Download - Mixing Qualitative and Quantitative Research
ACS 301
Slide 2
The case against mixing qual and quant
Methods have fixed epistemological assumptions. You can change them.
Methods have fixed epistemological assumptions. You can change them.
Yes, I agree. Though I would say that qual and quant have conflicting paradigms.
Yes, I agree. Though I would say that qual and quant have conflicting paradigms.
Embedded methods argument Paradigm argument
ACS 301
Slide 3
The case against mixing qual and quant…is weak
Methods have fixed epistemological assumptions. You can change them.
Methods have fixed epistemological assumptions. You can change them.
Yes, I agree. Though I would say that qual and quant have conflicting paradigms.
Yes, I agree. Though I would say that qual and quant have conflicting paradigms.
Embedded methods argument Paradigm argument
1. Epistemological stances are tendencies, not perfect determining factors
2. There is no technical reason why they can’t be combined
ACS 301
Slide 4
Mixing: an example“The aim was to study
managers in companies that represented the
broad ‘new capitalism’
experience.”
“The aim was to study managers in
companies that represented the
broad ‘new capitalism’
experience.”
“We collected two forms of data…A
questionnaire…[and] We also conducted
interviews.”
“We collected two forms of data…A
questionnaire…[and] We also conducted
interviews.”Source: Wajcman, Judy and Bill Martin. 2002. "Narratives of identity in modern management: the corrosion of gender differences?" Sociology 36:985-1002.
ACS 301
Slide 5
3 strategies for mixing qual and quant
• Triangulation• Facilitation• Complementarity
ACS 301
Slide 6
Triangulation
I want to corroborate what I found with a quantitative survey.
I want to corroborate what I found with a quantitative survey.
Well you can do some interviews and see if the main trends are the same.
Well you can do some interviews and see if the main trends are the same.
ACS 301
Slide 7
Facilitation
I use qual methods to assist in my quant research.
I use qual methods to assist in my quant research.
And I use quant methods to help in my qual research!
And I use quant methods to help in my qual research!
ACS 301
Slide 8
Types of facilitation
Qualitative helping quantitative
Qualitative helping quantitative
Quantitative helping qualitative
Quantitative helping qualitative
• Generating hypotheses
• Aiding measurement
• Identifying participants
• Identifying different types of participants
ACS 301
Slide 9
Complementarity
You really can’t do everything with a single method
You really can’t do everything with a single method
That’s true. Sometimes I need to use other methods to answer the entire question.
That’s true. Sometimes I need to use other methods to answer the entire question. Often, however, people
mistake this for “more is better.”
Often, however, people mistake this for “more is better.”
ACS 301
Slide 11
Mixing: the quant findings
“Fundamentally, the basic career
experiences…or men and women hardly
differ.”
“Fundamentally, the basic career
experiences…or men and women hardly
differ.”
Source: Wajcman, Judy and Bill Martin. 2002. "Narratives of identity in modern management: the corrosion of gender differences?" Sociology 36:985-1002.
ACS 301
Slide 12
Mixing: the qual findings
“Women were much more concerned with
the boundaries…”
“Women were much more concerned with
the boundaries…”
“Women do not necessarily ground
their private identities in their workplace
ones…”
“Women do not necessarily ground
their private identities in their workplace
ones…”Source: Wajcman, Judy and Bill Martin. 2002. "Narratives of identity in modern management: the corrosion of gender differences?" Sociology 36:985-1002.
ACS 301
Slide 13
Mixed: The Overall Findings
• There were some differences between men and women quantitatively – Discrimination experiences– Pay gap
• But they were often quantitatively the same
• They were vastly different qualitatively