Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Taking the “Q” Out of Research: Teaching Research Methodology Courses Without the Divide Between Quantitative and Qualitative Paradigms

  • Published:
Quality and Quantity Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence that the debate between quantitative and qualitative is divisive and, hence, counterproductive for advancing the social and behavioral science field. We advocate that all graduate students learn to utilize and to appreciate both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. As such, students will develop into pragmatist researchers who are able to utilize both quantitative and qualitative techniques when conducting research. We contend that the best way to accomplish this is by eliminating quantitative research methodology and qualitative research methodology courses from curricula and replacing these with research methodology courses at different levels that simultaneously teach both quantitative and qualitative techniques within a mixed methodological framework.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Educational Research Association, American Psychological Association, and National Council on Measurement in Education (1999). Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing, Revised edn Washington: American Educational Research Association.

  • D. Ary L.C. Jacobs A. Razavieh (1972) Introduction to Research in Education Holt, Rinehart and Winston. New York, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Ary L.C. Jacobs A. Razavieh (2002) Introduction to Research in Education. EditionNumber6 Wadsworth/Thomson Learning. Belmont, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • K.S. Bordens B.B. Abbott (1988) Research Design and Methods: A Process Approach Mayfield. Mountain View, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Bryman (1984) ArticleTitleThe debate about quantitative and qualitative research: a question of method or epistemology British Journal of Sociology. 35 78–92

    Google Scholar 

  • D.T. Campbell J. Stanley (1966) Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Design for Research Rand McNally Chicago, IL

    Google Scholar 

  • V.W. Caracelli J.C. Greene (1993) ArticleTitleData analysis strategies for mixed-method evaluation designs Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. 15 195–207

    Google Scholar 

  • J. Cohen (1965) Some statistical issues in psychological research B.B. Wolman (Eds) Handbook of Clinical Psychology. McGraw-Hill New York 95–121

    Google Scholar 

  • R. Collins (1984) Statistics versus words R. Collins (Eds) Sociological theory. Jossey-Bass San Francisco, CA 329–362

    Google Scholar 

  • P. Connolly (1998) ‘Dancing to the wrong tune’: ethnography generalization and research on racism in schools P. Connolly B. Troyna (Eds) Researching Racism in Education: Politics, Theory, and Practice Open University Press. Buckingham, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • T.D. Cook D.T. Campbell (1979) Quasiexperimentation: Design and Analysis Issues for Field Settings Houghton Mifflin Boston, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • J.W. Creswell (1995) Research design: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches Sage. Thousand Oaks, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • J.W. Creswell (1998) Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design: Choosing Among Five Traditions Sage. Thousand Oaks, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • J.W. Creswell (2002) Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research Pearson Education. Upper Saddle River, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  • J.W. Creswell V.L. PlanoClark M.L. Gutmann W.E. Hanson (2002) Advanced mixed methods research designs A. Tashakkori C. Teddlie (Eds) , Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social and Behavioral Research.. Sage. Thousand Oaks, CA 209–240

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Crotty (1998) The Foundations of Social Research: Meaning and Perspective in the Research Process Sage. Thousand Oaks, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • J.A. Culbertson (1988) A century’s quest for knowledge base N.J. Boyan (Eds) Handbook of Research on Educational Administration. Longman New York, NY 3–26

    Google Scholar 

  • L.G. Daniel A. Dellinger A.J. Onwuegbuzie (2003, April) An Expanded Model for Categorizing Action Research Strategies: Assessing Research Complexity and Determining Concomitant Research Training Needs Paper to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association Chicago, IL.

    Google Scholar 

  • L.G. Daniel A.J. Onwuegbuzie (2002a, April) Training Teachers as Inquirers: Defining a Continuum of Strategies for Teacher Self-reflection and Improvement Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association New Orleans, LA

    Google Scholar 

  • L.G. Daniel A.J. Onwuegbuzie (2002b November) Reliability and Qualitative Data: Are Psychometric Concepts Relevant within an Interpretivist Research Paradigm? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Mid-South Educational Research Association Chattanooga, TN.

