When is It Best to Use Different Research Methods?

 The starting point for deciding whether to use qualitative research methods is defining the information that needs to be gathered and the way in which the resulting information will be used to answer the questions that the research was intended to cover (Miller and Brewer, 2003 p. 166). Social researchers, social historians, and sociologists will all consider the circumstances in which they are carrying out research to opt for the forms of qualitative research methods that would be the most apt to use. There are numerous variants of qualitative research methods, which therefore means that social scientists, sociologists, and social historians are spoilt for choice when it comes down to deciding or considering the precise qualitative research method used to answer their specific questions (Abercrombie, Hill, & Turner, 2000 p. 284). The main reason for the use of qualitative research methods instead of the alternative research techniques also available is to find out subjective opinions from the people whose views will assist the answering of the questions that the research is intended to answer (Jones, 1996 p. 144).

When the researchers set out to answer specific questions they need to consider which people to interview or gather information and opinions from. For example, Sociologists will arguably need to consider how to gain information and views from people in their contemporary societies. For instance when to use surveys and questionnaires to obtain the required information and personal opinions. The questions that sociological researchers will seek to answer are often related to social issues or occurrences, such as poverty, racism, and gender equality. Social researchers become involved with researching answers to social problems or issues because they wish to develop a greater understanding of their societies, and also as a means to suggest how these same societies could be improved. An individual’s race, ethnicity, gender, and social or economic status are key features in shaping their own identity (Woodward, 2003 p. 20). When attempting to answer questions relating to contemporary social issues the use of qualitative research methods such as face to face interviews, surveys, and questionnaires. These can prove to be very useful in gaining an understanding of the personal perspectives of the people that are the most effected by specific social issues. Therefore if the objective of the research is to find out about racism in a specific society then it would be sensible to gain information and perspectives from those people that suffer from racism as well as from those people which instigate racist behaviours and ideas. Qualitative research methods are always worth considering when the conducted research is aimed at understanding how people behave, think, and react as well as how those experiences determine their social perspectives (Jones, 1996 p. 144).