RONALD R.

REFRE
School Principal I
“A form of social inquiry that focuses on the
way people interpret and make sense of their
experiences and the world in which they
live.”
 Qualitative Research

 Qualitative research on the other hand, is used to

gain next level customer insights. It’s a more in-
depth way of getting to the core of your
customers and employee behaviors, emotions and
personality characteristics that quantitative
research cannot match.
 Why do we use Qualitative
Research?

Qualitative research is used to capture expressive

information not conveyed in quantitative data about
beliefs, values, feelings, and motivations that underlie
behaviors.
Importance of Qualitative Research
Qualitative data provides both context and meaning. It
provides not only the who, what, when, and where but
also the why and the how.
If quantitative represents the skeleton, the qualitative
represents the flesh.
The value of qualitative research comes from its focus on
the lived experiences of the participants, which enabled
development of a greater understanding concerning the
outcomes that are important, relevant, and meaningful to
the people involved.
Characteristics of Qualitative Research
 The natural setting is the direct source of data, and the
researcher is the key instrument in qualitative research.

 Qualitative data are collected in the form of words or

pictures rather than numbers.
 Qualitative researchers are concerned with process as
well as products.
 Qualitative researchers tend to analyze their data
inductively.
 How people make sense out of their lives is a major
concern to qualitative researchers.
 The Goal of Qualitative Research
It seek the depth rather than the breath; instead of
drawing from large, representative sample of
population, qualitative research seek to acquire in
depth and intimate information about smaller group of
person.
To learn about how and why people behave, think and
make meaning as they do rather than focusing on what
people do or believe in a large scale.

The goal falls within the context of discovery rather

than verification.
 What topic are good for qualitative
research?

 Exploratory research questions

 Topics and peoples in natural settings

 Data written or spoken words and observations

Research Question for Qualitative Research

Marshall & Rossman (2006)

1.Exploratory Question: Investigate phenomenon

that is little understood
2.Explanatory Question: Explain a phenomenon

3.Descriptive Questions: Describe a phenomenon

4.Emancipatory Question: Which are meant to engage

in social and around a phenomenon
 Methods of Data Collection
1.Open-ended questionnaire
2.Unstructured interview with developmental interview
3. Informal conversational
4. Focus group discussion
5. Participant observation
6. Diary accounts
7. Recording and transcribing
 Data Analysis
1.Qualitative research adopts the inductive
approach
2.No hypotheses are put forward to guide research.

3. It begins by observing phenomena and continues

of find patterns in the form of themes, categories,
concepts, concepts and typologies that emerge.

4. Tentative hypothesis are introduced

 The Role of Researcher

 You must physically go to the people, location,

setting or site.

 You do not manipulate the situation, but rather

watch naturally occurring events and not
controlling them, i.e qualitative research is
naturalistic (Guba, & Lincoin, 1994).
 Instruments
1.The researcher being the main instrument of data–
responsive to the situation and is able to adopt to the
changing conditions.
2. Interview guide

3.Observation sheet

4.Research diary
 Sample

In qualitative research, the sample is

small and not chosen randomly.
Rather, the choice is purposeful.
(Patton,1996)
 Activities in Qualitative Research

 Begin with a broad question regarding the

phenomenon of interest, often focusing on a
little studied aspect
 More flexible and less linear
 Activities in Qualitative Research
 Conducting the Qualitative Study
o Once in the field, researchers select informants
collect data, and then analyze and interpret
them in an iterative fashion;
o Field experiences help in an ongoing fashion to
shape the design of the study
o Early analysis leads to refinements in sampling
and data collection, until saturation (redundancy
of information) is achieved
 Activities in Qualitative Research
 Disseminating Qualitative Findings
o Used to shape the direction of further studies
(including more highly controlled quantitative
studies)
o Guide the development of structured measuring
tools for clinical and research purposes
o Shape the researcher’s perceptions of a
problem or situation and their
conceptualizations of potential solutions
 Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths Weaknesses

Depths of Subjectivity
Understanding
Suggestive, not
Flexibility definitive

Limited
generalizability
 Types of Qualitative Research Design

Patton (1996), Denzin & Lincoln (1994) and

Merriam (1999):

• Grounded theory - historical

• Ethnography - Action research
• Phenomenology - content analysis
• Field research - generic qualitative
• Case study method
 Qualitative Research

Grounded Theory Study

 Roots in sociology

 Seeks to describe and understand the key

social psychological and structural processes
that occur in a social setting
 Focus -- developing social experience
 Qualitative Research

