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Essay / Quantitative Research Methods - 2583
This essay will critically discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using surveys and questionnaires as a socio-legal research method. When conducting socio-legal research, a number of methods can be used to collect useful information. When it comes to surveys and questionnaires, there is a small difference. Questionnaires collect information from different respondents while a survey is the systematic collection of information from different people. Qualitative and quantitative research are the two main functions of research. They both have different points of view. Quantitative research can be considered the less controversial of the two because it is more closely aligned with what is considered the classical scientific paradigm. Quantitative research involves collecting absolute data, for example numerical data, so that it can be examined in the most unbiased way possible. The main idea of quantitative research is that it makes it easy to separate things so they can be counted. The researcher usually has a clear idea of what is being measured before they begin measuring it, and their study is set up with controls. Qualitative research, on the other hand, is a more subjective form of research, in which researchers allow themselves to introduce their own biases to help paint a more complete picture. Qualitative research may be necessary in situations where it is unclear what exactly is being researched in a study, whereas quantitative research usually knows exactly what it is looking for. Questionnaires and surveys are quantitative socio-legal research because it involves the collection of numerical data, or data that can be easily transformed into a digital form. In terms of quantitative data analysis, Excel is the middle of paper...... - legal aids to a better understanding of the law and postgraduate academics would do well to prepare themselves for other research methodologies. Focusing on surveys and questionnaires, as well as quantitative research methods, the method she prefers varies depending on the interviewee. Some people may prefer to complete a questionnaire as it is quick and easy for them, while others may prefer a face-to-face interview as they may find the questionnaires too complicated. Giving people a choice makes it more likely to get a comprehensive response. It is important for researchers to be aware of the pros and cons because then they will know which method to use and know which method is best to use. It is also an advantage to work with experienced researchers in order to obtain the best results..