Introduction
A research method is a means by which the particular research work is completed according to Franklin (2012). A study can either be carried out through quantitative or qualitative research methods. While qualitative research is majorly exploratory and used to gain a comprehension of the reasons behind an action, quantitative research methods quantify a problem by producing numerical data (Silverman 2011). A review of such research methods is critical in the sense that it helps in evaluation of a particular study especially the effectiveness of the methods of obtaining the results. The following discussion is presented in two main parts. The first section analyses the research methods in the chosen studies while the second section is a reflective evaluation of the learning during this course. Using the CASP tool, this essay critically reviews two research articles. ‘The quantitative methods used in the study on the condom-use behaviors of eighteen- to twenty-four-year-old urban African American males’ and ‘Physical activity in pregnancy: a qualitative study of the beliefs of overweight and obese pregnant women.’
Quantitative methods: ‘A Quantitative Study on the Condom-Use Behaviours of Eighteen- to Twenty-Four-Year-Old Urban African American Males.'
The study was carried out by Stephen Kennedy et al. for the United States’ National Institute of Health. The chief aim of the study was to develop, and pilot test a male-related promotion program for the young African-American males living in the urban areas. The quantitative methods, in this case, were mainly used to pinpoint the escalation behaviours related to the condoms as well as the workability of the program administration. Creswell (2013) explains that a good research study must be attached to a specific research area and given an exact research setting. On that note, limiting this research to the urban areas and on the African-American males increases its success rate and accuracy. Studies with wider contexts and respondents are not only time consuming but are likely to face a myriad of challenges that sometimes delineate them from the set objectives. Even then, Creswell (2013) notes that research works like the current one are not economical regarding resources. The researcher could have maintained the study area but included other races as well. For instance, a similar study would still be carried out some day on the Mexicans, Hispanics and the rest with the same amount or more resources. So, combining more than one group or respondents would have been a better option. As it is, the research context was too narrow.