Qualitative vs. Quantitative

• QUANTITATIVE

• Hypothesis: All beans are alike.

• NULL: No beans are different.

• Method: Count the beans.

• QUALITATIVE

• Question: What is a bean? What does it mean to be a bean?

• Method: Examine “beanness” in the field.

Variety of qualitative methods

• Case study (of 1 or more individuals)

• Ethnography (study of cultural groups)

• Phenomenology (individual point of view)

• Grounded theory (link data to theory)

• Action research

• Historical analysis

Distinguishing Characteristics of Quantitative and Qualitative

Research

Purpose

• QUANTITATIVE

• to explain and predict• to test, confirm, and

validate theory

• QUALITATIVE

• to describe and explain

• to explore and interpret

• to build theory

Research Process

• QUANTITATIVE• focused• deals with known

variables• uses established

guidelines• static designs; context-

free; objective

• QUALITATIVE• holistic approach• unknown variables• flexible guidelines• “emergent” design;

context-bound;• subjective

Form of Reasoning

• QUANTITATIVE

• deductive analysis

– from general case (“theory”) to specific situations.

• QUALITATIVE

• inductive analysis

– from specific situation to general case.

Description of findings

• QUANTITATIVE

• Numerical data

• Statistics

• Formal and scientific

• QUALITATIVE

• Narrative description

• Words, quotes

• Personal voice; literary style

Which approach to educational research should you use?

Do you believe that...

• There is an objective reality that can be measured?

• If so, use Quantitative research.

• There are multiple, constructed realities that defy easy measurement or categorization?

• If so, use Qualitative research?

Is your research question...

• Confirmatory or predictive in nature?

• If so, use Quantitative research.

• Exploratory or interpretive in nature?

• If so, use Qualitative research.

Is the available research literature...

• Relatively large?

• If so, use Quantitative research.

• Limited or non-existent?

• If so, use Qualitative research.

Do you have skills in...

• Statistics and deductive reasoning, and able to write in a technical and scientific style?

• If so, use Quantitative research.

• Inductive reasoning, attentiveness to detail, and able to write in a more literary, narrative style?

• If so, use Qualitative research.

Choosing the “right” method

Different research methods are appropriate for different research questions. No single approach is best for all the questions that can be asked regarding any particular behavioral phenomenon.

“What leads some students to be more successful readers than other students?”

• “Can I predict who is likely to have reading difficulties?” (Correlation/regression)

• “What is the best method of teaching reading?” (Experiment)

• “What are the norms for a population for the development of reading skill?” (Descriptive)

• “What are the conditions of reading instruction and learning in today’s classrooms?” (Qualitative)