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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 18 page paper begins with a general introduction to qualitative and quantitative research designs, including a table that compares some of the major features of each. The writer then provides a comprehensive explanation of each approach. Different designs are also explained for each category of research, e.g., experimental, quasi-experimental, case study, phenomenographic research, exploratory method, historiographic research and grounded theory. Common terms in each approach are defined and the steps of each specific approach are reported. The writer comments on the strengths and weaknesses of both quantitative and qualitative research designs. The paper offers a comprehensive description and explanation of quantitative and qualitative research with examples in each category. 1 Table included. Bibliography lists 16 sources.
Page Count:
18 pages (~225 words per page)
File: MM12_PGqunql.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
Quantitative research is based on medical or scientific approaches. Qualitative research studies have not enjoyed the same level of prestige and acceptance as quantitative studies. Bartlett and Payne (1997)
cite Berq who says that quantitative methods "are often given more respect due probably to the exalted view of science held by the educated public and its tendency to regard
science as related to numbers and implying precision" (p. 173). This attitude is changing, however. The change in attitude has to do with more stringent controls and reporting of
results. One of the historical issues concerning qualitative research has to do with validity and reliability. Validity refers to the study actually measuring what it purports to measure. Reliability refers
to repeatability, in other words, if the study is duplicated, it will have results that are within a range of standards. The type of research design selected depends on the
purpose of the research. Four general purposes have been identified for research studies: exploratory, which looks for patterns and ideas; descriptive, which attempts to describe identified phenomena; analytical, which tries
to explain how or why something happens; and predictive, which attempts to answer the how, why, or where of specific events, thus forecasting the likelihood of the same thing happening
again given similar circumstances (Thames Valley University, 2004). The process of the research is then either quantitative or qualitative (Thames Valley University, 2004). There are also three categories in terms
of the outcome of research, which are applied, which is problem-oriented and tries to solve a problem, action, wherein the action is both an outcome and part of the study
and basic or pure, which intends to increase understanding and knowledge of a specific issue or general issues (Thames Valley University, 2004). Thames Valley University (2004) offers a useful table
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