Task 6A: Reviewing Reader 6 & Informal Trial

Reader 6 contains a great number of tools/methods needed when it comes to an inquiry. The reader explains how research can be approached in a qualitative or quantitative way.

"A common distinction in research is the difference between qualitative approach, which relies on the words that people use to understand phenomena, and a quantitative approach that can be translated into numerical data", (Punch, 1998).

Reader 6 also talks about 3 concepts:

- Validity of the Inqury: "whether your methods, approaches and techniques actually relate to, or meausre, the issues you have been exploring" (Blaxter et al, 2001, p221) (Reader 6, Middlesex Uni)
- Reliability of the Inquiry: "if another researcher were to look into the same questions in the same setting, they would come up with essentially the same results" (Blaxter et al, 2001, p221) (Reader 6, Middlesex Uni)
- Generalisability of the Inquiry: "this relates to the ability of the inquiry, or practitioner research, to apply to or have relevance beyong the immediate objectives of the research" (Blaxter et al, 2001)(Reader 6, Middlesex Uni)

Types of data collection tools include:

- Interview
- Survey
- Focus group
- Pilot observation
- Looking at documents

After looking at the different methods, I decided that conducting interviews will be the most appropriate tool to use to benefit my inquiry. I plan on making the interviews structured with a list of set questions, but I also want the interviewee's to feel free to add points or information that would be helpful to my inquiry. I would love to conduct all interviews in person but due to most people having busy schedules this may not be possible! I will look into using some Web 2.0 platforms such as Skype, FaceTime and telephone calls to conduct some of the interviews. I feel that an interview will be the best tool to use in order to hear people's real thoughts and opinions.

Last week, I interviewed a close friend as a trial run by sending her a few questions via email. I made sure that she was aware what her answers would be used for, what I wanted to achieve and that she was not obliged to take part. When I conduct the real interviews, the interviewee's will be shown the ethics form so they will give them more detail. I felt that by asking her the questions over email I did not gain quite as much information as I would have liked to. Carrying out a trial run has allowed me to learn from my mistakes and this will ensure that when it comes to conducting the real interviews I will gain more from them.