Quantitative vs

Qualitative Research
The Characteristics
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

 DEFINITION
 An approach for exploring and understanding the meaning individuals or
groups ascribe to a social or human problem
 Process of research involves:
 emerging questions and procedures
 data typically collected in the participant’s setting
 Data analysis inductively building from particulars to general themes,
researcher making interpretations of the meaning
 Final Written report has a flexible structure
 Inductive style, a focus on individual meaning, and the importance of
rendering the complexity of a situation
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

 DEFINITION
 AN approach for testing objective theories by examining the relationship
among variables.
 Variables can be measured
 These numbered data will be analyzed using statistical procedures
 Final written report has a set structure consisting of introduction, literature
and theory, methods, results and discussion
 Tests theories deductively, avoiding bias, controlling alternative
explanations, and being able to generalize and replicate findings
Mixed Methods Research

Mixed methods research is an approach to

inquiry involving collecting both quantitative
and qualitative data, integrating the two forms
of data and using distinct designs that may
involve philosophical assumptions and
theoretical frameworks
The assumption is that this method provide more
complete understanding of a research problem
than either approach alone
 Quantitative Research
Describing a research problem through a
description of trends or a need for an
explanation of the relationship among
variables
Qualitative Research
Exploring a problem and developing a
detailed understanding of a central
phenomenon

Providing a major role for the literature Having the literature review play a minor
through suggesting the research questions role but justify the problem
to be asked and justifying the research
problem and creating a need for the
direction (purpose statement and research
questions or hypotheses) of the study
Creating purpose statements, research Stating the purpose and research questions
questions, and hypotheses that are in a general and broad way so as to the
specific, narrow, measurable, and participants’ experiences
observable

Educational research : planning, conducting, and evaluating

quantitative and qualitative research / John W. Creswell. —
4th ed.
 Quantitative Research Qualitative Research
Collecting numeric data from a large Collecting data based on words from a
number of people using instruments with small number of individuals so that the
preset questions and responses participants’ views are obtained

Analyzing trends, comparing groups, or Analyzing the data for description and
relating variables using statistical analysis, themes using text analysis and interpreting
and interpreting results by comparing them the larger meaning of the findings
with prior predictions and past research
Writing the research report using standard, Writing the report using flexible, emerging
fixed structures and evaluation criteria, structures and evaluative criteria, and
and taking an objective, unbiased including the researchers’ subjective
approach reflexivity and bias

Educational research : planning, conducting, and evaluating

quantitative and qualitative research / John W. Creswell. —
4th ed.
RBS Practical Research 2
First Edition
RBS Practical Research 2
First Edition
 assessment
Use ¼ sheet of paper. Write (A)quantitative or
(B)qualitative if the items below falls under that category.
1. Subjective; sometimes personally engaged
2. Data is expressed thru verbal language (words, visuals,
objects)
3. Plans all research aspects before collecting data
4. Desires to preserve the natural setting of research
features
5. Random sampling as the most preferred method of
collecting data