The book Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches by Creswell (2014) covers three approaches— qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. This educational book is informative and illustrative and is equally beneficial for students, teachers and researchers. Readers should have basic knowledge of research for better understanding of this book. There are two parts of the book. Part 1 (chapter 1-4) consists of steps for developing research proposal and part II (chapter 5-10) explains how to develop a research proposal or write a research report. A summary is given at the end of every chapter that helps the reader to recapitulate the ideas. Moreover, writing exercises and suggested readings at the end of every chapter are useful for the readers.

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English Language Teaching; Vol. 12, No. 5; 2019

ISSN 1916-4742 E-ISSN 1916-4750

Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education

40

Book Review

Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative

and Mixed Methods Approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage

Muhammad Ishtiaq1,2

1 Department of English, Unaizah Science and Arts College, Al-Qassim University, Saudi Arabia

2 Centre for Modern Languages & Human Sciences, Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Pahang, Malaysia

Correspondence: Muhammad Ishtiaq, Department of English, Unaizah Science and Arts College, Al-Qassim

University, Saudi Arabia.

Received: February 7, 2019 Accepted: April 3, 2019 Online Published: April 6, 2019

doi: 10.5539/elt.v12n5p40 URL: https://doi.org/10.5539/elt.v12n5p40

The book Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods Approaches by Creswell (2014) covers

three approaches— qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods. This educational book is informative and

illustrative and is equally beneficial for students, teachers and researchers. Readers should have basic knowledge

of research for better understanding of this book. There are two parts of the book. Part 1 (chapter 1-4) consists of

steps for developing research proposal and part II (chapter 5-10) explains how to develop a research proposal or

write a research report. A summary is given at the end of every chapter that helps the reader to recapitulate the

ideas. Moreover, writing exercises and suggested readings at the end of every chapter are useful for the readers.

Chapter 1 opens with -- definition of research approaches and the author gives his opinion that selection of a

research approach is based on the nature of the research problem, researchers' experience and the audience of the

study. The author defines qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research. A distinction is made between

quantitative and qualitative research approaches. The author believes that interest in qualitative research

increased in the latter half of the 20th century. The worldviews, Fraenkel, Wallen and Hyun (2012) and

Onwuegbuzie and Leech (2005) call them paradigms, have been explained. Sometimes, the use of language

becomes too philosophical and technical. This is probably because the author had to explain some technical

terms.

Chapter 2 is about the review of the literature. The chapter starts with the identification of the research topic and

argues that literature review has central position in research. The author suggests where to place literature review

in a study. This chapter is a good guide for novice researchers as it suggests how to review literature, locate a

research study in existing body of literature and find a gap in previous research. As expected, this chapter is very

descriptive. Some good data bases are suggested by the author in this chapter. The idea of forming a literature

map is practical and useful. However, some more explanation and examples on how to review previous studies

would have been helpful for readers.

Chapter 3 'the use of theory' gives a complete definition of 'theory' and its use and forms in quantitative

research. The explanation of relationship of variables in visual diagrams is really helpful for new researchers.

The chapter gives a step by step procedure to write a theoretic al perspective. The chapter explicitly deals with

the use of theory in quantitative, qualitative, mixed methods and transformative worldviews or paradigms.

Different types of variables used in quantitative research have been elucidated in this chapter. However, a new

researcher needs some more examples and illustrations in comprehending the variables.

Chapter 4 'writing strategies and ethical considerations' deals with the ethical issues, the structure of a proposal

and writing strategies. Different formats for writing a research proposal are presented in detail. These include

quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research. Some basic ideas are discussed in this chapter about

designing the sections of a proposal and some writing tips are suggested that can be instrumental in writing a

research proposal. Ethical issues in qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research are explained in detail.

A short summary at the end of the chapter well elaborates key suggestions for writing a research proposal.

