Qualitative Vs Quantitative Essay

2.0. The Qualitative versus Quantitative Research debate

As previously shown, quantitative and qualitative methods stem from different ontologic, epistemologic and axiologic assumptions about the nature of research. Traditionally, quantitative methods are predominantly acknowledged within positivism whereas qualitative methods are dominant within the interpretivism or non-positivist studies (Bredillet, 2008).

Generally speaking, quantitative methodology is concerned with attempts to quantify social phenomena and collect and analyze numerical data, and the use of statistical procedures to examine group means and variance (Ponterotto 2005; Tuli 2010). Qualitative methodology, on the other hand, is more concerned with understanding the meaning of

Firstly, both quantitative and qualitative methods involve the use of observations to address research questions (Onwuegbuzie & Leech 2005; Krauss, 2005). Both methodologies desctibe their data, construct explanatory arguments from their data and speculate about their outcomes. Secondly according to McGregor and Murnane (2010), most researchers incorporate safeguards into their research in order to minimize confirmation bias and other sources of invalidity that have the potential to prevail in every research study. This is prevalent in both research methodologies. Additionally, both quantitative and qualitative researchers use techniques to verify their data. Quantitative investigators incorporate numerous control procedures and random sampling techniques to maximize internal and external validity. Respectively, qualitative researchers use an array of methods for assessing the auditability or credibility of qualitative research (Tuli 2010; Lincoln & Guba 1985). Lastly, Onwuegbuzie and Leech (2005) also note how both type of inquirers attempt to explain complex relationships that exist in the social science