Faculty of Nursing

Postgraduate Student – MSc.

Research Methods - Lec (2)

Quantitative
vs.
Qualitative Research

Asst. Prof. Dr. Ali Abdulzahra Mahdi

Ph.D. - Physiology
 Paradigm
 A paradigm is a world view, the way by
which people think about the world .
 Positivism

 a philosophical theory stating that certain

knowledge is based on natural phenomena .
Thus, information derived from sensory
experience, interpreted through reason and
logic, forms the exclusive source of all certain
knowledge .
 Constructivism or Interpretivism
Naturalism
that access to reality (given or socially
constructed) is only through social constructions
such as language, consciousness, shared
meanings, and instruments .
Basic philosophical Assumptions

Ontologic : What is the nature of reality?

Epistemologic : What is the relationship between

the researcher and that being studied?

Axiologic : What is the role of values in the

research?

Methodologic : How carry out the research?

 Positivism Constructivism
Ontology one universal reality multiple reality according
to individuals’ perspectives

Epistemology based on empirical constructed by exploring

analysis opinions that differ
according to context .

Axiology objectivism subjectivism

Methodology deductive ; quantitative inductive ;

quantitative
approach ; explanation approach ; exploration ;
; strong prediction weak prediction
 Quantitative Research
Quantitative Research is used to quantify the
Problem by way of generating numerical data
that can be transformed into useable statistics .
 Qualitative Research
 is a scientific method of observation and
collecting of non-numerical data . This type of
research "refers to the meanings, concepts
definitions, characteristics, metaphors,
symbols, and description of things" and not to
their "counts or measures“ .
 Quantitative Qualitative
Paradigm Positivism Constructivism
Data Numerical (quantitative) Narrative descriptions
Sample Size Large Small
Analysis Statistical Content analysis
Outcomes Measurable results A story ; ethnography ;
theory

Variable Cause – Effect ; Pattern of association

Relationship Associative
 Quantitative Qualitative
Purpose Generalization ; Causal exploration ; weak
explanation ; prediction prediction

Research Empirical evidence ; Ground theory ;

Approach inductive ; asking : ethnography ; case
(what, how many , how study ;
much) phenomenological
research ; asking (how)
and (why) .
Quality of Creditability Validity
Evidence Confirmability Reliability
Transferability Generalizability
Dependability