Chapter 2

Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches

PowerPoint slides by Ronald J. Shope in collaboration with John W. Creswell

Key Ideas

Definition of quantitative and qualitative

Research
Development of quantitative research
Development of qualitative research
Differences between quantitative and
qualitative in the process of research
Design procedures within your approach
Use of quantitative or qualitative approach

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Definitions of Qualitative and
Quantitative Research
Quantitative Research
A type of educational
research in which the
researcher decides what to
study, asks specific, narrow
questions, collects numeric
(numbered) data from
participants, analyzes these
numbers using statistics, and
conducts the inquiry in an
unbiased, objective manner.
Educational Research 2e: Creswell
Qualitative Research
A type of educational research in
which the researcher relies on
the views of participants, asks
broad, general questions,
collects data consisting largely of
words (or text) from participants,
describes and analyzes these
words for themes, and conducts
the inquiry in a subjective, biased
manner.
The Development of Quantitative
Research: Historical Trends
Statistical Procedures
Test and Measurement Practices
Research Designs

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Historical Trends: Quantitative
Statistical Procedures
Correlational procedures
Comparing groups
Cause/Effect relationships

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Historical Trends: Quantitative
Testing and Measurement
Testing mental abilities (late 19th
century)
Measuring achievement (e.g. SAT)
Predicting achievement from
standardized measurements

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Historical Trends: Quantitative
Research Designs
Educational Surveys (late 19th century)
Simple Experiments (early 20th
century)
Multiple groups and tests (by 1935)
Longitudinal designs
Books on research design (e.g.
Kerlinger 1964)

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

The Development of Qualitative
Research: Major Themes
Philosophical Ideas
Procedural Developments
Advocacy Practices

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Historical Trends: Qualitative
Philosophical Ideas
Naturalistic Inquiry or Constructivism
consider the participant’s point of view
describe participant’s view within a setting
or context
This is an alternative perspective to
traditional research

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Historical Trends: Qualitative
Procedural Developments
Central Phenomenon rather than
research question or hypothesis
Methods such as interviews,
observations and interviews
Designs such as case studies,
grounded theory and narrative

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Historical Trends: Qualitative
Advocacy Practices

The qualitative researcher is not

objective, politically neutral observer
The qualitative researcher is an
observer of the human condition
The meaning of the research is plural,
political and open
The project is collaborative and
participatory

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

 Characteristics of Quantitative and Qualitative
Research in the Process of Research
Quantitative Steps in the Qualitative
Characteristics Research Process Characteristics
•Descriptive/Explanatory •Exploratory/
Identifying a Problem Understanding
•Major Role a Central Phenomena
•Justify Problem •Minor Role
Reviewing the Literature
•Justify Problem
•Specific
and Narrow
•General and Broad
•Measurable/Observable Specifying a Purpose
•Participants’ Experience
•Pre-determined
•General, emerging form
Instruments Collecting Data •Text or image data
•Numeric Data
•Small Number
•Large numbers
•Text Analysis
•Statistical Analyze and
•Description
and Themes
•Description of Trends Interpret Data •Larger Meanings of Findings
•Comparisons/Predictions
•Flexibleand Emerging
•Standard and Fixed
Report and Evaluate •Reflexive and Biased
•Objective and Unbiased

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Ways in Which Quantitative and
Qualitative Research are Similar

• They both follow the steps in the

process of research
• Format for reporting the research
problem is the same
• Both have data collection steps

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

 How Procedures or Research Designs Relate to
Quantitative and Qualitative Research and Steps in
the Process of Research

Steps in the Research Process Two Approaches Research Designs

Quantitative
Identifying a Problem Qualitative
Quantitative
Reviewing the Literature Qualitative •Experimental

Quantitative •Correlational
Specifying a Purpose Qualitative •Survey

Quantitative
Collecting Data Qualitative •Mixed
•Action
Quantitative
Analyze and Interpret Data Qualitative
•Ethnography

Quantitative •Grounded
Report and Evaluate Qualitative Theory
•Narrative

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Quantitative Designs and Uses

Intervention Non-Intervention
Research Research

Explaining whether an Associating or

intervention influences relating variables
an outcome for one in a predictable Describing trends for
group as opposed to pattern for one the population of
another group group of people
individuals

Survey
Experimental Correlational
Research
Research Research

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

Qualitative Designs and Uses

Exploring common
Exploring the shared Exploring individual
experiences of
culture of a people stories to describe
individuals to
group the lives of people
develop a theory

Ethnographic Grounded Theory Narrative

Research Research Research

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

 Combined Designs and Uses

Combining quantitative and Using quantitative and

qualitative data to best qualitative data for
understand and explain a individuals to study
research problem. problems that they face in
their setting

Mixed Methods Action

Research Research

Educational Research 2e: Creswell

How Do You Choose Whether to Use the
Quantitative or Qualitative Approach?

• Match the approach to the problem

• Fit the approach to your audience
• Relate the approach to your
experiences

Educational Research 2e: Creswell