3.4. Research methods and methodology
3.4.2. Quantitative research
Quantitative research refers to a study that is numerically oriented, requires significant attention to the measurement of phenomena, and often involves statistical analysis.
Hopkins (n.d:n.p) defines it as research that aims to determine the relationship between one thing (an independent variable) and another (a dependent or outcome variable) in a population. There are various quantitative research methods that researchers can use in studies today. Myers (1997:n.p) identifies the following quantitative methods, which are all generally accepted in the social sciences: surveys, laboratory experiments, formal methods (e.g. econometrics) and numerical methods, such as mathematical modelling.
According to McCarthy (2006:n.p), quantitative methods are perfect for getting to the nuts-and-bolts of a situation, or the what, where, when and questions. With regard to web information seeking behaviour, the quantitative research method sought to elicit ‘who’ is doing ‘what’, and [how many] students and staff are aware of, believe that, or are inclined to behave in a certain way towards the web in their work and learning environments. The quantitative approach was incorporated in the structured questions included in the survey (specifically the questionnaire). Its inclusion was necessary to reach out to a relatively large population inexpensively and easily. It also made it easier to measure descriptive aspects of the study, such as the composition of the population.
3.4.2.1. Survey
Surveys are one of several research methods (others being content analysis, experiments, observation, the historical method, etc.) that researchers employ to gather information for a study. It is one of the most prevalent techniques that researchers employ to gather information. Best and Kahn (2006:271) identify the survey as a research instrument that uses both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Correspondingly, Maxwell (1998:4) argues that surveys usually generate quantitative information, although open- ended questions with narrative answers can be used in survey questionnaires for qualitative data. Tull and Albaum (1973:2) note that as in the above, survey research is a term that is susceptible to a variety of interpretations, although most often it is used to connote an attempt to get information from a sample of people through the use of a questionnaire. Trochim (2001:108) confirms this, stating that a survey involves asking subjects to answer questions, usually via interviews or questionnaires. Generally, surveys are employed to gather information on the background, behaviours, beliefs or attitudes of a large number of people (Neuman, 2006:43). For this reason, Kendall (in Courtney, Timms and Anderson, 2006:51) observes that surveys often leave respondents to ‘speak for themselves’ with little or no informed interpretation or exploration of the meaning behind their responses. It is believed that this often results in survey researchers producing ‘factoids’ rather than extrapolating what survey results signify from the perspective of the respondent (Courtney, Timms and Anderson, 2006:51).
In this survey, self-administered questionnaires, limited interviews and observation were used to gather data. The first two (questionnaires and interviews) fall under the auspices of a survey while the latter (observation) was used as a separate data collection tool.
Observation was included because in any empirical data collection environment, observation is a natural activity whether done consciously or otherwise. According to the United Nations World Food Programme Office of Evaluation and Monitoringguidelines (n.d:28), “Everyone collects direct observation data knowingly or unknowingly; using the technique simply requires recording and, in the case of qualitative methods, consciously using what we see to help shape our understanding of situations or phenomena.” An article on research methods: participant observation from sociology.org (2003:2) points that it (participant observation) allows the researcher “real [...] understanding, through personal experience, what is going on in any given situation". The unbiased impressions of the researcher on web information seeking were thus considered very valuable in this instance. Moreover, observation lends itself very well to the study of patterns of behaviour (such as web information seeking). The above three data collection tools ensured that web information seeking behaviour - a qualitative activity associated with people’s emotions, characteristics, opinions, attitudes or experiences - would be sufficiently addressed while allowing the researcher to reach a large population for better representation and to better generalise the findings (Kellar, Watters and Shepherd, 2006:7). Other considerations were that surveys save money and time without sacrificing efficiency, accuracy and information in the research process (Ikoja-Odongo in Dube, 2005:106).
The Harvard Family Research Project (2004:6) observes that deciding which data collection methods to use has significant implications on the cost of a study, hence the use of questionnaires and limited interviews. Chair et al. (n.d:3) also reiterate that surveys provide a speedy and economical way to gather facts about people's levels of knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, expectations, and behaviour.
The downside of the survey, however, seems to be that participants are studied outside of the context of their information seeking environment, which can decrease the level of realism (Kellar, Watters and Shepherd, 2006:7). Westmarland (2001:4) also notes that
criticisms of surveys often focus on the crudeness of survey questions and the resultant data, which are arguably too simplistic to examine the complexity of the social issues being addressed. Again it has been said that the data collected may be superficial (Edwards and Talbot, 1994:37).