Introduction to Systems of Human Inquiry 
Comparison of Some Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods
Introduction to Systems of Human Inquiry
Comparison of Some Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods
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Methods |
Methods |
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Epistemology |
There is an objective reality that is not dependent on human interpretation. Nature is orderly and follows specific laws. Occurrences or events have causes, which can be discovered. | There are multiple realities. "Reality is what you think it is." Reality is not purely objective, and does not exist independent of the humans who interpret it. Occurrences and events have causes, which can be explored but never completely explained. |
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Positivism(some
describe this paradigm as extinct)
Post-positivism
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Constructivist
Interpretivist Deconstructivist Critical Theorist Post-modernist Post-structuralist |
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(Lenses through which the researcher interprets the world) |
Empiricism -- "the
Scientific Approach"
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Feminism
Marxism Humanism Race-based Multi-cultural Practitioner-based |
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(Collection of methods or tools with a history) |
Experimental
Quasi-experimental
Causal-comparative Correlational Descriptive
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Naturalistic Inquiry
"So: what's it like,
Action research Ethnography Grounded theory Life histories Hermeneutics Narrative Inquiry Case study |
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(Data gathering and evaluation tools) |
Statistical Measures
used:
ANCOVA MANOVA t-tests Standard deviation, Mean, Medium, Mode, Significance, Type I and Type II errors
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Historical analysis
Focus Groups Interviews -- emergent and semi-structured
Surveys Member-checking Self-report Observations Document analysis
Questionnaire Reflexive journals |
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Reliability:
Internal
and External
Validity: Construct, Content, Face Sampling: Random and deliberate |
Trustworthiness:
Credibility,
Confirmability, Dependability, Transferability
Authenticity: Fairness, Ontological, Educative, Tactical, Catalytic Sampling: Purposive |
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