QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

INTRODUCTION
There are broadly two approaches of research: quantitative research and
qualitative research. Quantitative research was originated in the natural
sciences such as biology, chemistry, physics, geology etc. and was
concerned with investigating things which we could observe and measure in
some way. Such observations and measurements can be made objectively
and repeated by other researchers.

Qualitative research was related to the social sciences: psychology,

sociology, anthropology etc. They were interested in studying human
behavior and the social world inhabited by human beings. The research
attempts to increase our understanding of why things are, the way they are
in our social world, and why people act the ways they do.
The aim of qualitative research is to gather an in-depth understanding
of human behavior and, not just what, where, when.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/qualitative_methods , accessed 22nd March
2009)
The further discussion on qualitative research characteristics, the
theoretical underpinning, the paradigm, the data collection, the advantages
and the comparison between qualitative and quantitative will be elaborated
as follows.

WHAT IS QUALITATIVE RESEARCH?

Qualitative research uses individual in-depth interviews, focus groups or
questionnaires to collect analyze and interpret data by observing what
people do and say. It reports on the meanings, concepts, definitions,
characteristics, metaphors, symbols and descriptions of things. It is more
subjective than quantitative research and is often exploratory and open-
ended. Small numbers of people are interviewed in-depth and/or a relatively
small number of focus groups are conducted. (Holliday: 2007)
(http://www.nhs.uk , accessed 22nd March 2009)

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Qualitative research involves the studied use and collection of a variety of
empirical materials, such as case study; personal experiences;
introspection; life story; interview; artifacts; cultural text and productions;
observational, historical, interactional, and visual texts that describe routine
and problematic moments and meanings in individuals’
lives.(Denzin&Lincoln:2003)
Qualitative research is concerned with developing explanations of social
phenomena. That is to say, it aims to help us to understand the world in which
we live and why things are the way they are. According to Beverley (1998), it is
concerned with the social aspects of our world and seeks to answer questions
about:
• Why people behave the way they do

• How opinions and attitudes are formed

• How people are affected by the events that go on around them

• How and why cultures have developed in the way they have

• The differences between social groups

QUALITATIVE PARADIGM

A paradigm is a loose collection of logically related assumptions, concepts,

or propositions that orient thinking and research. When we refer to a
theoretical orientation or theoretical perspectives, we are talking about a

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way of looking at the world, the assumptions people have about what is
important and what makes the world work.

Phenomenological

Researchers in the phenomenological mode attempt to understand the

meaning of events and interactions to ordinary people in particular
situations. What phenomenologist emphasizes, then, are the subjective
aspects of people’s behavior. (Bogdan&Biklen: 1992)

Ethnography

The ethnographic approach to qualitative research comes largely from the

field of anthropology. It is based on observational work in particular setting.
(Silverman: 2005) The emphasis in ethnography is on studying an entire
culture. The most common ethnographic approach is participant
observation as a part of field research (Fraenkel&Wallen: 1993). The
ethnographer becomes immersed in the culture as an active participant and
records extensive field notes.
Field Research
The essential idea of field research is that the researcher goes "into the
field" to observe the phenomenon in its natural state. As such, it is probably
most related to the method of participant observation. The field researcher
typically takes extensive field notes which are subsequently coded and
analyzed in a variety of ways. (Trochim: 2006)
Grounded Theory
The self-defined purpose of grounded theory is to develop theory about
phenomena of interest. But this is not just abstract theorizing they're talking
about. Instead the theory needs to be grounded or rooted in observation.
The research using grounded theory seeks to produce theory: a set of
interrelated categories that describe or explain some phenomenon.
(Travers: 2001)
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DATA COLLECTION
Qualitative approaches to data collection usually involve direct interaction
with individuals on a one to one basis or in a group setting. Data collection
methods are time consuming and consequently data is collected from
smaller numbers of people than would usually be the case in quantitative
approaches such as the questionnaire survey. The benefits of using these
approaches include richness of data and deeper insight into the phenomena
under study.(Beverley:1998).The main methods of collecting qualitative
data are: individual interviews, focus groups and observation.
Data is usually collected through sustained contact with people in the
settings where they normally spend their time. Participant observations and
in-depth interviewing are the two most common ways to collect data. "The
researcher enters the world of the people he or she plans to study, gets to
know, be known, and trusted by them, and systematically keeps a detailed
written record of what is heard and observed. This material is supplemented
by other data such as, artifacts, school memos and records, newspaper
articles, and photographs (Bogdan & Biklen: 2006).
Fraenkel and Norman(1993) in their book also states about in – depth
interview and the written record :” The researcher is continually observing
people, events, and occurrence ,often supplementing his or her
observations with in-depth interviews of selected participants and the
examination of various documents and records relevant to the phenomenon
interest.”