    Google Scholar 

  • L.G. Daniel A.J. Onwuegbuzie A. Dellinger (2002, November) A Model for Identifying the Level of Complexity of Action Research Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Mid-South Educational Research Association Chattanooga, TN

    Google Scholar 

  • D. Dooley (2001) Social Research Methods Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle River, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  • F.T. Durson R.L. Mellgren (1989) Thinking About Research West Publishing Company. St. Paul, MN

    Google Scholar 

  • L.C. Dzurec J.L. Abraham (1993) ArticleTitleThe nature of inquiry: Linking quantitative and qualitative research Advances in Nursing Science. 16 73–79 Occurrence Handle1:STN:280:ByuC2crgsFQ%3D Occurrence Handle8311427

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • M.A. Eisenhart K.R. Howe (1992) Validity in educational research M. D. LeCompte W. L. Millroy J. Preissle (Eds) The Handbook of Qualitative Research in Education. Academic Press San Diego, CA 643–680

    Google Scholar 

  • E. Erdfelder F. Faul A. Buchner (1996) ArticleTitleGPOWER: A general power analysis program Behavior Research Methods, Instruments, and Computers. 28 1–11

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Ermarth (1978) Wilhelm Dilthey: The Critique of Historical Reason University of Chicago Press Chicago, IL

    Google Scholar 

  • J.R. Fraenkel E. Wallen N. (2000) How to Design and Evaluate Research in Education McGraw-Hill Boston, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • L.R. Gay (1976) Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Application Merrill. Columbus, OH

    Google Scholar 

  • L.R. Gay (1981) Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Application EditionNumber2 Merrill. Columbus, OH

    Google Scholar 

  • L.R. Gay (1987) Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Application EditionNumber3 Merrill. Columbus, OH

    Google Scholar 

  • L.R. Gay (1992) Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Application EditionNumber4 Merrill New York

    Google Scholar 

  • L. R. Gay (1996) Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Application EditionNumber5 Merrill. Englewood Cliffs, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  • L.R. Gay P. Airasian (2000) Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Application EditionNumber6 Prentice-Hall. Upper Saddle River, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  • L.R. Gay P. Airasian (2003) Educational Research: Competencies for Analysis and Application EditionNumber7 Prentice-Hall. Upper Saddle River, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  • J.C. Greene V.J. Caracelli W. Graham (1989) ArticleTitleToward a conceptual framework for mixed-method evaluation designs Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis. 11 255–274

    Google Scholar 

  • E.G. Guba (1987) ArticleTitleWhat have we learned about naturalistic evaluation Evaluation Practice,. 8 23–43

    Google Scholar 

  • N.R. Hanson (1958) Patterns of discovery: An Inquiry into the Conceptual Foundations of Science Sage. Newbury Park, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Hodges (1944) Wilhelm Dilthey: An Introduction Routledge and Kegan Paul. London

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Hodges (1952) The Philosophy of Wilhelm Dilthey Routledge and Kegan Paul. London

    Google Scholar 

  • K.R. Howe (1988) ArticleTitleAgainst the quantitative–qualitative incompatability thesis or dogmas die hard Educational Researcher. 17 10–16

    Google Scholar 

  • H. Hughes (1958) Consciousness and Society Knopf. New York

    Google Scholar 

  • R.B. Johnson L.B. Christensen (2004) Educational Research: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Approaches Allyn and Bacon Boston, MA

    Google Scholar 

  • R.B. Johnson A.J. Onwuegbuzie (2004) ArticleTitleMixed methods research: A research paradigm whose time has come Educational Researcher 33 IssueID7 14–26

    Google Scholar 

  • M.R. Leary (1995) Introduction to Behavioral Research Methods Brooks/Cole. Pacific Grove, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • R.M. Liebert L.L. Liebert (1995) Science and Behavior: An Introduction to Methods of Psychological Research Prentice-Hall. Englewood Cliffs, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  • Y.S. Lincoln E.G. Guba (1985) Naturalistic Inquiry Sage Beverly Hills, CA.

