INTRODUCTION TO QUALITATIVE VS QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

Objectives

to expose students with quantitative and qualitative research to demonstrate how quantitative research is different from qualitative researchto explain how they can work together

Two Approaches to research

emphasizes natural settings, observations, verbal narratives and interpretations.emerged from sociologyTakes a lot of practice to do it well.

Emphasizes numbers, measurements, controls and experimentation.This is the traditional scientific research. Once you understand the basic rules, anyone can do it.

QualitativeQuantitative

Qual vs. Quant (Goals)Build theoryDevelop understandingDescribe multiply realitiesCapture naturally occurring behaviourInsider meaningInterpretation of behaviourTest hypothesisEstablish factsShow relationshipsPredictStatistically describeOutsider meaningPrediction of behaviour

Qualitative

Quantitative

Qual vs. Quant (Design)EvolvingFlexibleInformalGeneralNaturalisticGives a complete detailed description

StructuredPredeterminedFormalSpecificSummarizes and categorizes observations

QualitativeQuantitative

Qual vs. Quant (Design)Design emerges during studyEnds with hypotheses and theoryTime consuming

Design is explicit and clear in advanceBegins with hypotheses and theoryEfficient

QualitativeQuantitative

Qual vs. Quant (Sample)SmallNon-representativePurposeful

LargeRepresentativeRandom selectionQualitativeQuantitative

Qual vs. Quant (Data)Verbal descriptionsField notesObservationsDocumentsPhotographsNarrative

QuantitiesCountsMeasuresInstrumentsNumbersStatistics

QualitativeQuantitative

Qual vs. Quant (Methods)Case studyEthnographiesVerbal Protocol AnalysisExperimentsquasi-experimentsSurveys

QualitativeQuantitative

Qual vs. Quant (Examples)Studying the behaviors of the football fans by attending the football game as to observe, participate and understand the phenomenon.Survey that concludes that the average patient has to wait two hours in the waiting room of a certain doctor before being selected.QualitativeQuantitative

Mixed MethodsIf you want statistical validity, combine qualitative and quantitative methods.Involve different combination of Qualitative and Quantitative methods at the level of:Data collectionData AnalysisExample: A combination of questionnaire and interview

Which method is the best?The problem you are studying determines which approach to take.One is not better than the other.In general, qualitative research is better for exploring, understanding and uncovering while quantitative research is better for confirming and clarifying.

References:Creswell, John W. (2002). Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill.Fraenkel, J. R. & Wallen, N. E. (2006). How To Design and Evaluate Research in Education. New York: McGraw Hill.

*