Learning Objectives:

At the end of this lesson the student should be able

to:
1. differentiate quantitative and qualitative research;
2. determine the data used in quantitative and
qualitative research;
3. characterize researcher competencies in doing
qualitative research; and
4. analyze the usefulness and appropriateness of the
qualitative research approaches
Qualitative
vs.
Quantitative
 Qualitative
•puts an emphasis on human complexity
and man’s ability to decide and create his
own experience
•focuses on gaining insights and
understanding about an individual’s
perception and interpretation of events,
 Quantitative
• deals with numbers or numerical data, such
as height, width, length, age, speed, time,
size, and temperature, among other things
that can be measured
• the method used in the analysis of data is
statistical in nature, using structured and
pre-tested or validated survey instruments
 Quantitative Research
Aims to characterize trends and
patterns.
Usually starts with neither a theory
nor hypothesis about relationship
between two or more variables.
Uses structured research instruments
like questionnaires or schedules.
Uses larger sample sizes that are
representatives of the population.
Methods include census, surveys, and Methods include field research,
experiments.
Qualitative Research
Involves processes, feelings, and
motives.
Usually concerned with generating
hypothesis from data rather than
testing a hypothesis.
Uses either unstructured or semi-
structured instruments.
Uses small sample sizes chosen
purposely.
observations, and case study.
Characteristics of Qualitative Research
• Aims to achieve an understanding of how
people make sense out of their lives,
delineate the process of meaning-making,
and describe how people interpret what they
experience.
• The researcher is the primary instrument for
data collection and analysis.
• The process is inductive; that is,
researchers gather data to build concepts,
hypotheses, or theories.
• The product of qualitative research is
richly descriptive.
 
 
 Qualitative Researcher
•
Competencies
A questioning stance with regards to work
and life context.
• High tolerance for ambiguity.
• Being a careful observer.
• Asking good questions.
• Thinking inductively.
• Comfort with writing.
Qualitative
Research
Approaches
 Phenomenology
• a focus on the experience itself and how
experiencing something is transformed into
consciousness
• interested in “lived experiences”
• aims to depict the essence or basic structure of
experience, like love, anger, betrayal and so
on.
• experiences, in part to examine
dimensions of the experience and in part
to become aware of personal prejudices,
viewpoints, and assumptions
• a phenomenological approach is well
suited to studying effective, emotional,
 Ethnography
• a focus on human society and culture
• culture refers to the various ways different
groups go about their lives and to the belief
systems associated with that behavior
• to understand culture of a group, one must
spend time with the group being studied, and
this is called immersion
Grounded Theory
• a focus on building theory, a theory
that emerges from, or is grounded
in, the data
• the type of theory formed is usually
substantive rather than formal or
• everyday world situations such as coping
mechanisms of returning adult students, or
dealing with grief in the aftermath of a
natural disaster
• data from grounded theory can come from
interviews, observations, and a wide variety
of documentary materials
 Narrative Inquiry
• a focus on stories or narratives that makes
sense of experiences, communication with
others, and understanding of the world
• this research uses stories as data, and more
specifically, first-person accounts of
experience told in story from having a
Case Studies
• a study of an in-depth description and analysis
of a bounded system
• the unit of analysis (bounded system), not the
topic of investigation, characterizes a case
study
• if a phenomenon a researcher is interested in
studying is not bounded, it is not a case study
 Activity #1
 

1. For each of the topics below, determine the

appropriate type of research by writing on the right
column whether the topics are qualitative or
quantitative in nature.
 
2. On the last column, explain your reason for
identifying the topics under qualitative or
quantitative.
 TOPICS QUALITATIVE OR WHY?
QUANTITATIVE?
Effects of single-parent    
 
families on children’s
education.
Satisfaction of senior citizens    
on PhilHealth concerns.
Prevalence of showbiz    
fanaticism among teenagers.
Impacts of Metro Manila    
traffic on student commuters.
Frequency of driving under    
the influence of alcohol in the