Week 3 - Reflection

This week has been a bit weird. I haven't really had the time I've wanted to put on the courses I'm taking at this moment. So the reflection this week will be a bit poor as a consequence. Well, the theme was mixed research methods and since last time I wrote I haven't gained so much new knowledge about mixed research methods in particular, but here it goes. Single method equals OK but not thorough data. Mixed methods, i.e using quantitative and qualitative methods, on the other hand gives you a more precise and thorough picture of the truth.

In short quantitative methods give you the variables and how they act and qualitative methods give you the reason why the variables act as they do. That's why it is so important to mix these methods to get a good quality of data for analyzing.

On to the lecture given by Martha Cleveland-Innes (henceforth referred to as CI). CI concludes that the + for quantitative methods is that they, properly used, apply to a significant part of the society and that they thankfully are so easy to divide up in visual charts, diagrams and so forth to get a easier understanding of the data. An interesting part of the lecture given by CI was about validity and reliability of data. Validity of data refers to what extent the data reflects the particular given research problem while the term reliability refers to how consistent data measurements are.

My conclusion so far in this course is that it fills up the pre-existing gaps of knowledge (...of description) of conducting research and research methods. Each week fills another gap of knowledge and this is like upgrading the research tool created sometime and somewhere in the past. Beside gaining knowledge of good reliable research methods I've also gained good sources for these methods. It is a very theoretical heavy course at this point but I look forward to the seminars each week because they are, in my opinion, the best source for gaining a higher knowledge and reflection about research work amongst other things.

I haven't had much time to try the SPSS program, but will look into it soon, hoping that it will give me a good tool to supplement the other tools in my toolbox, gathered during my time in school.