1. Introduction
Soc3307f

2. 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

3. 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

4. Quantitative/Qualitative Differences
Quantitative = deductive
Qualitative = inductive
Both involve measurement: the process of conceptualization and operationalization

5. 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
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6. Other Distinctions: Quantitative vs. Qualitative
objective versus subjective
nomothetic versus idiographic
etic versus emic perspective

7. Measurement in Qualitative Research
Empirical Observations
Working Ideas
Concepts
Generalizations/Theories

8. Triangulation Multiple lines of sight Researchers Theories
Data Technologies
Multiple lines
of sight
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9. 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

10. 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.

11. 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
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12. 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