Comments on: Qualitative Research http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2007/07/25/qualitative-research/ UIE\'s latest insights on the world of design Fri, 9 Jan 2009 04:10:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: John http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2007/07/25/qualitative-research/#comment-84157 John Sun, 05 Aug 2007 20:25:39 +0000 http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2007/07/25/qualitative-research/#comment-84157 Michael is correct, and perhaps understating the point. There's nothing inherently more scientific to quantitative data and analysis than there is to qualitative data. One can follow the principles of scientific inquiry either way. Unfortunately, K-12 education perpetuates some peculiar and entirely inaccurate notions of what exactly it means to be scientific. Science isn't defined by the phenomenon being studied--it is not a subject. And it is not intrinsically linked to quantitative data--"math and science" are fully separate. Science is a particular set of epistemological principles, values about the process we use to build and evaluate knowledge. I'm no less as scientist when I work with NVivo or Atlas.TI to analyze qualitative data as a way to test hypotheses than I am when I do the same using SPSS or JMP when working with a quantitative dataset. Michael is correct, and perhaps understating the point. There’s nothing inherently more scientific to quantitative data and analysis than there is to qualitative data. One can follow the principles of scientific inquiry either way. Unfortunately, K-12 education perpetuates some peculiar and entirely inaccurate notions of what exactly it means to be scientific. Science isn’t defined by the phenomenon being studied–it is not a subject. And it is not intrinsically linked to quantitative data–”math and science” are fully separate.

Science is a particular set of epistemological principles, values about the process we use to build and evaluate knowledge. I’m no less as scientist when I work with NVivo or Atlas.TI to analyze qualitative data as a way to test hypotheses than I am when I do the same using SPSS or JMP when working with a quantitative dataset.

]]> By: Michael Hughes http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2007/07/25/qualitative-research/#comment-83287 Michael Hughes Thu, 26 Jul 2007 10:33:25 +0000 http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2007/07/25/qualitative-research/#comment-83287 I take exception to the term "unscientific" being applied to qualitative research. Qualitative research has its origins in the naturalistic inquiry methods of the social sciences, such as anthropology and sociology. There is nothing unscientific about it. I take exception to the term “unscientific” being applied to qualitative research. Qualitative research has its origins in the naturalistic inquiry methods of the social sciences, such as anthropology and sociology. There is nothing unscientific about it.

]]> By: blog.dsetia.com» Blog Archive » Qualitative Research http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2007/07/25/qualitative-research/#comment-83259 blog.dsetia.com» Blog Archive » Qualitative Research Thu, 26 Jul 2007 01:58:32 +0000 http://www.uie.com/brainsparks/2007/07/25/qualitative-research/#comment-83259 [...] Ashley McKee points out a series of articles by Leisa Reichelt that discuss accepting the unscientific qualities of qualitative research, and using qualitative research as a flexible way to gather rich and insightful information about your intended audience. Source: [Link] [...] [...] Ashley McKee points out a series of articles by Leisa Reichelt that discuss accepting the unscientific qualities of qualitative research, and using qualitative research as a flexible way to gather rich and insightful information about your intended audience. Source: [Link] [...]

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