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
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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:
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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
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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:
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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
– 40-50 percent decrease in 1983-1988 of quantitative
methods
– 10 percent decrease in 1996-1999
– Qualitative methods increased from 15-18 percent of
studies to 30-40 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?
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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