Question

For poverty, drug abuse and availability to weapons; what research methods would be best? Quantitative, qualitiative or both? Explain fully on why. These are used based on the weapons effect.

*FYI - I am trying to see perspectives on both views to better understand my own opinion.*

Answer 1

Research is divided into two Quantitative research and qualitative research.

The quantitative research method is used to test or confirm theories and assumptions, it analyzes through math or statistical data, it is based on numbers and results are often represented in graphs and tables. The quantitative method of data collection is through surveys, experiments, observations and content analysis. It requires many respondents.

The qualitative research method is used when there is a requirement for in-depth study, these are expressed in words. This method is adopted when it is necessary to explore ideas and formulate a theory or hypothesis. It requires a few respondents. Sources of collecting data are interviews, focused groups, observation, case studies, discourse analysis, or secondary data like diaries, or written accounts of past events, etc.

The weapon effect theory is developed by Leonard Berkowitz and Anthony LePage in 1967, the theory states that the person who has weapons like guns in his hand displays more aggressiveness compared to those who have badminton racquets or other items that do not look fatal.

In this case, both qualitative and quantitative methods are to be used.

Through quantitative methods; the hypothesis is the relation between the poverty, drug abused and availability of weapons.   

The samples are randomly selected who represent the population and give them a Questionnaire with multiple-choice questions (MCQ) and give them marks on the scale from 0-10. These (MCQ) should contain questions regarding poverty, related drug abuse and availability of weapons. The data collected on a numerical basis can be used to test the hypothesis by graphs or statistical methods to find the relationship between the variables

The qualitative method: The research is conducted to understand the relationship between poverty, drug abuse and the use of weapons.

The method can be through open-ended questions, interviews of the people who represent a population, it may consist of text, images or videos there are no numbers.

As the data are collected on a wide variety of sources, therefore, a variety of methods for analyzing is used like structuring and decoding the data into groups and themes.

There are possibilities that the participants do not take the interview seriously and provide wrong information, it is also possible that the researcher is a party to confidential information thus giving rise to ethical issues that can affect in analyzing the data correctly.

In this case, the in-depth thought and reason can be collected by interviewing the samples, to find out how poverty, drug abuse, and weapon are related. By using the qualitative method a hypothesis or theory can be formulated.

On the hypothesis that is drawn from a qualitative experiment, quantitative research can be done to test it by using a closed questionnaire and on the data collected a graph or statistical method can be used to see the correlation between the poverty, drug abuse, and weapon and how the weapon effect a person and make him aggressive.

The conclusion at the end of the research: The circle of poverty, drug abused and weapons are all interlinked. A poor person takes to drug and become drug abused, to satisfy his need he takes to antisocial activities and weapon gives him the strength, as he feels powerful against those who are unaware of his hidden intentions, it is used to frighten the victims, or in some cases even kill them the gun gives the psychological feeling of safety as he has gun with him