http://ingriddm2572.blogspot.se/2013/12/theme-6-qualitative-and-case-study.html?showComment=1387456825746#c4460813910317813792
Hey Ingrid, I think it's interesting that you decided to pick a paper about music piracy, since it in some papers seems to be of negative impact, while others point to positive aspects. In this post you write that the study itself presented too little evidence to support its conclusion. What do you think would have been ideal to gather this evidence? I imagine that one has to look at a numerous amount of factors, both from the (quantitative) statistics of both record sales and ticket show sales by the artist, as well as qualitative views from artists or consumers who use bootlegging on a day-to-day basis.
Hey Adam & Ekaterina, thanks for your comments.
Since I consider quantitative methods to be of more use when you want statistical significance, I would argue that qualitative methods is better utilized prior to a survey, questionnaire or data gathering in order to catch all possible answers. At the same time, Ekaterina you're completely right in that sometimes you need to explain the results you have at hand, in which case follow-up interviews (or other qualitative method) is a very good idea.
Since I consider quantitative methods to be of more use when you want statistical significance, I would argue that qualitative methods is better utilized prior to a survey, questionnaire or data gathering in order to catch all possible answers. At the same time, Ekaterina you're completely right in that sometimes you need to explain the results you have at hand, in which case follow-up interviews (or other qualitative method) is a very good idea.
In the end, I guess it all depends on the situation. If your research benefits more from qualitative research, then it might be better to start off with a questionnaire to, as you say Adam, form a better understanding of a subject.
Hi Johan. Thanks for an interesting post. Regarding your definition of a case study, I was quite intrigued by your explanation that a case study can be used to create a hypothesis. I've always considered case studies to be utilized after you've already formed a hypothesis and want to narrow it down to one or several specific cases, to investigate its validity or delve deeper into a problem.
In the case of the second paper that you picked (closure of a state university due to traditional and social media), you write that a weak point was that the population was limited and thus hard to generalize. Since its problem statement seemed to be within this one case, how would one have gathered a more general population, in your opinion? I think it is as you say earlier, that it "limits the unnecessary variation and sharpens the external validity." In taking these results to a more general conclusion to encompass other scenarios as well might be stretching the problem too far out of its area, I reckon.
Hej Matteo!
I was referencing my research paper that could have benefitted from interviewing people who used Twitter, not meaning that they should interview people ON Twitter. It was a bit poorly worded by me.
I was referencing my research paper that could have benefitted from interviewing people who used Twitter, not meaning that they should interview people ON Twitter. It was a bit poorly worded by me.
However I do think qualitative methods can be used for simply developing your idea or hypothesis further. And if a research project would interview people on Twitter, this could definitely be utilized, even if you just gain a very small new insight. Quantitative or more comprehensive qualitative methods could then benefit from this new insight as that research paper develops.