Chapter 5 highlights the importance of writing an introduction to a proposal and suggests how an abstract is

elt.ccsenet.org English Language T eaching Vol. 12, No. 5; 2019

41

written in a research study. The five components of an introduction are all that a new researcher needs to start

with. The chapter also suggests how a research problem is written and gap can be found in the previous studies.

The gap, termed as 'deficiencies in the literature' has been illustrated with examples. The chapter also highlights

the significance of introduction in a quantitative study. However, some more examples of introduction, gap and

significance of qualitative and mixed method studies may have been helpful for the reader.

Chapter 6 advocates the importance of purpose statement and its place in a journal or a dissertation. Some basic

features of purpose statements in qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research are underlined. The idea

of providing scripts of the three major designs can be helpful for researchers in different fields. The author

emphasizes the need of explaining the variables in quantitative and mixed methods research. The language used

in this chapter is easy to comprehend.

Chapter 7 discusses research questions and hypotheses. It explains how research questions are designed in a

quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods research. The author suggests different question words used in

quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods study. Scripts and examples have been provided for writing

qualitative and quantitative research questions. Though there is no script for writing mixed method questions, an

example has been provided for a mixed methods two-phase study.

Chapter 8 deals with quantitative methods. The chapter focuses on fundamental steps in a survey or an

experiment in a quantitative research proposal. A checklist of questions has been provided for readers for

designing a survey and an experimental research. Survey designs and experimental designs have been discussed

in detail with a brief explanation of population and sample selection. A detailed description of a survey and an

experimental study is given with some suggestions of how to use the needed instrument. The writer has rightly

given just the basics of different experimental designs, otherwise, it would have been difficult to provide details

of every design. The chapter, however, discusses many practical considerations for a researcher that may not be

comprehensible for a new researcher.

Chapter 9 discusses qualitative methods. The characteristics of qualitative research are given in detail. The

author suggests some tips of a qualitative research design and explains the researcher's role in it. Data collection

procedures in qualitative research have been divided into four basic types— qualitative observation, qualitative

interviews, qualitative documents and qualitative audio and visual materials. Qualitative data collection types,

options, advantages and limitations have been provided in a table that makes it easy to comprehend. There is a

lot to learn about reliability and validity of qualitative research for a new researcher. Six-step data analysis

process in qualitative research is explained and illustrated with the help of a figure. However, it needs the reader

to have some know-how of the qualitative research.

Chapter 10 deals with mixed methods approach. Mixed methods approach is described in detail and types of

mixed methods research designs are illustrated with figures in brief. More elaborated diagrams might have been

more helpful for readers. Important factors and practical considerations for choosing a mixed methods design

have been discussed in detail. Convergent parallel mixed methods design, explanatory sequential mixed methods

design, exploratory sequential mixed methods design and transformative designs have been explained with

examples. A brief summary is given at the end.

In general, the book is well written and organized. It is informative, illustrative, and practical. It is useful for

researchers of different fields. After reading the book, new researchers, who might consider research a daunting

task, may be able to carry out their research independently.

References

Fraenkel, J. R., Wallen, N. E., & Hyun, H. H. (2012). How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education (8th

ed.). New York: McGram-Hill Companies.

Onwuegbuzie, A. J., & Leech, N. L. (2005). Taking the "Q" out of research: Teaching research methodology

courses without the divide between quantitative and qualitative paradigms. Quality and Quantity, 39 (3),

267-295. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-004-1670-0

Copyrights

Copyright for this article is retained by the author(s), with first publication rights granted to the journal.

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution

license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

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The purpose of the article was to study three groups of factors of perception of the introduction of interactive methods of distance education in the educational environment of Higher Education Institutions. The research used general scientific research methods, questionnaire methods, methods for integrated assessment, mathematical methods of data processing: calculation of consolidated characteristics of motivation, sign test. The study revealed a lo w level of student knowledge about distance education technologies and, by contrast, a high level of student interest in mastering interactive distance education methods. The article detects the influence of the educational environment of the HEIs in the formation of the disposition of the students to use interactive technologies of distance education. The article considers properties of interactive methods such as mobility, openness, accessibility and the use of interactive distance learning technologies. The article aims to study the peculiarities of the students' attitude towards the introduction of interactive distance learning technologies in the educational process. Other research perspectives are in the creation of a system for monitoring the preparation of students for the implementation of innovative technologies in relation to the constant development of scientific and technological progress.

