Quantitative And Qualitative Approaches
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Quantitative
AndQualitative
Approaches
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Quantitative Research
�decides what to study,�asks specific, narrow
questions,
�
collects numeric datafrom participants,
�analyzes these
numbers using
statistics,
�and conducts the
inquiry in an unbiased,
objective manner
Qualitative Research
�
relies on views of participants,
� asks broad, generalquestions,
� collects data consistinglargely of words fromparticipants,
� describes and
analyzes these wordsfor themes,
� and conducts theinquiry in a subjective,
biased manner
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Characteristics of
Quantitative and QualitativeResearch
in the Process of Research
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Identifying a Research Problem
Quantitative research is used to
study research problems requiring
a description of trends or anexplanation of the relationship
among variables
�Variable- is an attribute or
characteristic of individuals that
researchers study.
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�Television Violence Study (Vooijs &Van Der Voort,1993)
yRecorded the children¶s test scoreson several instruments, ³such asreadiness to see violence ,³ and
they described generally howstudents scored on theseinstruments.
yStudied whether the specialcurriculum on crime influencedchildren¶s view on violence
television.
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Qualitative Research is used to study
research problems requiring anexploration in which little is known
about the problem and a detailed
understanding of a centralphenomenon
�Central Phenomenon- is the key
concept, idea, or process studied in
qualitative research
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�Gunman Case Study
(Asmussen & Creswell, 1995)
ythe authors seek to explore and
gain a deeper understanding of how those on campus reacted
to the incident
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Reviewing the Literature
In quantitative research,
the literature plays a major role and
justifies the research problem and
creates a need for the direction
(purpose statements and researchquestions or hypotheses) of the
study
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�Television Violence Study (Vooijs & Van
Der Voort,1993)
y The authors cited extensive literature on atthe beginning of the article (the literature
establishes the importance of examining
children¶s sensitivity to violence)y The article identifies framework on attitude
change and from studies of this framework,
creates a need to study several variables,including ways in which children critically
process information about television
violence
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In qualitative research,the literature plays a minor
role and justifies theresearch problem
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�Gunman Case Study (Asmussen &
Creswell, 1995)
yThe article opens with references that
support the importance of the problem
of campus violence but in the nextsection of the study, the authors
described the incident, and the
literature does not appear until thefinal passages in the study in which
the author describe the need for
campus planning.
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Specifying a Purpose for Research
In quantitative research,
the purpose statement, researchquestions, or hypotheses are specific
and narrow and seek measurable,
observable data on variables
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�Television Violence Study (Vooijs & Van
Der Voort,1993)
yThe authors selected their interest to a
few variables.
yThey measured the children¶s³readiness to see violence´ or
³approved violence´
yThey state specific questions theywant answered, such as types of
children who profit most from the
lessons in the curriculum on crime
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In qualitative research,
the purpose statement and research
questions are general and broad andseek to understand the participants¶experiences
�Gunman Case Study (Asmussen &Creswell, 1995)
yThe authors started with broad, open
ended questions to obtain participants¶view about the incident (understandingthe process of campus reaction to thegunman incident)
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Collecting Data
In quantitative research,the data collection consists of collecting
data using instruments with presetquestions and responses, gatheringnumeric data, and collecting informationfrom a large number of individuals
� Instrument- is a tool for measuring,
observing, or documenting quantitativedata
�Examples are: survey questionnaires,standardized tests and checklist
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Quantitative
�Television Violence Study (Vooijs & Van
Der Voort,1993)
yThe authors study a large number of
children in six different school . They
examined these large numbers of children
so that they can obtain a good cross secti
of the students in the six schools.
yThe authors identified instruments for
assessing the children¶s view toward
television violence
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In qualitative research,
the data collection consists of collecting
data using forms with general, emergingquestions to permit the participant togenerate responses, gathering word or image data, and collecting informationfrom a small number of individual or sites
�Protocols- forms for recording data asstudy proceeds.
�Example: interview protocol (contains four or five questions) and observationalprotocol (notes about the behavior of the
participants)
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Gunman Case Study (Asmussen & Creswell,
1995)
yThe authors collected data from a few individualson campus representing different constituents (e.g.
administrators, counselors, experts)
yThey didn¶t use instruments constructed by other
researchers, instead they developed their ownforms for recording information- an interview
protocol-during the project. This form contains
general questions so that the constituents can
provide their own responses to the questions
yThey also take observational notes about the
classroom in which the incident occurred and
collect campus newspaper reactions to the crisis.
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Analyzing and interpreting data
In Quantitative research,
the data analysis is consisting of statistical analysis, involvesdescribing trends, comparing groupdifferences, or relating variables
�Its interpretation consists of
comparing results with prior predictions and past research.
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�Television Violence Study (Vooijs & Van Der
Voort,1993)
oThe researchers collect responses from thechildren and assign numbers to each child¶s
score.
o They mathematically examine the numerical
differences between the groups that experiences
the curriculum and the group that not
o They examine this difference using statistical
procedures, such as analysis and covarianceo The authors conclude the article with a
discussion that compares their results with
results from other studies.
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In Qualitative research,
the data analysis consists of text
analysis and involves
developing a description andthemes
�Interpretation consist of statingthe larger meaning of the
findings.
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�Gunman Case Study (Asmussen & Creswell, 1995)
o They review their text data consisting of transcript from
interviews, written notes from observations, and documents,
including newspaper accounts.o They have a videotape of a news conference filmed
immediately after the incident.
o From this data, the authors first describe chronologically the
events for two weeks following the incident.o Then they identify themes or categories such as denial.
Other themes mentioned were safety and campus planning.
o Finally in the discussion, at the end of the article, the authors
interpret the boarder meaning of their description andthemes.
o In the epilogue the authors introduce themselves into the
study by commenting about the personal meaning of the
incident.
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Reporting and evaluating research
In Quantitative research,
the research reports use standard,
fixed structures and evaluative criteria�Researchers take an objective and
unbiased approach.
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�Television Violence Study (Vooijs & Van Der Voort,1993)
o The authors subdivided the research intostandard sections typically found in the
qualitative studies.
o The headings reflect this division: research
questions, method, results, and discussion.o The entire study conveys an impersonal,
objective tone, and they do not bring either
their biases or their personal opinions into thestudy.
o They use proven instruments to measurevariables and they employ complex statistical
procedures to build objectivity into the study.
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In Qualitative research,
the research reports used flexible,emerging structure and evaluative
criteria
�Researchers take a subjective
(reflexive) and biased approach.
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Gunman Case Study (Asmussen & Creswell,
1995)
oThe authors use a structure that is more scientificthan storytelling. However, they do not order the
scientific parts in the sequence typically found in the
quantitative inquiry.
o The authors introduce findings early in the studywhen they chronicle the events following the
incident, rather than report them late in the study.
o They also end with an epilogue consisting of
personal pronouns referring to themselves
frequently
o The extensive use of quotes from individuals also
accentuates the personal approach in this study.
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Similarities of Qualitative and
Quantitative research� Both forms of research follow the six steps in the
process of research
� In the section in the research problem-found in theintroduction to a study-both quantitative and qualitative
research can be similar in the topics addressed, suchas conveying a problem, and justifying a need to studythe problem. This does not mean that the type of theproblem is the same, only the format for reporting theproblem
� In both quantitative and qualitative research, youcollect data using interviews, observations, anddocuments. However, later we shall see a differencebetween the types of interviews or observations usedin these two approaches.
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What are the Research
designs associated withQuantitative and Qualitative
research?
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Experimental Design (intervention studies or group comparison
studies)
� procedures in which the investigator determines whether anactivity or materials make a difference in results for participants
� researchers assess this impact by giving one group one set of
activities (intervention) and withholding the set from another group
Correlational Design
� procedures in which investigators measure a degree of
association (relationship) between two or more variables using the
statistical procedure of correlational analysis.
� relationships are expressed in numbers which indicates whether
the two variables are related or whether one can predict another
� to accomplish this study, a single group of individuals is studied,
rather than two or more groups in an experiments.
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Survey Design
� procedures in which you administer a survey or
questionnaire to a small group of people (sample) in order to identify trends in attitude, opinions, behaviors, or characteristics of a large group of people (population).
Grounded
Theory Designs
� a systematic procedure in where the researchers need togenerate a general explanation (ground theory) thatexplains a process, action, or interaction among people
� the procedures for developing this theory includescollecting primarily interview data, developing and relatingcategories (themes) of information, and composing afigure or visual model that portrays the general
explanation
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Ethnographic Design
� procedures for describing, analyzing, and interpreting
a cultural groups shared patterns of behavior, beliefs,and language that develop over time
� in ethnography, the researcher provides a detailedpicture of the culture-sharing group, drawing on
various sources of information
Narrative Research Design
� procedures in which researchers describe the lives of individuals, collecting and tell stories about theseindividuals¶ lives, and write narratives about their experiences
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Mixed Methods Design
� procedures for collecting, analyzing, and linking both quantitativeand qualitative data in a single study or in a multiphase series of
studies� in this process, researchers need to decide on the emphasis you
will give to each form of data (priority), which form of data you willcollect first (concurrent or sequential), how you will mix the data(integrating or connecting), and whether you will use an advocacylens to guide your study
Action Research Design
� procedures used by teachers (or other individuals in aneducational settings) to gather quantitative and qualitative data to
address improvements in their educational settings, their teaching, and the learning of their students. In some actionresearch, you seek to address and solve local, practical problems,such as a discipline classroom issue for a teacher
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Choosing Whether to use
Quantitative or QualitativeApproach
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Match your approach to your research problem
� the most important factor when deciding what research to use
� for quantitative research are problems in which trends or explanations
need to be made� for qualitative research are the problems need to be explored to obtain a
deep understanding
� a combined design seeks both trends or explanations, exploration, anda deep understanding
Fit the approach to your audience
� deciding involves the audience for whom you are writing the researchreport
� Quantitative research may be more familiar to educators today who aretrained in experimental research, survey designs, and statisticalprocedures.
� However, qualitative research now draws a substantial following. Andthrough books, articles, conferences, and workshops, educators canobtain a much firmer grasp of qualitative inquiry than they could a fewyears ago.
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Relate the approach to your experiences
� Choose your approach based on your personal
experiences and training.� Conducting research in either quantitative or
qualitative research requires skills in conceptualizingresearch, conducting research, and writing the study.
� A quantitative research typically has taken somecourse or training in measurement statistics, andqualitative data collection approaches, such asexperimental, correlational, or survey techniques.
� Qualitative researchers need experience in fieldstudies in which they practice gathering information ina setting and learn the skills of observing or interviewing individuals.
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