Introduction Soc3307f
Schools of Thought Quantitative Research Qualitative Research -Meanings, concepts, and definitions -Quality assessed through words, images, and description -Interpretivist or critical orientation -Meaningfully expressed by numbers -Provides counts and measures -Positivist orientation 2
Three General Research Approaches (Paradigms) APPROACH POSITIVISM CRITICAL INTERPRETIVE USUAL TYPE experiment, historical- field research, OF RESEARCH survey, comparative interviews PERSPECTIVE technocratic transcendent transcendent TYPE OF LOGIC reconstructed logic-in-practice logic-in-practice PATH linear non-linear non-linear /cyclical /cyclical
Quantitative/Qualitative Differences Quantitative = deductive Qualitative = inductive Both involve measurement: the process of conceptualization and operationalization
Ideas and Theory The Deductive (Quantitative) Process Ideas and theory come before empirical research Ideas lead to refutation through research The Inductive (Qualitative) Process Research leads to theory development Research initiates, reformulates, deflects and clarifies theory Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 5
Other Distinctions: Quantitative vs. Qualitative objective versus subjective nomothetic versus idiographic etic versus emic perspective
Measurement in Qualitative Research Empirical Observations Working Ideas Concepts Generalizations/Theories
Triangulation Multiple lines of sight Researchers Theories Data Technologies Multiple lines of sight Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010 8
Triangulation: To Create a Fuller Picture of Social Reality Alan Bryman (drawing on Norman Denzin) states that that triangulation, “refers to the use of more than one approach to the investigation of a research question in order to enhance confidence in the ensuing findings” and is the primary rationale for using multiple methods. See Triangulation by Alan Bryman at http://www.referenceworld.com/sage/socialscience/triangulation.pdf
Norman Denzin (1970) on Triangulation 1. Data triangulation, which entails gathering data through several sampling strategies, so that slices of data at different times and social situations, as well as on a variety of people, are gathered. 2. Investigator triangulation, which refers to the use of more than one researcher in the field to gather and interpret data. 3. Theoretical triangulation, which refers to the use of more than one theoretical position in interpreting data. 4. Methodological triangulation, which refers to the use of more than one method for gathering data.
Symbolic Interactionism (Berg) Human behavior depends on learning Human interactions form the central source of data Participants’ perspectives form theory Definitions of situation (W.I. Thomas) Max Weber Verstehen Ideal types Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010
Questions…. What is your impression of qualitative research? What might you be describing in qualitative research? How can we know what is really going on in a certain context? Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010