My understanding of quantitative research has increased significantly through curating learning materials from different online sources. At first, my understanding of quantitative research is not that detailed, and it is only about surveys and statistics, but after reading books, journal articles, and using AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and DeepSeek for clarification, and watching several videos from YouTube, I am able to understand the broader picture which includes key characteristics, the type of quantitative research, tools for collecting data, how analysis is done, as well as the strengths and limitation of quantitative research. One of the first things that I learned is that quantitative research is about measurable data which allows researchers to test hypotheses and identify patterns. I am able to explored different types of quantitative research, like descriptive, correlational, experimental, and quasi-experimental through various sources. For instance, correlational research looks at the relationship between two variables while experimental research test cause-and-effect relationships. This made me realize that quantitative research is not just one approach but it has subtypes that are chosen depending on the research aim.
In addition, I also get to studied different data collection methods. I learned that surveys and questionnaires are the most common one when targeting large groups. I watch some of the videos on YouTube about how to build a proper questionnaire, and it helps showed me how question design affect data quality. I also explored structured observation and tests as alternative methods. I now able to understand that collecting reliable numerical data indeed requires a good planning and standardization. Moreover, I also get to learn about data analysis. Since I already forgot some of ways to do SPSS, I came across some tutorials on SPSS which helped me recalling back how data is entered, process as well as interpreted using descriptive and inferential statistics. This clarified the importance of using statistical tools to draw conclusions.
In terms of how this shaped my research thinking, now I see that quantitative research is suitable when I want results that are generalizable expecially for topics that involve patterns, comparisons or measurements. For example, if I were studying how many hours students sleep vs. their academic performance, quantitative tools would help me analyze the relationship using real data. The structured nature of quantitative research also make it easier to plan and repeat, which is something that I value when thinking about research reliability. Nevertheless, I also got to learn about the limitation of quantitative research. This includes that numerical data might miss personal experiences or deeper insights. This made me think more critically about when to use quantitative methods and when they should be combined with qualitative methods.
Overall, curating these materials really helps me get a more complete view of quantitative research. I now understand not just what it is but also how to apply it, what tools to use and what kind of questions it can answer. This knowledge will be really useful and helpful for my mini research project as well as Final Year Project (FYP) in the future.
I used to have only basic idea of what qualitative research is, in which I usually thinking of interviews or open-ended questions. But after curating materials for qualitative research through reading external sources and watching online content, I get to gained a clearer and deeper understanding of its purpose, strengths as well as limitations. I learned that qualitative research focuses on meaning, experience, and context. It does not aim to generalize results but instead to explore how people understand their world. Watching videos from YouTube really helped me see how real-life researchers use these techniques to study human behavior in natural settings. For example, I now understand that interviews can be structured or unstructured depending on how much control the researcher wants.
In addition, I get to learned that qualitative researchers interact more directly with participants and sometimes even become part of the setting, like in ethnographic research. Another useful concept that I learned is about thematic analysis and how researchers find patterns and themes in qualitative data like interview transcripts. This showed me that qualitative research still follows a systematic process and not just about reading data and making guesses. Coding and categorizing responses also require careful attention and clear documentation. These insights have shaped how I think about my Final Year Project (FYP) that I will be doing for the next semester. If I choose a qualitative approach, I now know that I will need to consider how I interact with participants, how I ask questions, and how I interpret their responses. I also realized how important ethical concerns are especially when dealing with sensitive topics and protecting participants’ identities.
Lastly, I have become more aware of the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research. It offers depth and context but is more time-consuming and harder to generalize. Getting to understand this really helped me think more critically about when it is suitable to use a qualitative method. I now see that this type of research is useful when exploring new issues, understanding complex emotions or behaviors, or studying small groups in detail. In conclusion, curating and reflecting on qualitative research materials expanded my understanding beyond textbook definitions. It helped me see how this method is used in real life, how it’s different from quantitative research, and how it might apply to future research I’m involved in. I now feel more confident in deciding whether a qualitative method fits a research question, and how to approach it with the right mindset and tools.