Qualitative research method

Qualitative and quantitative styles of research differ in several ways, but in other ways they are complementary. Both researchers are systemically collect and analyze empirical evidence to understand and explain social life.

The orientation of qualitative research follows "logical in practice", while for quantitative research follows "Reconstructed logic".

Reconstructed logic means the logic of how to do research in highly organized and restated in an idealized, formal, and systematic form. Quantitative research is usually described as using reconstructed logic. The researchers describe the detailed technique procedure in their studies.

Logic in practice is the logic of how research is actually carried out. It has few rules, and often is based on judgmental calls or norms shared among experienced researchers. Qualitative research uses more of a logic in practice, it relies on the informal wisdom that has developed from the experiences of researchers.

When approaching data, the attitude from these two method differs greatly. For positivist, qualitative data are mental states or conditions that cause measurable behavior. The issues is how to capture it with precise, reliable quantitative measurement. They assume that they can develop objective, precise measures with numbers that capture important features of social life. By contrast, qualitative researchers view their data as intrinsically meaningful. The issue is how to access of other culture and obtain the relative descriptions and actor's conceptions of their actions. They focus on subjective meanings, definition, metaphors, symbols and descriptions of specific cases.

Characteristic of qualitative research

1. Emphasize the importance of social context for understanding the social world. The meaning of social actions can be various in different social contexts.

2. A quantitative researcher usually gathers specific information on a great many cases and look for pattens in the variables on many cases; a qualitative research may use a case study approach, he or she looks for patterns in the context of the complete case as a whole.

3. Researcher's integrity. The positivist may question that how can qualitative research by objective, there are many opportunities for a researcher's personal influence to affect qualitative research. In fact, the researcher' integrity is a real issue, that is one of reasons for an increased reliance on quantitative methods. On the other hands, the qualitative researchers substitute detailed descriptions of standard techniques and statistic for readers'trust.

4. Checks. qualitative researcher have to check their evidence in order to ensure accuracy. When she or he obtains a statement from informant, for example, she or he has to ask whether the informant's feeling or self interests led him to lie? or is there historical evidence to verify the authenticity of sources? Qualitative researchers have the first hand knowledge of the people in their studies. It often arise the question of bias, but it also provides a sense of immediacy, direct contact and intimate knowledge.

5.Grounded theory, is a widely used approach in qualitative research. The researchers develop and refine the theory during the data collection process, in which conceptualization and operationalization occur simultaneously with data collection and preliminary data analysis.

6. Interpretation. Quantitative research is expressed in numbers, and researchers give meanings to the number and tell how they related to hypotheses; Qualitative research mainly in words, maps, photos, diagram. The researchers giving them meaning, translating them and making them understandable.

Complementary evidence

Many researchers combine quantitative and qualitative research. The logic of qualitative research does not forbid the use of numbers, statistics, and precise quantitative measurement. Qualitative researchers believe that different methods reveal different perspectives.

Some critical researchers say that technically competent, neutral, unbiased survey research is expensive, only those who have money and power can pay for it. Such researches often already have framed perspective, are to help the ruling class to understand "people", rarely are results used to help people understand themselves, their class consciousness and social condition. Therefore, critical researchers often combine survey with field research to create a mutual learning experience and help respondents reflect on their own situation.