 Component -- discovery of a core variable that

is central in explaining what is going on in that
social scene
 Generate comprehensive explanations of
phenomena that are grounded in reality
Example:
A study to explain the material process of
managing late stages of breastfeeding and
weaning the child from the breast
 Qualitative Research

Phenomenology
 Roots in both philosophy and psychology
 Concerned with the lived experiences of
humans
 Approach to thinking about what life
experiences of people are like and what they
mean
 What is the essence of this phenomenon as
experienced by these people?
 Qualitative Research

Example:

 A study to illuminate the lived experiences of

care providers who were highly skilled
communicators in their relationships with
patients with stroke and aphasia.
 Qualitative Research

Ethnography
 Primary research tradition within anthropology

 Provides a framework for studying the

meanings, patterns, and experiences of a
defined cultural group in a holistic fashion
 Engaged in extensive fieldwork, often
participating to the extent possible in the life of
the culture under study
 Qualitative Research

Example:

 An analysis of a nursing home residence,

focusing on the ethical issues of daily living
affecting nursing home residents with
dementia
“the systematic empirical investigation of
observable phenomena via statistical,
mathematical or computational techniques.”

“A type of educational research in which

the researcher decides what to study.”
 Quantitative Research

Quantitative research is influenced by the empiricist

paradigm, which means that it is concerned with cause
and effect of social phenomena and uses the data -
which is based on empirical observation and their
critical interpretation
 Why do we use Quantitative Research?

Quantitative Research is used to quantify the problem

by way of generating numerical data or data that can be
transformed into usable statistics. It is used to quantify
attitudes, opinions, behaviors, and other defined
variables – and generalize results from a larger sample
population.
 Importance of Quantitative Research
 More reliable and objective
 Can use statistics to generalize a finding
 Often reduces and restructures a complex problem to a limited
number of variables.
 Looks at relationship between variables and can establish cause
and effect in highly controlled circumstances.
 Tests theories or hypothesis
 Assumes sample is representative of the population.

 Subjectivity of researcher in methodology is recognized less

 Less detailed than qualitative data and may miss a desired
response from the participant
 Characteristics of Quantitative Research

 Ask specific narrow Qs.

 Collects data from participants.

 Analyzes numbers using statistics.

 Conducts the inquiry in unbiased, objective manner.

 Qualities of Quantitative Research

Deductive

Begins from theory-i.e it is establish to test

theory
Can be used to make generalization and/ or to
test hypotheses
 Quantitative Observation
Observation can also be carried out in a quantitative context
and may involve:

1. Counting the services

2. Number of people accessing services

3. Ascertain busy/quit time

 Major Steps in Quantitative Research

 Researchers move from beginning point of a

study (the posing of a question) to the end
point (the obtaining of an answer) in a linear
sequence of steps
 Major Steps in Quantitative Research

 Phase 1: The Conceptual Phase

o Activities include reading, conceptualizing,

theorizing, conceptualizing and reviewing ideas
with colleagues or advisers
o Skills include creativity, deductive reasoning,
insight, and a firm grounding in previous
research on the topic of interest
 Major Steps in Quantitative Research

Step 1. Formulating and Delimiting the Problem

Step 2. Reviewing the Related Literature
Step 3. Undertaking Clinical Fieldwork
Step 4. Defining the Framework and Developing
Conceptual Definitions
Step 5. Formulating Hypothesis
 Major Steps in Quantitative Research

 Phase 2: The Design and Planning Phase

o The methods and procedures to be used to

address the research question and plan for the
actual collection of data
 Major Steps in Quantitative Research
Step 6. Selecting a Research Design
Step 7. Developing Protocols for the Intervention
Step 8. Identifying the Population to be Studied
Step 9. Designing the Sampling Plan
Step10.Specifying methods to Measure the Research
the Research Variables
Step11.Developing Methods for a Safeguarding
Human/Animal Rights
Step 12. Finalizing and Reviewing the Research Plan
 Major Steps in Quantitative Research

 Phase 3: The Empirical Phase

o Involves collecting research data and

preparing those data for analysis

Step 13. Collecting the Data

Step 14. Preparing the Data for Analysis
 Major Steps in Quantitative Research

 Phase 4. The Analytic Phase

o Analysis and interpretation of data

Step 15. Analyzing the Data

Step 16. Interpreting the Results
Major Steps in Quantitative Research

 Phase 5: The Dissemination Phase

Step 17. Communicating the Findings

Step 18. Utilizing the Findings in Practice
 Quantitative Research

Experimental Studies
 Researchers actively introduce an intervention
or treatment

