Methodology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Methodology - Essay Example With the phenomenological approach the focus is on â€Å"understanding the human behaviour from the participant’s own frame of reference† (Collis & Hussey, 2003, p. 53). As this approach is related to an event within a context of time and place, the aim is to investigate an event by carrying out your own research to â€Å"construct new theory to explain the phenomenon† (Collis & Hussey, 2003, pp. 56-57) or use existing theory. The aim and focus with this approach is â€Å"on the quality and depth of data† (Collis & Hussey, 2003, pp. 56-57). With the positivistic paradigm, the emphasis is on using measurement to find out the relationships between facts and causes of the phenomenon. This is â€Å"an essential element of the research process under this paradigm† (Collis & Hussey, 2003, p. 57). This approach is useful when there is a need to conduct statistical analysis (Collis & Hussey, 2003, p. 56). A positivistic approach will be used and the researcher will be independent, will not be influenced by the subject of research, and will take â€Å"the role of an objective analyst† (Saunders & Lewis & Thornhill, 2000, p. 85). According to Denzin & Lincoln (cited in Silverman 2005), â€Å"qualitative investigators think they can get closer to the actor’s perspective through detailed interviewing and observation† (p. 10). With qualitative researchers, the emphasis is on the close relationship between the subject of research and the researcher where the value is in the social reality and the meaning of the social event or phenomenon. However, in comparison, quantitative researchers focus on the measurement and analysis of facts and causes. The qualitative approach relies on the quality and depth of data and does not focus on the â€Å"measured (if measured at all) in terms of quantity, amount, intensity, or frequency† (Denzin & Lincoln, 2000, p. 8). In addition, as Waters