Research Designs

Types

• Qualitative
• Quantitative
• Mixed Methods

Qualitative

• looks at qualities that cannot be quantified
• researcher becomes immersed in subject
• Data is in pictures, words, or objects

Qualitative- Advantages

• does not make assumptions before beginning research
• participants are asked about their experiments
• takes into account reality is unpredicatble

Qualitative- Disadvantages

• may seem unorganized
• Can be hard for researchers to "'remove' themselves from study

Quantitative

• observer is objective and neutral
• inductive reasoning is used to formulate theories only before research
• Researchers collect numerical data using tools (sur

Quantitative- Advantages

• Study is carefully designed before research begins
• Data is more efficient and hypothesis can be tested
• hypothesis is determined before measurements

QUANTITATIVE- DisADVANTAGES

• There's no such thing as qualitative data. Everything is either 1 or 0" - Fred Kerlinger
• research subjects are 'poked and "prodded'

Mixed Methods

• collects qualitative and quantitative data in response to research questions
• uses both methods (qualitative and quantitative)
• methods are framed within a broader framework

Mixed Methods

• used when integrating both methods provides a better understanding of the research 'problem'
• eliminates weaknesses of both qualitative and quantitative methods