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Qualitative Research
Researchers and authors agree that both quantitative (or conventional) and qualitative (or unconventional) research methods make important contributions to the development of new knowledge. For example, quantitative research describes quantity and tests relationships between variables at much greater precision than do most qualitative research. On the other hand, qualitative research can provide information regarding individuals' values, beliefs, understandings, and interpretations at much greater detail compared to most quantitative research. More and more researchers find that quantitative studies should not stand alone, and that qualitative research can add substance to the field's knowledge base (EECE 2003).
Today, Government agencies and private sector organizations are becoming increasingly
concerned about the effectiveness of their programs and policies.
Qualitative studies form the basis for the evaluation of many of
these programs or particular components of these programs. Qualitative
research is a broad category that includes exploratory or hypothesis-generating
(inductive) studies, interpretive research, historical research,
and several other forms of knowledge creation distinct from deductive
research conducted within the positivist tradition (Mittman 2001).
Qualitative studies use methods including in-depth interviewing,
semi-structural observation, and focus groups, singly or in combination,
depending on the needs of the particular study.
There are several differences between qualitative and quantitative research. One of the
strengths of qualitative research methods is that they are exploratory and flexible. The results of a quantitative survey, using closed-ended questions, provide public health planners and programs with information about characteristics of the population on a set of predetermined questions. Qualitative methods allow the researcher to ask questions of different people in different ways and to modify the questions and data collection methods to explore topics that were not initially deemed important (Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University, School of Hygiene and Public Health 2000).
As further explained by Aaron Ahuvia, PhD, Associate Professor at University of Michigan-Dearborn, Marketing Area, and Director of International Programming for Europe and Emerging Markets: "Qualitative research has its strengths, and these differ with the various forms of qualitative work. For example": Grounded theory is excellent for simultaneously developing and testing new theories about the functioning of social systems; phenomenological research gives us insight into how life is experienced by the people who live it. Such knowledge of other people's subjective experiences is required by anyone hoping to influence their behaviors; hermeneutic research explains the links between one's subjective experience and wider social forces and institutions. Finally, case research can engage theory testing, which is at a philosophy of science perspective similar to a lot of quantitative research, but approaches theory testing from a different angle. Whereas quantitative work looks at many cases but treats each one in a somewhat cursory fashion (assuming that errors will "wash out" due to larger sample), case research can explore a few cases in detail to determine if a theory really explains what is happening in those real-life situations (Ahuvia 2003).
Most authors and researchers in the field of social and behavioral
sciences view inductive, interpretive, and related applications
of qualitative methods as those methods' strengths and areas of unique
contribution given their "superiority over quantitative methods
in developing insights into actors' values, beliefs, understandings
and interpretations of events and other phenomena, or in explaining
historical occurrences" (Mittman 2001).
Despite these strengths, the:
"… contributions of qualitative methods to deductive research are no less significant or unique, and are no less important nor valuable in this realm than in their traditional fields of usage. The contributions and role of qualitative methods in deductive research are often overlooked or fall short of their potential when they are applied, due to shortcomings in their use. These shortcomings limit the value contributed by qualitative methods and undermine perceptions of their importance and applicability, further contributing to a cycle of under-use and misuse." (Mittman 2001) |
The origins and development of qualitative research methods have been closely associated with inductive, interpretive, and historical research. This has led many researchers to associate qualitative methods exclusively with these forms of research. As a result, the value of qualitative methods in conventional, deductive, empirical research may not be recognized. However, the rigorous application of qualitative methods in deductive research requires many modifications and adaptations. "Qualitative methods, when properly applied, can contribute significant value to management and organizational research and research in health services more generally." (Mittman 2001.
It is fair to conclude that both quantitative and qualitative research play important roles in knowledge creation. "Just as experimental research and survey research are both quantitative, yet are very different from each other; there are many diverse forms of qualitative research, each with its own strengths, weaknesses, and assumptions. In some cases quantitative and qualitative research are complementary ways of addressing the same issue, but in most cases they ask different questions and therefore obtain different results." (Ahuvia 2003)
Sources:
Ahuvia, Aaron, PhD, Associate Professor, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Marketing Area and Director of International Programming for Europe and Emerging Markets; University of Michigan-Dearborn, School of Management. Associate Editor, Journal of Economic Psychology, and Director of Academic Affairs, Int'l. Society for Quality-of-Life Studies (Email conversation February 26, 2003).
Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins University, School of Hygiene and Public Health. (2000). Qualitative Research for Improved health programs: A guide to manuals for qualitative and participatory research on child health, nutrition, and reproductive health. Retrieved February 26, 2003, from the World Wide Web: http://sara.aed.org/publications/cross_cutting/qualitative/qualitative.pdf.
EECE. Clearinghouse on Elementary and Early Childhood Education (Retrieved February 25, 2003, from the World Wide Web: http://ericeece.org/research/chap2b.html).
Mittman BS. Qualitative Methods and Rigorous Management Research: (How) are they compatible? White paper prepared for the Department of Veterans Affairs Management Research in VA Workshop, Nov. 19-21, 2001. (Retrieved February 25, 2003, from the World Wide Web: www.mdrc.research.med.va.gov/mtg_research/mittman-rev.doc).
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