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 sample population – Access – Honest and valid information Time and resources needed for collection and analysis is intensive Lack of objectivity and bias by researcher – Inferences made – Incorrect conclusions Convenience sampling Lack of training or knowledge about methodology Lack of ability to produce and comprehend research Not recognized

Advantages Helps explain relationships in detail; individualistic Can help validate quantitative findings by further investigation Can help close gap between research and practice – Needs of individuals in institutions – Study problems more relevant to policy makers Less dependent on instrument Can bring change in institutions and society – In-depth – Personalized – Examines specific issues

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 – percent decrease in of quantitative methods – 10 percent decrease in – Qualitative methods increased from percent of studies to 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