Quantitative vs.

Qualitative
Research Method Issues
Marian Ford
Erin Gonzales
November 2, 2010
 Outline
• Introduction – How to choose?
• Quantitative Research
– Disadvantages vs. Advantages
• Qualitative Research
– Disadvantages vs. Advantages
• History and Trends
• Mixed-Methods
• So which is better?
 Factors to consider
• Field of study
• Nature of study
• Purpose of the study
• Population of the study
• Tools readily available
– Method and design
– Instrument
• Amount of human interaction or characteristics to be studied
• Desired implications and results
 Quantitative
• Positivist thought – can be verified by observation and
experimentation
• Distribution of variables that can be generalized to entire
population
• Less interaction between researcher and subjects – more
objectivity
• Four categories:
– Descriptive design
– Correlation
– Casual comparative
– Quasi-experimental
 Disadvantages
• Should only be used if data can
be measured by numbers, results
quantified
• Instrument or method chosen is
subjective and research is
dependent upon tool chosen
• Lack of independent thought by
researcher when dependent on
instrument or mathematics used to
extract or evaluate data
• Individuals’ decisions not
evaluated based on their culture
or social interactions
• Decisions made without regard to
individual human thought or
choice to predict behavior
• All individuals are measured same
way
– Experiences
– Backgrounds
– Intelligence
– Ability to change decisions at any
given point in time
– Independent though
 Criticism
• Inefficient for formulating higher education planning, policy
and decision making
• Unable to create procedures based on results
• Groups individuals as unemotional subjects (Keller, 1998)
– Social influences of individuals needed
– Limitations on generalizability
– Particular point in time; no account for change of mind
 Advantages
• Observations are used
throughout studies
• Formulating hypotheses
allows for speculation about
outcomes; applicable
instrument
• Safeguards used to
minimize or eliminate bias
• Predicts correlation between
objects
• Systematic data collection
and analysis
• Generalizable to other
institutions for further
research
• Recognized criteria for
assessment and validity
• More research conducted by
this method
 Qualitative
• Investigates individual behaviors and characteristics to
understand cause and solve issues
• Inductive process to explore new perspectives on previously
studied information not completely understood
• Involvement of human subjects; dependent on interaction
• Less generalizable to greater population
• More accurate description of individuals and groups
• Multiple types:
– Interviews
– Focus groups
– Case studies
– Ethnographic studies
 Disadvantages
• Strong dependency on • Convenience sampling
sample population • Lack of training or
– Access knowledge about
– Honest and valid methodology
information • Lack of ability to produce
• Time and resources needed and comprehend research
for collection and analysis is • Not recognized
intensive
• Lack of objectivity and bias
by researcher
– Inferences made
– Incorrect conclusions
 Advantages
• Helps explain relationships • Less dependent on
in detail; individualistic instrument
• Can help validate • Can bring change in
quantitative findings by institutions and society
further investigation – In-depth
• Can help close gap between – Personalized
research and practice – Examines specific issues
– Needs of individuals in
institutions
– Study problems more relevant
to policy makers
 History and Trends
• Study of five leading higher education journals
showed higher volume of quantitative methods vs.
qualitative in 1986 and 1989
• Shift has reported increase in qualitative methods in
organization and vocational psychology
– 40-50 percent decrease in 1983-1988 of quantitative
methods
– 10 percent decrease in 1996-1999
– Qualitative methods increased from 15-18 percent of
studies to 30-40 percent of studies
 History and Trends
• Discovery of Grounded Theory: Barney Glaser
– Legitimized alternative methods and research designs
– Emphasized the creation of theory out of qualitative data
– No longer belief that research was solely to produce
scientific knowledge
• Comparative assessment for research still does not
exists
 How do you measure what’s best?
• Need a standard of measurement to determine quality
• Guidelines are needed to recognize validity of results
• Barriers of many different approaches and types of research methods
• Two methods can provide complementary results
– Qualitative:
• Rich description of issues in field
• Lay groundwork for quantitative studies
– Quantitative
• Provides accurate data collection and analysis and utilization