The adoption of Big Data (BD) in the construction industry has been identified as a possible solution to the demand of the current needs of projects, but the integration of this technology has proven to be a challenge specially in industries such as construction that are not technological driven. The understanding of the key elements for the BD adoption has become the focus of many industries that seek to exploit the benefits offered by this technology. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the challenges faced by the adoption of BD in the Dominican Republic (DR) construction industry. To identify these challenges qualitative research was undertaken due to the paucity of scientific data. Twenty-one individuals representing 19 companies who have great impact in the DR construction sector were interviewed. From the analysis six main challenges were identified. They are: lack BD awareness, high cost of investment, resistance to change, lack of government support and regulation, lack of technological expertise, and security concerns of BD. The challenges identified in this study, will serve to help companies better plan their technology adoption process, mainly considering aspects such as the need to tackle the lack of awareness by disseminating and promoting the concept of BD which will not only generate a better understanding of technology by making sure that present and future professionals understand the technology and its benefits. This study provides insight in the challenges to overcome for a successful adoption of BD technology, which would help companies to prepare for a future adoption.

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Technology-based enterprises play a paramount role in blooming a country economically. Nevertheless, according to a society's capacity to launch such enterprises in various eras, their volume is less than expected in many economies. Therefore, establishing such enterprises is necessary for developing any country, although its innovation system contributes to establishing them. This paper considers the impact of entrepreneurial education on technology-based enterprise development, including motivation as a mediator variable, in Esfahan Scientific and Industrial Town. Despite much research investigating the correlation between entrepreneurial education and technology-based enterprises' progress, it seems that no study has already considered this correlation with remarking the motivation as a mediator variable. This applied research follows a quantitative research design. The statistical population includes 500 enterprises in the Esfahan Scientific and Industrial Town, and for sampling, Cochran's formula was applied (n = 217). Additionally, the researcher-made questionnaire and PLS3 software were used for data gathering and analysis. The results demonstrated that entrepreneurial education elements (including entrepreneurial skill, entrepreneurial learning, and entrepreneurial intention) positively affect technology-based enterprises' development, considering motivation as a mediator variable. However, the impact of entrepreneurial intention on technology-based enterprises was not supported. It reveals that the entrepreneurial intention of motivated individuals could have a meaningful effect on the development of technology-based enterprises. Therefore, motivation is a critical issue to be considered by managers and policymakers while considering entrepreneurial education-related policies and initiatives.

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How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education provides a comprehensive introduction to educational research. The text covers the most widely used research methodologies and discusses each step in the research process in detail. Step-by-step analysis of real research studies provides students with practical examples of how to prepare their work and read that of others. End-of-chapter problem sheets, comprehensive coverage of data analysis, and information on how to prepare research proposals and reports make it appropriate both for courses that focus on doing research and for those that stress how to read and understand research. The authors' writing is simple and direct and the presentations are enhanced with clarifying examples, summarizing charts, tables and diagrams, numerous illustrations of key concepts and ideas, and a friendly two-color design.

The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence that the debate between quantitative and qualitative is divisive and, hence, counterproductive for advancing the social and behavioral science field. We advocate that all graduate students learn to utilize and to appreciate both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. As such, students will develop into pragmatist researchers who are able to utilize both quantitative and qualitative techniques when conducting research. We contend that the best way to accomplish this is by eliminating quantitative research methodology and qualitative research methodology courses from curricula and replacing these with research methodology courses at different levels that simultaneously teach both quantitative and qualitative techniques within a mixed methodological framework.