Introduction

Soc3307f

Schools of Thought

Quantitative Research

-Meaningfully expressed by numbers -Provides counts and measures -Positivist orientation

Qualitative Research

-Meanings, concepts, and definitions -Quality assessed through words, images, and description -Interpretivist or critical orientation

Three General Research Approaches (Paradigms)

APPROACH POSITIVISM CRITICAL INTERPRETIVE USUAL TYPE OF RESEARCH

experiment, survey, historical comparative field research, interviews

PERSPECTIVE TYPE OF LOGIC PATH

technocratic transcendent transcendent reconstructed logic-in-practice logic-in-practice linear non-linear /cyclical non-linear /cyclical

Quantitative/Qualitative Differences

 Quantitative = deductive  Qualitative = inductive  Both involve measurement: the process of conceptualization and operationalization

Ideas and Theory

The Deductive (Quantitative) Process

 Ideas and theory come before empirical research  Ideas lead to refutation through research

The Inductive (Qualitative) Process

o Research leads to theory development o Research initiates, reformulates, deflects and clarifies theory Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010

Other Distinctions: Quantitative vs. Qualitative



objective

versus

subjective



nomothetic

versus

idiographic



etic

versus

emic

perspective

Measurement in Qualitative Research

Empirical Observations Working Ideas Concepts Generalizations/Theories

Triangulation

Theories Multiple lines of sight Researchers Data Technologies Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010

Triangulation: To Create a Fuller Picture of Social Reality

 Alan Bryman (drawing on Norman Denzin) states that that triangulation, “refers to the use of more than one approach to the investigation of a research question in order to

enhance confidence

in the ensuing findings” and is the primary rationale for using multiple methods.

 See Triangulation by Alan Bryman at http://www.referenceworld.com/sage/socialsci ence/triangulation.pdf

Norman Denzin (1970) on Triangulation 1.

Data triangulation

, which entails gathering data through several sampling strategies, so that slices of data at different times and social situations, as well as on a variety of people, are gathered.

2.

Investigator triangulation

, which refers to the use of more than one researcher in the field to gather and interpret data.

3.

Theoretical triangulation

, which refers to the use of more than one theoretical position in interpreting data.

4.

Methodological triangulation

, which refers to the use of more than one method for gathering data.

Symbolic Interactionism (Berg)

 Human behavior depends on learning  Human interactions form the central source of data  Participants’ perspectives form theory  Definitions of situation (W.I. Thomas)  Max Weber  Verstehen  Ideal types Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010

Questions….

 What is your impression of qualitative research?

 What might you be describing in qualitative research?

 How can we know what is really going on in a certain context?

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2010