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Madill A. Jordan C. Shirley (2000) ArticleTitleObjectivity and reliability in qualitative analysis: Realist, contextualist and radical constructionist epistemologies The British Journal of Psychology. 91 1–20 Occurrence Handle10.1348/000712600161646

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • P.Z. Manicas A.N. Kruger (1976) Logic: The Essentials McGraw-Hill. New York

    Google Scholar 

  • J.A. Maxwell (1992) ArticleTitleUnderstanding and validity in qualitative research Harvard Educational Review. 62 279–299

    Google Scholar 

  • J.A. Maxwell D.M. Loomis (2002) Mixed methods design: An alternative approach A. Tashakkori C. Teddlie (Eds) Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social and Behavioral Research. Sage Thousand Oaks, CA 241–271

    Google Scholar 

  • J.H. McMillan S. Schumacher (2001) Research in Education: A Conceptual Introduction, 5th edn Longman New York, NY

    Google Scholar 

  • Q. McNemar (1960) ArticleTitleAt random: Sense and nonsense American Psychologist. 15 295–300

    Google Scholar 

  • S.T. Meier S.R. Davis (1990) ArticleTitleTrends in reporting psychometric properties of scales used in counseling psychology research Journal of Counseling Psychology. 37 113–115 Occurrence Handle10.1037//0022-0167.37.1.113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • M. Miles A.M. Huberman (1984) Qualitative Data Analysis: An Expanded Sourcebook Sage Thousand Oaks, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Miles A.M. Huberman (1994) Qualitative Data Analysis: An Expanded Sourcebook EditionNumber2 Sage Thousand Oaks, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • L.C. Minor A.J. Onwuegbuzie A.E. Witcher T.L. James (2002) ArticleTitlePreservice teachers’ educational beliefs and their perceptions of characteristics of effective teachers Journal of Educational Research. 96 116–127

    Google Scholar 

  • I. Newman C.R. Benz (1998) Qualitative–quantitative research Methodology: Exploring the Interactive Continuum Southern Illinois University Press Illinois

    Google Scholar 

  • A.J. Onwuegbuzie (2000a, November) On Becoming a Bi-researcher: The Importance of Combining Quantitative and Qualitative Research Methodologies. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Educational Research (AAER), Ponte Vedra Florida.

    Google Scholar 

  • A.J. Onwuegbuzie (2000b, November) Validity and Qualitative Research: An Oxymoron? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for the Advancement of Educational Research (AAER), Ponte Vedra Florida.

    Google Scholar 

  • A.J. Onwuegbuzie (2002a) ArticleTitlePositivists, post-positivists, post-structuralists, and post-modernists: Why can’t we all get along? Towards a framework for unifying research paradigms Education. 122 IssueID3 518–530

    Google Scholar 

  • A.J. Onwuegbuzie (2002b) ArticleTitleCommon analytical and interpretational errors in educational research: an analysis of the 1998 volume of the British Journal of Educational Psychology Educational Research Quarterly. 26 IssueID1 11–22

    Google Scholar 

  • A.J. Onwuegbuzie (2003) ArticleTitleEffect sizes in qualitative research: a prolegomenon Quality. & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology. 37 IssueID4 393–409

    Google Scholar 

  • A.J. Onwuegbuzie L.G. Daniel (2002a) ArticleTitleUses and misuses of the correlation coefficient Research in the Schools 9 73–90

    Google Scholar 

  • A.J. Onwuegbuzie L.G. Daniel (2002b) ArticleTitleA framework for reporting and interpreting internal consistency reliability estimates Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development. 35 89–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Onwuegbuzie, A.J. & Daniel, L.G. (2003, February 12). Typology of analytical and interpretational errors in quantitative and qualitative educational research. Current Issues in Education [On-line], 6(2). Available: http://cic.ad.asu.edu/volumeb/number2/

