Quantitative and

Qualitative
Research
 Definition of Quantitative and Qualitative Research
Quantitative Research
Quantitative research is a type of
educational research in which the
researcher
• decides what to study;
• asks specific, narrow
questions;
• collects quantifiable data
from participants;
• analyzes these numbers
using statistics;
• and conducts the inquiry in
an unbiased, objective
manner.
Qualitative Research
Qualitative research is a type of
educational research in which the
researcher
• relies on the views of
participants;
• asks broad, general
questions;
• collects data consisting
largely words (text) from
participants;
• describes and analyzes
these words for themes;
• and conducts the inquiry in
a subjective, biased
manner.
 Definition of Quantitative and Qualitative Research

Qualitative Quantitative

Objectives In-depth understanding of • Quantification of data

underlying reasons and • Measurement of incidence,
motivations etc.

Data Analysis • Non-statistical • Statistical

• Contextual
• Thematic

Outcomes Not conclusive nor generalizable • Broad based insights

• Population based
understanding
 Differences between Quantitative and Qualitative Research

Quantitative Methodologies Qualitative Methodologies

Preference for precise hypothesis stated at the Preference for hypotheses that emerge as the
outset study develops

Preference for precise definitions stated at the Preference for definitions in context or as
outset study progresses

Data reduced to numerical scores Preference for narrative description

Much attention to assessing and improving Preference for assuming that reliability of
reliability of scores obtained from instruments inferences is adequate

Assessment of validity through a variety of Assessment of validity through crosschecking

procedures with reliance on statistical indices sources of information (triangulation)
 Differing Philosophical Assumptions of Quantitative and Qualitative
Researchers

Assumptions of Quantitative Researchers Assumptions of Qualitative Researchers

There exists a reality ―out there,‖ The individuals involved in the research
independent of us, waiting to be known. The situations construct reality; thus, realities
task of science is to discover the nature of exist in the form of multiple mental
reality and how it works constructions.

Research investigations can potentially result Research investigations produce alternative

in accurate statements about the way the visions of what the world is like.
world really is

It is possible for the researcher to remove It is impossible for the researcher to stand
him-herself – to stand apart – from that apart from the individuals he or she is
which is being researched. studying.
The Value of Qualitative Research—
Its Kinds, Characteristics, Uses,
Strengths, and Weaknesses and the
Importance of Qualitative Research
Across Fields of Inquiry
• What is the importance of qualitative research across fields of
inquiry in our daily life?
• What are the kinds and characteristics of qualitative research?
• What are the uses of this research in our own field of
specialization?
• What are the strengths and weaknesses of qualitative research?
• What is the effect of qualitative research in our decision-
making
 Major Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Naturalistic inquiry

Studying real-world situations as they unfold

naturally; non manipulative, unobtrusive, and
non-controlling; openness to whatever
emerges—lack of predetermined constraints
on outcomes.
 Major Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Inductive analysis

Immersion in the details and specifics of the data

to discover important categories, dimensions, and
interrelationships; begin by exploring genuinely
open questions rather than testing theoretically
derived (deductive) hypotheses..
 Major Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Holistic perspective

The whole phenomenon under study is

understood as a complex system that is more than
the sum of its parts; focus is on complex
interdependencies not meaningfully reduced to a
few discrete variables and linear, cause-effect
relationships.
 Major Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Qualitative data

Detailed, thick description; inquiry in depth;

direct quotations capturing people‘s personal
perspectives and experiences.
 Major Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Personal contact and insight

The researcher has direct contact with and gets

close to the people, situation, and phenomenon
under study; researcher‘s personal experiences
and insights are important part of the inquiry and
critical to understanding the phenomenon.
 Major Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Dynamic systems

Attention to process; assumes change is constant

and ongoing whether the focus is on an
individual or an entire culture.
 Major Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Unique case orientation

Assumes each case is special and unique; the first

level of inquiry is being true to, respecting, and
capturing the details of the individual cases being
studied; cross case analysis follows from and
depends on the quality of individual case studies.
 Major Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Context sensitivity

Places findings in a social, historical, and

temporal context; dubious of the possibility or
meaningfulness of generalization across time and
space.
 Major Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Emphatic neutrality

Complete objectivity is impossible; pure subjectivity

undermines credibility; the researcher‘s passion is
understanding the world in all its complexity – not proving
something, not advocating, not advancing personal agenda, but
understanding; the researcher includes personal experience and
empathic insight as part of the relevant data, while taking a
neutral nonjudgmental stance toward whatever content may
emerge.
 Major Characteristics of Qualitative Research

Design flexibility

Open to adapting inquiry as understanding deepens and/or

situations change; avoids getting locked into rigid designs that
eliminate responsiveness; pursues new paths of discovery as
they emerge.
Types of Qualitative Research

Phenomenology

Ethnography

Grounded theory

Case study
 Phenomenology
It is an approach to philosophy and not
specifically a method of inquiry; this has
often been misunderstood. It is first and
foremost philosophy, the approach
employed to pursue a particular study
should emerge from the philosophical
implications inherent in the question.
 Phenomenology
Phenomenology is an approach to
qualitative research that focuses on the
commonality of a lived experience within a
particular group. The fundamental goal of
the approach is to arrive at a description of
the nature of the particular phenomenon
(Creswell, 2013)
 Ethnography
It is the direct description of a group,
culture or community. Nevertheless, the
meaning of the word ethnography can be
ambiguous; it is an overall term for a
number of approaches. Sometimes
researchers use it as synonymous with
qualitative research in general, while at
other times it‘s meaning is more specific.
 Ethnography
Ethnographic research is a qualitative
method where researchers observe and/or
interact with a study's participants in their
real-life environment. Ethnography was
popularized by anthropology, but is used
across a wide range of social sciences.
 Grounded theory
It is a development of theory
directly based and grounded in
the data collected by the
researcher. It is a research
methodology for discovering
theory in a substantive area.
 Grounded theory
Grounded theory is a systematic
methodology in the social sciences involving
the construction of theories through
methodical gathering and analysis of data.
This research methodology uses inductive
reasoning, in contrast to the hypothetic-
deductive model of the scientific method.
 Case study
It is used for a research approach
with specific boundaries and can be
both qualitative and quantitative. In
addition, it is an entity studied as a
single unit, and it has clear confines
and a specific focus and is bound to
context.
 Case study
A case study is a research
method common in social science. It is
based on an in-depth investigation of a
single individual, group, or event.
Identifying the Inquiry and Stating the Problem

What research would you like to conduct that is related to

your field?

Decision-making is all about deciding what

topic, problem, questions are, who will benefit
and how to go about the research.
• What topic should I consider in doing my
research?

• What are my research questions?

• What problem would my research resolve?

• Who will benefit from my research?

• Why do I need to conduct this research?

 Collegial Brainstorming

Brainstorm on the issues that surround your

field of specialization.

The output should include:

1. Research Title
2. Reasons for Conducting the Research
3. Research Questions
4. Identify the kind of qualitative research that
you would like to conduct.
 Collegial Brainstorming

Please visit the site provided for sample researches

1. Understanding the value of qualitative research in
nursing. Retrieved: February 19, 2016. “NT 20
February 2007 Vol 103 No 8 www.nursingtimes.net”
2. http://engineeringresearch.org/index.php/GJRE
Retrieved: February 19, 2016 3.
http://www.kspope.com/ Retrieved: February 19, 2016
4. http://psych.hanover.edu/research/exponnet.html
Retrieved: February 19, 2016