Qualitative

Research in
Different Areas of
Knowledge
Lesson 4
 Learning Targets
01 02

describes characteristics, illustrates the

strengths, weaknesses, importance of
and kinds of qualitative qualitative
research; research across fields.
 Concept Map
Qualitative
Research

Strengths and Subject Area

Weaknesses Approach
 Institutional Core Value

Wholeheartedness

b. The learners will become active readers and thinkers.

c. The learners will become good decision makers and
problem solvers.
 01
Strengths and
Weaknesses of Qualitative
Research
STRENGTHS
● It is useful for describing complex phenomena.

● Issues can be examined in detail and in depth.

● Interviews are not restricted to specific questions and can be

guided or redirected by the researcher in real time.

● It provides understanding and description of people’s personal

experiences of phenomena (i.e., the emic or insider’s viewpoint).

● It can describe in detail the phenomena as they are situated and

embedded in local contexts.
WEAKNESSES
● The researcher’s presence during data gathering, which is often
unavoidable in qualitative research, can affect the subjects’
responses.

● It generally takes more time to collect the data compared to

quantitative research.

● Data analysis is often time-consuming.

● The results are more easily influenced by the researcher’s

personal biases and idiosyncrasies
 02
Hard Science vs.
Soft Science
 HARD SCIENCE
- Sciences that explore the
workings of the natural world
are usually called hard
sciences, or natural sciences.

- A science (such as chemistry,

physics, or astronomy) that
deals with things that can be
observed and measured.
 SOFT SCIENCE
- Deal with intangibles and relate to
the study of human and animal
behaviors, interactions, thoughts, and
feelings.

Examples:
Anthropology, Business, Education,
Economics, Law, Politics, and all
subjects aligned with business and all
those focused on helping profession
such as Nursing, Counseling, Physical
Therapy and the like. (Babbie 2013)
 SUBJECT AREA RESEARCH
APPROACHES

Positive or Scientific Approach Naturalistic Approach

Triangulation or Mixed Method Approach

POSITIVE OR SCIENTIFIC APPROACH
- It gives stress to measurable and observable facts instead of personal
views, feelings or attitudes.

- It can be used in researches under the hard sciences.

- It allows control of variables or factors affecting the study. (Laursen 2010)

- Collect data in controlled ways through questionnaires or structured

interviews

- Factual data collected are recorded in numerical or statistical forms using

numbers, percentages, fractions and the like.

- Quantitative data - Expressed in measurable ways

 NATURALISTIC APPROACH
- People oriented
- Data collected represent are
subjective traits of people in
natural setting
- Collection of data is done in
family homes, playground,
workplaces, or schools
-Focuses on discovering the real
concept or meaning behind the
people’s lifestyle and social relations
- It will let you present things
qualitatively through verbal
language
- Qualitative data- using words rather
than numbers as the unit of analysis
- Commonly used in Soft Sciences
- Unstructured interviews and
participant observations
- Open- ended questions
TRIANGULATION OR MIXED METHOD
- It allows combination or a mixture of research
designs, data collection and analysis techniques.

Thus, there is no such thing as clear dichotomy between qualitative and

quantitative research methods because some authorities on research
claim that a symbiotic relationship, in which they reinforce or strengthen
each other, exist between these two research methods. Moreover, any
form of knowledge , factual or opinionated, and any statistical or verbal
expression of this knowledge are deduced from human experience that
by nature is subjective (Hollway 2013; Letherby 2013).
 Thanks!
Do you have any questions?

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 Learning Targets
01 02

describes characteristics, illustrates the

strengths, weaknesses, importance of
and kinds of qualitative qualitative
research; research across fields.
 Institutional Core Value

Wholeheartedness

b. The learners will become active readers and thinkers.

c. The learners will become good decision makers and
problem solvers.
 That in all things,
God may be glorified!