  • A.J. Onwuegbuzie L.G. Daniel (2004) ArticleTitleReliability generalization: The importance of considering sample specificity, confidence intervals, and subgroup differences Research in the Schools 11 IssueID1 61–72

    Google Scholar 

  • A.J. Onwuegbuzie Q.G. Jiao S.L. Bostick (2004) Library Anxiety: Theory, Research, and Applications Scarecrow Press Lanham, MD

    Google Scholar 

  • A.J. Onwuegbuzie R.B. Johnson (2004) Mixed method and mixed model research R. B. Johnson L. B. Christensen (Eds) Educational research: Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed Approaches. Allyn and Bacon Needham Heights, MA 408–431

    Google Scholar 

  • A.J. Onwuegbuzie L.N. Leech (2004a) ArticleTitleEnhancing the interpretaion of “significant” findings: The role of mixed methods research The Qualitative Report 9 IssueID4 770–792

    Google Scholar 

  • Onwuegbuzie, A. J. & Leech, N. L. (2004b, February). A Call for Qualitative Power Analyses. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Southwest Educational Research Association, Dallas, TX. (This paper was recipient of the 2004 Southwest Educational Research Association Outstanding Paper Award.)

  • A.J. Onwuegbuzie N.L. Leech (2004b) ArticleTitlePost-hoc power: A concept whose time has come Understanding Statistics 3 IssueID4 201–230 Occurrence Handle10.1207/s15328031us0304_1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Onwuegbuzie, A. J., & Leech, N. L. (2005b, March 10). A typology of errors and myths perpetuated in educational research textbooks Current Issues in Education [On-line], 8(7). Available: http://cie.ed.asu/volume8/number7/

  • Onwuegbuzie A. J., Leech N. L. (in press-a). On becoming a pragmatist researcher: The importance of combining quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. International Journal of. Social Research Methodology: Theory & Practice.

  • Onwuegbuzie A. J., Leech, N. L. (in press-b). A call for qualitative power analyses: Considerations in qualitative research. Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology

  • Onwuegbuzie A. J., Leech N. L. (in press-c). Validity and qualitative research: An oxymoron. Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology

  • A.J. Onwuegbuzie C. Teddlie (2003) A framework for analyzing data in mixed methods research A. Tashakkori C. Teddlie (Eds) Handbook of Mixed Methods in Social and Behavioral Research. Sage Thousand Oaks, CA 351–383

    Google Scholar 

  • W. Outhwaite (1975) Understanding Social Life: The Method Called Verstehen Allen and Unwin. London

    Google Scholar 

  • W. Outhwaite (1983) Concept Formation in Social Science Routledge and Kegan Paul. London

    Google Scholar 

  • Q. Patton M. (1990) Qualitative Research and Evaluation Methods EditionNumber2 Sage Newbury Park, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • K.R. Popper (1959) The Logic of Scientific Discovery Basic Books New York

    Google Scholar 

  • K.F. Punch (1999) Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches Sage Thousand Oaks, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • QSR International Pty Ltd (2002). N6 (Non-numerical Unstructured Data Indexing Searching & Theorizing) Qualitative Data Analysis Program. (Version 6.0) [Computer software]. Melbourne, Australia: QSR International Pty Ltd.

