Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches

Definition of quantitative and qualitative Research Development of quantitative research Development of qualitative research Differences between quantitative and qualitative in the process of research Design procedures within your approach Use of quantitative or qualitative approach

A type of educational research in which the researcher decides what to study, asks specific, narrow questions, collects numeric (numbered) data from participants, analyzes these numbers using statistics, and conducts the inquiry in an unbiased, objective manner.

Quantitative Research

A type of educational research in which the researcher relies on the views of participants, asks broad, general questions, collects data consisting largely of words (or text) from participants, describes and analyzes these words for themes, and conducts the inquiry in a subjective, biased manner.

Qualitative Research

Statistical Procedures Test and Measurement Practices Research Designs

Correlational procedures Comparing groups Cause/Effect relationships

Testing mental abilities (late 19th century) Measuring achievement (e.g. SAT) Predicting achievement from standardized measurements

Educational Surveys (late 19th century) Simple Experiments (early 20th century) Multiple groups and tests (by 1935) Longitudinal designs Books on research design (e.g. Kerlinger 1964)

Philosophical Ideas Procedural Developments Advocacy Practices

Naturalistic Inquiry or Constructivism

This is an alternative perspective to traditional research

consider the participants point of view describe participants view within a setting or context

Central Phenomenon rather than research question or hypothesis Methods such as interviews, observations and interviews Designs such as case studies, grounded theory and narrative

The qualitative researcher is not objective, politically neutral observer The qualitative researcher is an observer of the human condition The meaning of the research is plural, political and open The project is collaborative and participatory

Quantitative Characteristics
Descriptive/Explanatory
Major

Steps in the Research Process Identifying a Problem Reviewing the Literature Specifying a Purpose Collecting Data Analyze and Interpret Data Report and Evaluate

Role Justify Problem

Specific

and Narrow Measurable/Observable

Pre-determined

Exploratory/ Understanding a Central Phenomena Minor Role Justify Problem

General

Qualitative Characteristics

Instruments Numeric Data Large numbers

Statistical Description

and Broad Participants Experience General, emerging form Text or image data Small Number
Text Analysis Description

of Trends Comparisons/Predictions Standard and Fixed Objective and Unbiased

and Themes Larger Meanings of Findings

Flexible

and Emerging Reflexive and Biased

They both follow the steps in the process of research Format for reporting the research problem is the same Both have data collection steps

Steps in the Research Process Two Approaches Identifying a Problem Reviewing the Literature Specifying a Purpose Collecting Data
Quantitative Qualitative

Research Designs

Quantitative Qualitative Quantitative Qualitative

Quantitative Qualitative Quantitative Qualitative Quantitative Qualitative

Experimental Correlational Survey

Mixed Action

Analyze and Interpret Data

Report and Evaluate

Ethnography Grounded

Theory Narrative
Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Intervention Research
Explaining whether an intervention influences an outcome for one group as opposed to another group Associating or relating variables in a predictable pattern for one group of individuals

Non-Intervention Research

Describing trends for the population of people

Experimental Research

Correlational Research

Survey Research

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Exploring the shared culture of a people group

Exploring common experiences of individuals to develop a theory

Exploring individual stories to describe the lives of people

Ethnographic Research

Grounded Theory Research

Narrative Research

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Combining quantitative and qualitative data to best understand and explain a research problem.

Using quantitative and qualitative data for individuals to study problems that they face in their setting

Mixed Methods Research

Action Research
Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Match the approach to the problem Fit the approach to your audience Relate the approach to your experiences