Research: Quantitative vs. Qualitative Approaches

Research Approach

• Research Approach is a plan and procedures for research that spans the steps

Quantitative Approach

• Based on numerical values
• Used to test objective theories
• Examines relationships among variables
• Uses statistical analysis
• Follows a deductive approach, starting general and becoming specific
• Uses a set structure in the final report known as IMRaD

Usefulness of Quantitative Approach

• Best for measuring relationships between variables
• Helps identify factors that influence an outcome
• Generalizes findings to a larger population
• Evaluates the utility of an intervention
• Helps understand the best predictor of an outcome, and evaluating cause and effect

Qualitative Approach

• Based on categorical data
• Uses themes to interpret data
• Aims to understand meaning
• Employs emerging questions
• Gathers data in the participant's setting
• Follows an inductive approach, starting specific and becoming general
• Uses a flexible report structure
• Does not usually test a hypothesis

Usefulness of Qualitative Approach

• Best when the topic is new
• Used to explore complex phenomena
• Focuses on depth rather than breadth
• Used with a certain sample
• Applied when existing theories do not apply or are not well-defined

Mixed Methods Approach

• Integrates both quantitative and qualitative data
• Provides additional insight into a research problem

Usefulness of Mixed Methods Approach

• Best when numerical and contextual information needs to be understood
• Appropriate for a broad research question with multiple dimensions

Components of a Research Approach

• Includes philosophical worldviews and beliefs about the nature of research

Philosophical Worldviews

• Postpositivism: theory verification using quantitative methods
• Constructivism: theory generation using qualitative methods
• Transformative: change-oriented approach
• Pragmatism: real-world oriented approach that uses mixed methods

Importance of Philosophical Worldviews

• Involves disclosing biases and using triangulation
• Checks and balances into methods
• Includes reflective disclosures

Research Design

• Procedures for inquiry

Quantitative Research Design

• Includes experimental and non-experimental designs

Experimental Design

• True Experiment: Requires random assignment, a control group, and random selection
• Quasi-experimental: Employs random selection, a control group, or random assignment

Non-Experimental Design

• Involves no manipulation of variables and relies on observational methods

Types of Non-Experimental Design

• Causal/comparative cross-sectional ("survey")
• Case-control
• Correlational
• Cohort

Qualitative Design

• Narrative: explores and tells an individual's story to understand
• Phenomenological: describes the lived experience of individuals who have common experiences
• Grounded theory: develops a theory
• Ethnography: studies culture groups, communities, etc. to understand their beliefs and interactions
• Case studies/case series: is an in-depth examination of a case within real life, involving a qualitative element

Mixed Methods Design

• Convergent parallel: Collects qualitative and quantitative data concurrently, then analyzes both
• Explanatory: Collects and analyzes quantitative data first, then collects and analyzes qualitative data to explain the quantitative results
• Exploratory: Collects and analyzes qualitative data first, then collects and analyzes quantitative data to explore the qualitative findings

Research Methods

• Specific data collection, analysis, and interpretation methods that explains how the study is conducted

Research Problem

• The issue being addressed and the number one question when selecting a research approach

Inductive Reasoning

• Moves from specific observations to general conclusions

Deductive Reasoning

• Moves from general principles to specific conclusions

Descriptive Statistical Analysis

• Techniques used to describe the data collected for a research sample or population
• Uses means, standard deviations, frequency counts, and percentages

Inferential Statistical Analysis

• Statistical analyses that allow to conclude the results of a study by determining the probability that the results are due to random variation (chance)

Statistical Significance

• Results are statistically significant if the probability of random variation is .05 or less; uses chi-squared, t-tests, ANOVA, ANCOVA

IMRad

• The typical structure of a research article, standing for Introduction-Methods-Results-and-Discussion

Topic

• The subject matter of a study

Research Considerations

• Whether it is worth studying
• The scope of the topic
• Whether it can feasibly be studied, considering available resources

Requirements for Research

• Access to participants and resources to analyze the information

Reasons to Conduct Research

• Adds to the literature
• Will interest audiences
• Advances personal goals

Strategies To Develop A Research Topic

• Draft a working title
• Pose a brief question(s)
• Build off of a PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome)

Literature Reviews

• Examine the current research topic
• Consider how the topic contributes to the literature, must be an element of novelty

Importance of Literature Review

• Provides context for the study

Purpose of Literature Review

• Shares results of other studies
• Identifies gaps
• Places the study in a larger dialogue
• Compares results
• Avoids redundancy
• Justifies the study

Functions of Literature Review

• Integrates existing knowledge
• Bridges related topics
• Identifies central issues in a field

Steps to Conduct A Literature Review

• Identifies key words
• Search databases

Quantitative Studies

• Location: Introduction (a funnel into purpose statement)

Function Of Quantitative Studies

• Provides direction
• Introduces the problem
• Introduces and describes the theory
• Examines the theory use
• Relates variables studied

Database Searching Selection Priority

• Journal articles
• Books
• Conference papers
• Web

Database Searching Tools

• Citation manager

Literature Map

• Presents a visual summary of existing research on a topic

Literature Map Patterns

• Hierarchical pattern
• Flowchart layout
• Series of circles

Essential Elements For Summarizing Research

• Problem
• Purpose
• Population
• Key results
• Methodological flaws

Essential Summarizing Elements

• Important Studies
• Major themes
• Highlights more research is needed, and how the proposed study fills this need