  • C.S. Reichardt S.F. Rallis (1994) Qualitative and quantitative inquiries are not incompatible: A call for a new partnership C.S. Reichardt S.F. Rallis (Eds) The Qualitative–Quantitative Debate: New Perspectives. Jossey-Bass San Francisco, CA 85–92

    Google Scholar 

  • R.L. Rosnow R.R. Rosenthal (1996) Beginning Behavioral Research: A Conceptual Primer Prentice Hall Englewood Cliffs, NJ

    Google Scholar 

  • N.J. Salkind (2000) Exploring Research Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, N.J

    Google Scholar 

  • M. Sandelowski (2001) ArticleTitleReal qualitative researchers do not count: The use of numbers in qualitative research Research in Nursing. & Health. 24 230–240

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Sechrest S. Sidani (1995) ArticleTitleQuantitative and qualitative methods: Is there an alternative Evaluation and Program Planning. 18 77–87 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0149-7189(94)00051-X

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S.D. Sieber (1973) ArticleTitleThe integration of fieldwork and survey methods American Journal of Sociology. 73 1335–1359 Occurrence Handle10.1086/225467

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J.K. Smith (1983) ArticleTitleQuantitative versus qualitative research: An attempt to clarify the issue Educational Researcher. 12 6–13

    Google Scholar 

  • J.K. Smith L. Heshusius (1986) ArticleTitleClosing down the conversation: The end of the quantitative–qualitative debate among educational inquirers Educational Researcher. 15 4–13

    Google Scholar 

  • M. L. Smith (1994) Qualitative plus/versus quantitative: The last word. C.S. Reichardt S.F. Rallis (Eds) The Qualitative–Quantitative Debate: New Perspectives. Jossey-Bass San Francisco 37–44

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Tashakkori C. Teddlie (1998) Mixed Methodology: Combining Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches Sage Thousand, CA

    Google Scholar 

  • A. Tashakkori C. Teddlie (2003) ArticleTitleIssues and dilemmas in teaching research methods courses in social and behavioral sciences: a US perspective International Journal of Social Research Methodology. 6 IssueID1 61–77 Occurrence Handle10.1080/13645570305055

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • B. Thompson P.A. Snyder (1998) ArticleTitleStatistical significance and reliability analyses in recent JCD research articles Journal of Counseling and Development 76 436–441

    Google Scholar 

  • B. Thompson T. Vacha-Haase (2000) ArticleTitlePsychometrics is datametrics: The test is not reliable Educational and Psychological Measurement. 60 174–195 Occurrence Handle10.1177/00131640021970448

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • T. Vacha-Haase C. Ness J. Nilsson D. Reetz (1999) ArticleTitlePractices regarding reporting of reliability coefficients A review of three journals. The Journal of Experimental Education. 67 335–341

    Google Scholar 

  • N.E. Wallen J.R. Fraenkel (2001) Educational Research: A Guide to the Process Lawrence Erlbaum. Mahwah, N.J

    Google Scholar 

  • L. Wilkinson (1999) ArticleTitlethe Task Force on Statistical Inference. Statistical methods in psychology journals: Guidelines and explanations. American Psychologist. 54 594–604 Occurrence Handle10.1037//0003-066X.54.8.594

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • E.P. Willems H.L. Raush (1969) Naturalistic Viewpoints in Psychological Research Holt, Rinehart, & Winston. New York

    Google Scholar 

  • V.L. Willson (1980) ArticleTitleResearch techniques in AERJ articles: 1969 to 1978 Educational Researcher. 9 IssueID6 5–10

    Google Scholar 

  • A.E. Witcher A.J. Onwuegbuzie L.C. Minor (2001) ArticleTitleCharacteristics of effective teachers: Perceptions of preservice teachers Research in the Schools 8 45–57

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Educational Measurement and Research, College of Education, University of South Florida, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, EDU 162, Tampa, FL, 33620-7750, USA

    Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie

  2. University of Colorado at Denver, Denver, USA, FL

    Nancy L. Leech

Authors
  1. Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nancy L. Leech
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anthony J. Onwuegbuzie.

Additional information

An earlier version of this article received the 2003 Southwest Educational Research Association (SERA) Outstanding Paper Award.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Onwuegbuzie, A.J., Leech, N.L. Taking the “Q” Out of Research: Teaching Research Methodology Courses Without the Divide Between Quantitative and Qualitative Paradigms. Qual Quant 39, 267–295 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-004-1670-0

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11135-004-1670-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation