LECTURE 1 QUANTITATIVE VS QUALITATIVE
Les goals 1: After completion of this lecture and its materials, a student is
able to:
q Match research questions to qualitative and quantitative research
q Summarize the characteristics of qualitative research
q Explain the difference between inductive and deductive; emic and
etic perspective
q Differentiate between the functions (i.e., contextual, explanatory,
evaluative and generative) of social science research
Quantitative Qualitative
Numbers JUICE , why, what, etc. is about
qualitative
Links and effects Processes, events, experiences,
perceptions, beliefs, etc.
Ephasis on deductive process Emphasis on inductive process
Testable hypotheses derived from No hypotheses, but possibly
theory or logic expectations
Testing hypotheses Theory development and adaption
Questionnaires (quantifiable), Interviews (open question), field
experiments, available data research, available data
Deductive= top down, test theory is the goal, hypothesis and then
observe and confirm the research
VS
Inductive (often by qualattitve reaserach): get new theories, bottom up,
start with observation (interview) why, wat etc. then look for patterns (the
reasons) and based on that develop tentatives hypothesis, and at the end
a new theory.
Etic perspective: how non members of a group interpet behaviour of a
given culture (someone outside of the group thinks of the reasons why the
grades are low) (outside perspective to understand the behavior)
VS
Emic perspective (often qualitative research): how members of a given
culture perceive their world (ask the students about why the grades are
low)
, (6) Fixed variables example relation weather (temperature) with
number of ice creams, measure in the same way otherwise is not
compatible
(6) Processes not same questions because you are flexible, open,
unstructured. You have to adept to the person.
Qualitative is about experiences and quantative is more general
WARNING:
• Qualitative research can also be deductive(e.g., deductive coding)
Quantitative research can also be inductive (data-driven)
• Qualitative research can also depart from an etic perspective (e.g.,
structured interview; deductive coding)
Quantitative research can also prioritise an emic perspective (e.g.
personalized questionnaire)
,Definition qualitative research: “Qualitative research is a broad umbrella
term that covers a wide range of techniques and philosophies; thus it is
not easy to define.
• In broad terms: qualitative research is an approach that allows you
to examine people’s experiences in detail by using a specific
set of research methods such as in-depth interviews, focus group
discussions, observation, content analysis, visual methods, and life
histories or biographies.
• Get people experiences in dept
• Perhaps one of the most distinctive features of qualitative research
is that the approach allows you to identify issues from the
perspective of your study participants and understand the
meanings and interpretations that they give to behaviour,
events or objects. For example, to understand their experience of
illness or disability, their experience of using a health service, or to
identify their social or cultural norms. This is referred to as the
interpretive approach.
The role of researcher: needs to be open minded, curious and
empathic, flexible and able to listen to people telling their own story.
In their natural setting study to identify how their experiences and
behavior are shaped by the context of their lives, (such as social,
economic, cultural, physical context in which they live).
UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT of the person
SHORTLY definition: qualitative researchers study things in their natural
settings, attempting to make sense of, or interpret, phenomena in terms of
the meanings people bring to them’.”
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