Summarizing Non-Empirical Sources

• Includes Problem, Theme, Conclusions, Flaws

Style Manuals

• Provide guidelines for producing scholarly work, including directions on citations, headings, footnotes, and tables/figures

Defining Terms

• Identifying terms with multiple definitions
• Define first time terms appear
• Keep definitions concise
• Using established definitions and cite them

Theory

• Is located at the beginning, discussing studies using, use a diagram, and provide a framework
• Is revisited at the end
• Functions to predict, model, diagram variables, and constructs

Theory Application

• Quantitative: Used determine causality, identification of variables, associations and correlations
• Qualitative: Is as a theoretical endpoint for a study, some use phenomenology
• Mixed Methods: discipline-based, or social-justice

Variables Definition

• a characteristic of an individual or group that can be measured or observed

Types of Variables

• Temporal Order: a sequence (study then exam)
• Independent Variable (IV): probably cause outcomes
• Dependent Variables (DV): outcomes that depend on the IV
• Predictor Variable: used to predict outcome of interest in survey
• Outcome Variable: Result or outcome of interest in survey
• Intervening/Mediating Variable: transmit the effects, explain how or why a relationship exists between the variables
• Moderating Variable: Predictor variables that affect the relationship between independent
• Control Variable: measured, statistically "controlled"

Main Elements of A Proposal

• Major points to be addressed
• Cohesion
• Outline what is to be studied, settings, people, also methods
• Potential ethical issues
• Preliminary results

Components Of Qualitative Proposal

• Introduction
• Procedures
• Ethical Issues
• Preliminary findings
• Expected impact of study and significance of study

Components Of Quantitative Proposal

• Introduction / Literature Review
• Methods
• Preliminary studies or pilot tests
• Appendices

Considerations For Mixed Methods Proposal

• Problem
• Purpose statement/research questions for both quantitative and qualitative aspects
• Rationale for the mixed methods approach
• Design elements
• Visual diagram of procedures

Key Notes About Research Proposals

• Proposals should be no longer than ~30 pages
• Use active voice
• Qualitative - Present tense
• Quantitative - Past tense
• Write down ideas early and often
• Anticipate ethical issues
• Develop trust and integrity

Validate Findings

• Address Rigor of the study, Audit trails, Member-checking, Retention rate, Attrition rate

Triangulation

• The use of multiple methods to study one research question

Data & Reporting Considerations

• Member-checking: Ask key informants to read the researcher's report to verify that the analysis is accurate
• Retention rate: how many participants remain through the whole study/follow-up on a survey
• Attrition rate: the drop-out rate; loss of subjects before the study is completed; threat of mortality

Components of Manuscript

• Umbrella thought: general or core ideas
• Big thought: Specific ideas
• Little thought: reinforcing big thought
• Attention or interest thoughts: keep the reader on track and organize ideas

Five Components Of An Introduction

• Establishing the problem leading to the study
• Reviewing the literature about the problem
• Identifying deficiencies in the literature about the problem
• Targeting an audience and noting the significance
• Identifying the "Purpose" of the proposed study

Importance Of An Introduction

• Sets the stage
• Generates reader interest
• Establishes Problem
• Places the current study in the larger literature

Reviewing Existing Literature Should

• Justify the problem
• Discuss distinctions of proposed study through synthesis
• Incorporate all study designs
• Use recent sources

Describing Deficiencies In Literature

• Topic not explored in a particular group, culture, population, sample
• Must replicate to new people or sites
• Underrepresented groups
• New location
• Vary measures

Common Deficiencies In Specific Methods

• Qualitative Methods: no population/group, explore new sites, active voice, include data
• Quantitative Methods: inadequate theory development, invalid/unreliable measures
• Mixed Methods: Address deficiencies with: connection insight, integration

“Purpose Statement"

• aka “study aim,” establishes the study's intent

Purpose Statement Location

• Appears in article's final paragraph, or in dissertation/thesis stands alone

Purpose Statement Significance

• Indicates why a researcher want to do the study, or intend to accomplish

Qualitative Purpose Statement Elements

• Central phenomenon, concept, or idea
• Study Participants
• Site
• Terms Used: Purpose, intent, or objective

"4 S" Elements

• Strategy, study participants, site, and scope of participation

Quantitative Purpose Statement Essentials

• Describe Variable and study relationship
• Study Participants
• Site
• Theory, model or conceptual framework
• Strategy

Qualitative Purpose Statement Terms

• Describe - understand, develop, explore

Mixed Methods Purpose Statement Elements

• Intent, rationale, combine qualitative/quatitative measures

Chapter 7 Content

• Signposts
• Purpose statement
• Research questions/hypotheses

Research Questions

• Should be narrow and specify participants site, and narrow the study’s purpose statement, questions depend on method used
• Qualitative research questions: Central question, broad question
• Use "what" or "how" verbs

Quantitative Questions

• Focused on relationships
• Research questions present relationship between groups, variables

Hypothesis

• Purpose: predictions about the expected relationships

Types Of Hypothesis

• Null Hypothesis: states that there is no relationship
• Alternative Non-directional: relationship exists, just does not specify direction
• Alternative directional: states precise relationship