Research Methods & Neo-Marxist Perspectives

Understanding Research Methods: Quantitative vs. Qualitative

Quantitative and Qualitative Research: A Comparison

When conducting investigations, both quantitative and qualitative approaches are frequently employed. The choice between them often depends on the research objectives and the nature of the inquiry.

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research focuses on the presence or absence of a property, aiming to identify and analyze realities to achieve a deeper understanding. It primarily works with textual data, where repetitive arguments can indicate data saturation or finality of data collection.

Key Qualitative Techniques:

• Qualitative Observation: This involves noting the actions of a social group. The researcher can be hidden or visible, and may participate with the group or remain at a secondary level.
• In-depth Interview: Typically lasting 1-2 hours, these interviews use open-ended questions. They can be:
  • Structured: All questions are established beforehand.
  • Semi-structured: The central theme is subdivided into thematic sections, with 1-2 questions prepared for each block, and remaining questions emerging from responses.
  • Unstructured: An issue arises during the interview, and 1-2 initial questions are prepared, with subsequent questions developing from responses.
• Discussion Groups: Similar to interviews but involve more participants (4-12) who are free to interact. Data collection is generally more flexible.
• Biographical Methodology: An in-depth biographical interview lasting 10-12 hours per session, focusing on the life of the person. This approach can be particularly insightful for certain research categories.

Quantitative Research

Quantitative research focuses on categories that can be measured numerically, often involving continuous variables and counting specific events in reality. The fundamental technique is the survey, which uses structured questions and closed-ended answers. Questions should follow a logical sequence, with sociodemographic questions typically placed at the end.

Key Quantitative Techniques and Scales:

• Questionnaire Scales: These measure attitudes about a particular topic, type, or degree of disposition.
  • Likert Scale: The interviewee rates their agreement or disagreement on an issue using a series of gradual response alternatives, from one extreme to another.
  • Thurstone Scale: Respondents provide an answer on a degree scale, typically from 1 to 9.
  • Semantic Differential Scale: Attributes are presented bipolarly on a scale measuring the intensity and direction of an attitude.
• Network Analysis: Another technique often employing sociograms to visualize relationships.

Neo-Marxist Perspectives

Neo-Marxism in the 1970s

In the 1970s, amidst revolutions against capitalist systems, Neo-Marxism utilized this situation to demonstrate contradictions within the Western world. Its objective is to connect what happens inside factories with what happens outside, highlighting general contradictions within the capitalist system.

Characteristics of Neo-Marxist Thought:

• Emphasis on Social Change: Insistence on analyzing all social processes of change.
• Anti-Capitalist Focus: Fixation of attention on anti-capitalist perspectives.
• Action-Oriented Research: Investigation serving as a tool for social action.