantitative tools and
techniques that have helped the scholar in getting optimistic results. In the current study author
has taken support of exploratory design. In this paper individual had to explore characteristics of
population those who are suffering from these problems and knowledge of social workers
(Brannen, 2017). This has aided in knowledge building of scholar and helps in developing better
understanding about the subject area. But researcher might use descriptive research design for
the investigation. This design may give better results. Researcher has formulated hypotheses
which is necessary for the quantitative studies. As researcher has used exploratory design but
individual have not maintained rationale of selecting this design. Author has explained
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descriptive research design which is mostly applied in qualitative type of investigation (McNabb,
2015).
Sampling is most important part of research paper, correct selection of sample and its size
is very important otherwise results might be wrong. In the current quantitative research paper
scholar has selected 3 social workers from mental and social service agencies. Researcher has
conducted survey through Qualtrics (Research on Social Work Practice, 2003). Ideal sample size
in the quantitative researches is 100 participants. In the current research, scholar have involved
30 samples in order to complete survey. It was time issue due to which individual has involved
only 30 participants (Hussein, 2015). Researcher needed to involve at least 100 respondents in
the quantitative study so that best results can come out. Scholar has selected professional people
those who are working in social service agencies in aforementioned cities. Scholar has involved
participants through email. Online survey has been conducted so that human trafficking issues
and awareness of social workers can be examined properly (Noble and Smith, 2015).
In the present study data have been collected from primary data collection sources. In it
researcher has used self administered online survey method. This has supported researcher in
preparing quantitative questionnaire about knowledge of social workers about human trafficking.
Researcher has asked several questions from participants in order to examine their knowledge
and awareness about the research problem (Holloway and Galvin, 2016). This is appropriate
technique to gather real facts about the topic. But as researcher was having limited time thus,
individual fails to test reliability and validity of data. In order to manage timing researcher could
involve secondary quantitative data. By this way individual could become able to get situation of
human trafficking in the country and practices of social workers in order to minimize this
problem (Fellows and Liu, 2015).
In current online survey scholar has asked multiple choice questions. This instrument has
supported in measuring knowledge of participants about the subject area. This is considered as
one of the effective tool for gathering information about the topic. By asking multiple question
individual has become able to measure awareness of social workers in identifying victims of
human trafficking (Neuman and Robson, 2014). Researcher has applied SPSS technique this has
aided in getting statistical authentic results on the subject. But some times technical difficulty
may give errors that consumes time of investigator (Research on Social Work Practice, 2003).
Qualitative study
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In order to review research methods in qualitative studies' scholar has involved methods
research on social work practices research paper. This paper has been prepared with the purpose
to evaluate qualitative research in social work context. This paper examines various methods and
reviewing these tools. In the present research paper scholar has involved data bases of studies
from 1990 to 2003. In the research scholar has identified 75 studies on the same topic. These
literatures have been prepared by taking support of qualitative methods. Researcher has excluded
non social work journals. At the last researcher has just taken 27 articles (A quantitative study:
on social workers' awareness in identifying human trafficked victims, 2014). Use of secondary
data collection sources or already available data have helped scholar in gathering in-depth
understanding about social work practices. With the help of these methods individual has
become able to gather good information within less period of time. Out of 28 there were 20
studies those which have been prepared by using mix methods. From the evaluation it can be
said that mix methods are quit effective as compare to qualitative research methods. This helps
the scholar in testing relatability of data and involving the valid detail into research paper so that
best results can come out (Bernard, 2017).
In the qualitative research project use of interpretivism philosophy is considered as best
way because by involving human being in the research scholar can get accurate results and can
examined real situation significantly. In the current study scholar has applied this method this
has helped the researcher in preparing questionnaire and asking relevant question on social
practices with samples (McNabb, 2015). By this way individual become able to get real answers
about research problems. Use of questionnaire technique is considered as effective for data
collection in qualitative research paper. By applying this methodology individual can become
able to develop in-depth understanding about topic and can conduct study in systematic manner.
By involving participants in the research individual can gather reliable detail about social work
practices (A quantitative study: on social workers' awareness in identifying human trafficked
victims, 2014). That assist in measuring real situation of social work practices. But there may be
an issue of misinterpretation of questions. If researcher fail to use appropriate worlds in
questions then it may create confusion in the mind of scholar and that can affect overall result of
the study (Noble and Smith, 2015).
Qualitative researches use interview method in order to gather information about the
topic. It is also an effective technique, by taking interview individual can ask detail about the
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topic with respondents (Fellows and Liu, 2015). This assist in addressing research problem in
effective manner so that valid results can come out and scholar can become able to draw valid
conclusion. From the selected research paper it can be identified reliability analyses reflect that
selection of different literatures in the qualitative researches help the scholar in evaluating facts
and get accurate results about the topic. From the paper it is analysed that only half research
papers give justification for the selection of sample size. If researcher could use cross sectional
research design in qualitative research paper then it would be better in observing relationship
between two variables (Bernard, 2017). As in the present study scholar has not prepared
questionnaire and individual has taken support of secondary data. By these secondary details are
tool old and now condition has been changed. Thus, it is essential to use current information so
that current social workers practices can be examined (Mertens, 2014).
From the above qualitative study it is identified that quality of qualitative research study
is not satisfactory. It reveals that social workers do not take care for sensitive information. As
there are lack of sensitivity concern, bias data has failed the researcher in gaining accurate results
(A quantitative study: on social workers' awareness in identifying human trafficked victims,
2014). In the qualitative studies' researcher has to take care that researcher needs to be conducted
in constructive manner. Reliability of data and relevance in the study need to be checked
properly. Current study is based on social work abstracts.
CONCLUSION
From the above study it can be concluded that both qualitative and quantitative studies
are prepared by using different methods. These methods support researcher in preparing the
report in effective manner and gathering in-depth understanding about the subject area.
Researcher needs to examine reliability of the data so that valid conclusion can be drawn.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bernard, H. R., 2017. Research methods in anthropology: Qualitative and quantitative
approaches. Rowman & Littlefield.
Brannen, J., 2017. Mixing methods: Qualitative and quantitative research. Routledge.
Fellows, R.F. and Liu, A. M., 2015. Research methods for construction. John Wiley & Sons.
Holloway, I. and Galvin, K., 2016. Qualitative research in nursing and healthcare. John Wiley
& Sons.
Hussein, A., 2015. The use of Triangulation in Social Sciences Research: Can qualitative and
quantitative methods be combined?. Journal of comparative social work. 4(1).
McNabb, D. E., 2015. Research methods for political science: Quantitative and qualitative
methods. Routledge.
Mertens, D. M., 2014. Research and evaluation in education and psychology: Integrating
diversity with quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods. Sage publications.
Neuman, W. L. and Robson, K., 2014. Basics of social research. Pearson Canada.
Noble, H. and Smith, J., 2015. Issues of validity and reliability in qualitative research. Evidence-
Based Nursing, pp.ebnurs-2015.
Online
A quantitative study: on social workers' awareness in identifying human trafficked victims. 2014.
[PDF]. Available through <http://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?
article=1091&context=etd>
Research on Social Work Practice. 2003. [PDF]. Available through
<http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?
q=cache:eQbg_mjFndMJ:www.vawforum-cwr.ca/sites/default/files/attachments/
shek_article.pdf+&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=in>
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