Читать книгу GIS Research Methods - Steven J. Steinberg - Страница 45

Research methods are used to identify and gather information and patterns. Why? Although research occurs for different purposes, such as to test a hypothesis, to better understand a phenomenon, or to evaluate the effectiveness of a program, all research shares the common link of investigation. Different types of research methods can be thought of as tools in a toolbox. As a researcher, the greater the diversity of the tools to which you have access, the more adept you will be at investigating your research question.

Multiple methods research involves using both quantitative and qualitative research practices together (Creswell and Clark 2007). For the researcher, using multiple methods is a major strength for a number of reasons:

1. Providing multiple views of a problem or issue allows a broader picture of the issue under study to be developed.

2. Using multiple methods presents the opportunity to include a greater variety of variables in the study.

3. Multiple methods can provide multiple measures of the same concept, which increases the validity of the project.

Multiple methods research helps you delve into various aspects of a topic to better comprehend it. Involving more variables means that you can capture a more true-to-life picture of the situation you are studying through the diverse data sources. It is common for researchers to focus on only a few key variables. Doing this can often limit the conceptualization of the issue at hand. It can also limit the real-world applicability of findings. However, adopting a multiple method approach to research requires the interest and desire to learn different research methods.

GIS is a natural fit with multiple methods research because of its unique ability to integrate different types of data. Incorporating GIS into your research allows you to examine multiple data sources at different points in time, space, and place. Later, we will show you how to use multiple research methods to collect data and better understand your research question.