 Designed to test causal relationships

 Greater control over extraneous variables

 Quantitative Research

Non - Experimental Studies

 Researchers collects data without making

changes or introducing treatments

 Lesser control over extraneous variables

 Quantitative Research

Examples:

 Factors that contributed to hospital

readmission in a HongKong hospital. A
readmitted group was compared with a non
readmitted group of patients in terms of
demographic characteristics and health
conditions upon admission.
 Quantitative Research

Examples:

 The effects of a submaximal exercise

protocol, in comparison with a near-maximal
voluntary contraction protocol, on continence
control and muscle contraction strength
among women with genuine stress urinary
incontinence.
 Purpose

Quali: To understand and interpret social interactions.

Quanti: To test hypotheses, look at cause and make

predictions.
 Group Studied

Quali: Smaller and not randomly selected.

Quanti: Large and randomly selected

 Variables

Quali: Study of the whole

Quanti: Specific variables studied

 Types of Data Collected

Quali: Words, images and objects.

Quanti: Number and Statistics

 Forms of Data Collected

Quali: Qualitative data such as open-ended

responses, interviews, participant observations,
field notes, & reflections.

Quanti: Quantitative data based on precise

measurements using structured & validated data-
collection instruments.
 Role of the Reseacher

Quali: Researcher & their biases may be known to

participants in the study, & participant
characteristics may be known to the researcher.

Quanti: Researcher & their biases are not known to

participants in the study, & participant
characteristics are deliberately hidden from the
researcher (double blind studies).
 Results

Quali: Particular or specialized findings that is less

generalizable.

Quanti: Generalizable findings that can be applied

to other populations.
 Scientific Method

Quali: Study of the whole

Quanti: Specific variables studied.

 Final Report

Quali: Narrative report with contextual description &

direct quotations from research participants.

Quanti: Statistical report with correlations,

comparisons of means, & statistical significance of
findings.
 What is to be observed?

Quali: QUALITIES***BEHAVIOR***COMPLEXITIES

Quanti: QUANTITIES***SCALES***TRENDS
 What the type of questions are asked?

Quali: WHY***HOW***

Quanti: How many***What***

 How the questions are put?(methods)

Quali: ¤ Document review ¤ Participant observations

¤ Interviews ¤ Focus group ¤ Workshops

Quanti: ¤ Application forms ¤ Questionnaires

¤ IQ Tests ¤ Measurements
 How the results are interpreted (analysis)?

Quali: ¤ Explore, explain, understand ¤Narrative

¤ Particular ¤ Mainly inductive reasoning:
conclusions can be drawn from the evidence
no matter how incomplete

Quanti: ¤ Describe, measure, predict ¤ Statistical

tables and chart ¤ Universal ¤ Mainly
deductive reasoning: everything is known
before conclusions can be drawn
1. Identifying a research problem.

Quantitative Research Qualitative Research

o Description of trends or an o An exploration in which little

explanation of variables’ is known about the problem.
relationships.
o A detailed understanding of a
central phenomenon.
2. Reviewing the literature

Quantitative Research Qualitative Research

o Major role through o Minor role in suggesting SRQ

suggesting the RQ to to be asked.
be asked.
o Justifying the R o Justify the importance of
problem and the need studying the research
for the direction of the problem.
study.
3. Specifying a purpose for the research

Quantitative Research Qualitative Research

o Be specific and narrow o Be general and broad.

o Seek measurable, o Seek to understand the

observable data on participants’ experiences.
variables.
4. Collecting data

Quantitative Research Qualitative Research

o Collecting data using o Collecting data using forms

instruments with preset with general, emerging Qs to
Qs and Res. permit the participant to
generate responses.
o Collecting info from a
large number of o Gathering word(text) or
individuals. image(picture) data.
o Collecting info from a small
number of individuals or
sites.
5. Analyzing and Interpreting data

Quantitative Research Qualitative Research

o Data analysis tends to o Text analysis.

consist of statistical
analysis.
o Describing trends, o A description of themes.
comparing group
differences, relating
variables.
o Interpretation tends to o Stating the larger meaning of
consist of comparing findings.
results with prior predictions
and past research.
6. Reporting and Evaluating research

Quantitative Research Qualitative Research

o Tend to use standard o A flexible, emerging structure

fixed structure and and evaluative criteria.
evaluation criteria.
o Take an objective and o Take a subjective and biased
unbiased approach. approach.