Comparison of qualitative and quantitative research paradigms

Questions asked, determine whether quantitative or qualitative research would be completed?

1.What factors positively impact at-home exercise compliance and performance in older adults? qualitative 2.Do people who underwent PT prior to TKA outscore on quadriceps strength compared to people who did not have PT prior to TKA? quantitative 3.How does a CI's teaching style impact the first-year DPT students' learning and engagement with patients? qualitative 4.What is the role of PTs in patient satisfaction at Reading hospital? qualitative 5.Is there a relationship between whether or not high school students with low back pain pursue PT treatment and their family income? quantitative 6.What is the process of expert clinicians in determining to alter the step speed during locomotor training in patients with spinal cord injury? qualitative/quantitative 7.How are the NPTE scores of the Alvernia DPT graduates related to their grades in DPT 712? quantitative 8.How does the community outreach program by DPT students impact the prevalence of cigarette-smoking in Reading? qualitative

Qualitative vs. Quantitative research purpose

Qualitative Research •Seeks to explore, explain and understand phenomena •Formulate theory or hypotheses •Used for questions that can be answered without generally focusing on quantity Quantitative Research •Seeks to confirm a hypothesis •Test pre-specified concepts or hypotheses that make up a theory •Constructs statistical models to explain what is observed •Counting and classifying features

Use of qualitative vs. quantitative research

Qualitative Research 1.When little is known about the phenomenon of study 2.When seeking to understand the "emic" or insider's view 3.When context is important figures out a way people think and feel about a particular topic Quantitative Research 1.When seeking to test a hypothesis about phenomena 2.When seeking to measure objective variables in a controlled setting 3.When examining relationships between variables, including causation

Qualitative vs. Quantitative validity and reliability

Qualitative Research •Largely depends on skill and rigor of the researcher Quantitative Research •Largely depends on the measurement device or instrument used

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Time expenditure

Qualitative Research •Lighter on the planning phase •Heavier during the analysis phase Quantitative Research •Heavier on the planning phase •Lighter on the analysis phase differences would be because of the research design, instrument of the research, data analysis, and the use of statistics

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Sampling

Qualitative Research •Purposive/purposeful sampling •Select people or sites who can best help us understand the phenomenon of interest •To develop a detailed understanding Quantitative Research •Random sampling •Select representative individuals •To generalize from sample to population used to make inferences about the population we are examining (looking for a normal distribution)

Qualitative vs. Quantitative strengths of each

Qualitative Research •Researcher gains an insider's view of the field •Useful for suggesting possible relationships, causes, effects and dynamic processes •Allows for ambiguities or contradictions in the data (there is a room for ambiguity and individuality and for individual interpretation based on context or a person's particular reflection; contradictions are helpful because this gives a researcher the possibly to recognize themes or issues with research) Quantitative Research •Scientific objectivity •Useful for testing and validating hypotheses •Less susceptible to ambiguities of interpretation Replication

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Data Analysis

Qualitative Research •Search for themes, patterns and linkages in the text •No statistical tests Quantitative Research •Use of predetermined analysis tools and software •Quantify attitudes, opinions, behaviors, and other defined variables •Statistical tests

Qualitative vs. Quantitative role of the researcher

Qualitative Research •Subjective •Involved as a participant or an observer •May reveal bias, values or experiences that impact interpretation of data Quantitative Research •Objective •Separately observes and does not participate •Documentation using objective languages

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Types of Data

Qualitative Research •Text-based •Informal, personal language •Open-ended response options Quantitative Research •Number-based •Fixed response options

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research Participants

Qualitative Research •The sample size is typically small •Determination of sample size -Saturation Quantitative Research •Large number of cases •Determination of sample size •Power analysis to achieve predetermined effect size

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Limitations of each

Qualitative Research •Validity & reliability •Difficult to replicate •Generally draws samples from small-scale data sets •The time required for data collection, analysis and interpretation are lengthy •Analysis of qualitative data is difficult •Expert knowledge of an area is necessary to interpret qualitative data Quantitative Research •Variability of data quantity •Large sample sizes are needed for accurate analysis •Context •Participants are not allowed to explain their choices or ask meanings of questions Confirmation bias (a phenomenon that the research may miss because of focus on a particular research hypothesis)

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Drawing conclusions

Qualitative research •Primarily inductive process •Generate theory or hypotheses from the data •Less generalizable •Knowledge generated are context-dependent •More subjective •Describes a problem or condition from the point of view of those experiencing it Quantitative Research •Primarily deductive process •Test pre-specified concepts, hypotheses or theories •More generalizable •Generalize results from a larger sample population •More objective •Provides observed effects (interpreted by researchers) of a program on a problem or condition

Qualitative vs. Quantitative research design

Qualitative research •Primarily inductive, descriptive process •More in-depth information on a few cases •Flexible •Emerge and evolve as study develops Quantitative research •Primarily deductive process •More breadth of information across a large number of cases •Highly structured •Laid out in advance of the study

Qualitative vs. Quantitative research question

Qualitative research •Quality (what, why) •What is it like to be...? •What is the experience of...? •How do young adults with down syndrome cope with...? Quantitative research •Quantity (how many, how often?) •What is the difference between...? •What is the relationship between...?

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research Methods

Qualitative research •Uses unstructured or semi-structured techniques •Seeks answers in words •Asks open-ended questions in an effort to explore behavior or phenomenon •Surveys •Online, paper, mobile, or kiosk •In-depth interviews •Face-to-face, online, telephone •Longitudinal studies •Systematic observations •Focus groups •Documents reviews Quantitative research •Highly structured methods for numeric information •Data gathered through the use of tools, equipment, questionnaires •Asks close-ended questions that give quantifiable answers •Experiments •Surveys/Questionnaires •Documents reviews •Measurable data to formulate facts and uncover patterns

Chart summary for comparison of the two research design types

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Inductive vs. Deductive process

see image for this concept break down

Emic vs. Etic

•Emic •Insider's perspective •Perspective focus on the intrinsic cultural distinctions that are meaningful to the members of a given society •This is used often in the qualitative research format (gives in-depth reports on how an insider perspective can be helpful with a particular research topic) •Etic •Perspective of an outsider looking in •Data gathering by outsiders that yield questions posed by outsiders (the WHO gives a good example of the etic view)