QUALITATIVE VS QUANTITAVE
Qualitative research explores attitudes, behavior and experiences

through such methods as interviews or focus groups. It attempts to get an

in-depth opinion from participants. As it is attitudes, behavior and

experiences which are important, fewer people take part in the research,

but the contact with these people tends to last a lot longer.

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Quantitative research generates statistics through the use of large-scale

survey research, by using methods such as questionnaires or structured

interviews. This type of research reaches many more people, but the

contact with those people is much quicker than it is in qualitative

research.(http://www.googleads.g.doubleclick.net ,accessed 30th March

2009)

Quantitative research methods are concerned with empirical research; the

hallmark of quantitative is measurement and quantification. (Connole,

Smith&Wiseman:1990). Qualitative research methods on the other hand are

not. Qualitative research is most likely same as interpretive approach. Miles

and Huberman (1984) as cited from Connole, Smith& Wiseman(1990) used

the term ‘qualitative’ to apply to research when ‘the data concerned appear

in words rather than in number.’ Strauss and Corbin (1990) defined that

Qualitative research:”any kind of research that produces findings not

arrived at by means of statistical procedures or other means of

quantification.” (Cited from: Hoepfl, 1997)

Qualitative methods can be described as being, “soft”, speculative, flexible

and subjective. The data collected have been termed soft, that is, rich in

description of people, places and conversation, and not easily handled by

statistical procedures. We may say that Quantitative methods are “hard”,

hypothesis testing, fixed, value-free and objective. (Bogdan&Biklen: 2006),

(Holliday: 2007)

In qualitative research, data samples are usually not collected through

random selection but rather purposive reasoning, which is to say they are
chosen for how well they typify the characteristics of a certain class. The
researcher's role in interpreting the meaning of data is more centralized in

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the qualitative approach than it is in quantitative methods, which ideally
seek to make purely empirical observations devoid of perspective.
(Flamand: 2009)

CONCLUSION
Quantitative and qualitative research methods are very different methods of
research. Quantitative researchers seek to provide answers in a balanced
scientific way; they do not make assumptions from their findings.
Qualitative researchers aim to evaluate things as they stand, in an attempt
to look at a lifelike picture, providing a “deeper” understanding. The fact
that qualitative research is not a ‘hard science’ leaves it open to criticism
from quantitative researchers. In my opinion neither methods is superior.
Both when carried out correctly provide good research. As Silverman (2006)
stated that “No method of research, quantitative or qualitative, is
intrinsically better than any other.”
REFERENCES

Beverley, Hancock.1998.An Introduction to Qualitative Research. Trent

Focus Group,UK.
Bogdan, C.Robert & Biklen, K.Sari.2006. Qualitative Research for
Education: An Introduction to Theories and Methods. Pearson,
Allyn and Bacon, Boston.
Connole, H., Smith, B., Wiseman, R.1990.Research Methodology 1:
Issues and Methods in Research. Deakin University,Victoria,
Australia.
Denzin,K.Norman&Lincoln,S.Yvonna.2003.Collecting and Interpreting
Qualitative Materials.SAGE Publications,Inc. Thousand Oak,
London, New Delhi.
Fraenkel, R.Jack&Wallen, E.Norman.1993.How to Design and Evaluate
Research in Education. Mcgraw-hill.Inc.
Flamand, Lee.2009.What is Qualitative Research. Available at
http://wwww.wisegeek.com

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Free article & Tutorial.2008. The Difference between Qualitative and
Quantitative Research. Available at
http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net
Hoepfl, C., Marie.1997. Choosing Qualitative Research: A Primer for
Technology Education Researchers.
http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/journals/JTE/v9nl/hoepfl.html
Holliday, Adrian. 2007. Doing and writing Qualitative research second
edition. SAGE Publication Ltd. London
Key,P.James.1997. Research Design in Occupational Education.
Available at http://www.okstate.edu
Silverman, David.2005. Doing Qualitative Research. SAGE Publication,
London, Thousand Oaks, New Delhi.

Travers, Max. 2001. Qualitative Research Through Case Studies.

SAGE PublicationsLtd. London ,Thousand Oak, New Delhi.
Trochim,MK.,William.2006.Qualitative Approaches. Available at
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net
Web Center for Social Research Method. 2009.Qualitative Approaches.
Available at http://www.socialresearchmethods.net

Wikipedia.2009.Qualitative Research. Available at

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/qualitative_methods