1. Introduction to Quantitative and Qualitative Research.
Unit-II
Introduction to Quantitative and Qualitative Research.

2. Objectives: Define the terms of quantitative and qualitative research.
Differentiate between qualitative and quantitative
research.
Describe methods/approaches/types of quantitative
research, i.e Descriptive, Co-relational, Quasi-
Experimental and Experimental research.
Describe methods/approaches/types of qualitative
research i.e Phenomenological, Grounded Theory,
Ethnographical, and Historical research

8. Types of Quantitative Research

9. Descriptive Research Design6
The descriptive study is designed to gain more information about characteristics of individuals, groups or situations.
It observes, describes, and documents aspects of a situation as it naturally happens (Polit & Beck, 2004).
Discover new meaning
Describe what exists
Determine the frequency with which something occurs
Categorize information
(Burns & Grove, 1999)

10. Example (Descriptive Design)
A national study involving 116 acute care facilities in 34 states to determine the incidence and prevalence of pressure ulcers.
Prevalence for 17,650 patients in medical-surgical units was measured during a 24- hour period at each facility. Incidence was measured over the average length of hospital stay for each facility.
(Whittington, Patrick, & Roberts, 2000)

11. Correlational Research Design8
Understand linkages and relationships among two or more variables without introducing any intervention.
Generate hypothesis that can be tested in experimental research. (Polit & Beck, 2004)
Using Correlational analysis, researcher determines:
Strength type (positive or Negative)

12. Cont…
The strength of a relationship varies from -1 (perfect negative correlation) to +1 (perfect positive correlation), with 0 indicating no relationship.
The primary intent of Correlational studies is to explain the nature of relationship in the real world, not to determine the cause and effect.
The correlational studies are inherently weaker than experimental studies.

13. Example (Correlational Design)
More people smoke , the more lung damage the
experience.
Increase in the number of year of smoke is
correlate with a decrease in life span.

15. Example (Quasi-experimental Design)
A study used a strong quasi experimental design to evaluate the effects of implementing a professional–patient partnership model of discharge planning with elders hospitalized with heart failure. The intervention was designed to facilitate identification of the elderly patients’ needs for follow-up care and to identify those requiring more in depth assessments.
(Bull, hansen, & Gross, 2000)

16. Experimental Research Design
Researchers are active agents, not the passive observers
It provides the framework for establishing a relationship between cause and effect
Research in which the investigator deliberately controls and manipulates the independent variable to observe the effect of that change on another dependent variable.

17. Cont…
True experimental designs use randomization to assign patients to the treatment group so called randomized clinical trails (RCT)
In randomization, control group gets standardized treatment while experimental group gets new treatment.

18. A true experimental design is characterized by the
Cont…
A true experimental design is characterized by the
following properties:
Manipulation
Control
Randomization

19. Manipulation:
It involves doing something (intervention/ treatment) to study participants
The experiment manipulates the independent variable by administering intervention and observes the effect on the dependent variable
Example: Gentle massage is effective as a pain relief measure for elderly nursing home residents.

20. Control:
The control group is defined as the group in an experiment that does not receive treatment by the researchers.

21. Randomization:
Randomization just means that we choose the subjects of the sample in a random way. 
This means that each individual in a population has an equal opportunity to be selected for the sample.

27. Data Analysis
Read, re-read, may return to participants for clarification
Comparative analysis to identify themes in data
Look for similarities & differences in data to identify themes
Reduce data into smaller & smaller number of categories to arrive at a consistent description of the meaning of the lived experience
Share description with participants for verification

28. Findings Reports the essence of the experience
Reader should get an understanding of what it is like to experience the phenomenon

29. Grounded Theory
Grounded theory research is an inductive technique that emerged from the discipline of sociology.
the term grounded means that the theory that developed from the research has its roots in the data from which it was derived.
Goal is to develop a theory about the processes (social behavior) under investigation in a natural setting.

30. Role of Researcher
Studies the behavior & the social setting that influences the interaction
Is a participant & observer
No effort is made by researcher to put assumptions.
On the contrary the researcher uses past experiences and assumptions to better understand the processes being observed.

31. Sample
Participants who are experiencing the social process under study
Size determined by theoretical sampling (collects, codes & analyzes data & then decides what additional data are needed)

32. Data Collection Data collection & analysis are concurrent
Observation & audio-taped interviews
Field notes
Researcher participates in the social group, observes
&records data relevant to study purpose
Broad open-ended questions
Ask participants to share stories of their experiences

33. Data Collection Data are obtained through a combination of:
Participant observation,
Interviews,
Literature on the study questions,
Self-reflection

34. ETHNOGRAPHY
Ethnographic Research was developed by anthropologist as a method to study cultures through immersion in the culture for a significant period of time.
The word ethnography means portrait of people.
Aims to understand the way in which people live from the emic (insider’s) perspective vs the etic (researcher’s or outsider’s) perspective

35. Ethnography The work of describing a culture (Spradley, 1980)
Culture includes a way of life (all the ways a group of people solve problems, a pattern of living that guides thoughts, actions, sentiments as reflected in language, dress, food, traditions, customs, etc.

36. Ethno-nursing
Mini ethnography - a small scale ethonography focusing on a narrow area of inquiry, limited time period, published as an article
Maxi ethnography - comprehensive study of a designated culture. Have a broad focus of inquiry, extend over a long period of time (years), & are published in book form

37. Data Collection Participant observation Formal & informal interviews
Focus groups
Collection of artifacts & documents
Field notes

38. Ethnographic Findings
A two-step process
1. A cultural inventory
2. A final descriptive report that may be a book

39. Historical research Historical research examines events of the past.
Many historians believe that the greatest value of historical knowledge is increased self-understanding; in addition, historical knowledge provide nurses with a increased understanding of their profession.

40. References
Walker, W. (2005). The strengths and weaknesses of research designs involving quantitative measures. Journal of Research in Nursing, 10(5),
Polit, D. F., & Beck, C. T. (2004). Nursing research: Principles and methods (7th ed.). Philadelphia: Lippincott.
Burns, N., & Grove, S. K. (1999). The practice of nursing research: Conduct, critique, & utilization (4th ed.). Philadelphia: