ANALYSING QUALITATIVE DATA

13.4 APPROACHES to QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS

Ma. Darwiza F. Guimoc

USING DEDUCTIVE APPROACH

A deductive approach is concerned with developing a hypothesis (or hypotheses) based on an existing theory, and then designing a research strategy to test the hypothesis. Works from the more general to the more specific. In formally called Top - Down Approach. Conclusion follows logically from available facts.

ADVANTAGES:

Links your research into the existing body of knowledge in your subject area; and Help you to get started and provide you with an initial analytical framework.

USING INDUCTIVE APPROACH

Works the other way around, it moves from a specific observation to broader generalizations and theories. Informally called Bottom Up Approach. Conclusions are likely based on premises. DISADVANTAGES:

May be a difficult strategy to follow and may not lead to success for someone who is an inexperienced researcher. It involves a degree of uncertainty.

This is also referred to as a grounded approach because of the nature of the theory or explanation that emerges as a result of the research process. In this approach:

You do not commence such a study with a clearly defined theoretical framework; You identify relationships between your data and develop questions and hypotheses or propositions to test these; Theory emerges from the process of data collection and analysis.

To use an inductive approach successfully may involve a lengthy period of time and prove to be resource intensive. It is also likely that this approach will combine some elements of a deductive approach as you seek to develop a theoretical position and then test its applicability through subsequent data collection and analysis. Consequently, while you may commence with either an inductive or a deductive approach, in practice your research is likely to combine elements of both.

REMEMBER:
Induction

is usually described as moving from the specific to the general, while Deduction begins with the general and ends with the specific.

Summing it all up

DEDUCTIVE APPROACH

INDUCTIVE APPROACH