Summary

Although there are several sources of knowledge for understanding our surroundings, research-based information developed through disciplined inquiry is a more trusted source. A quantitative research approach, on the one hand, is often used to study both physical and social phenomena, with current forms of quantitative research having advanced beyond earlier frameworks. Qualitative research, on the other hand, examines social settings from insiders' perspectives and generates descriptions and analyses of contexts, rather than applying numbers, to derive meaning.

Qualitative and quantitative research are guided by distinctly different views about how knowledge is defined and discovered; qualitative researchers see meaning as socially constructed, whereas quantitative researchers consider truth as more enduring, although somewhat influenced by contexts. Qualitative research has two dimensions: the interpretive perspective, which focuses on uncovering participants' views, and a critical perspective, which builds on the interpretive perspective but also examines ways in which power is embedded in social settings.

For purposes of clarity and convenience, it is important for readers to distinguish between methods and methodologies as they negotiate the chapters offered in this text while understanding the subtle ways the concepts interact in practice.

The methodologies presented share common themes, including the view that reality is complicated and socially constructed. In addition, the qualitative research designs offered here employ inductive reasoning, are constructed to be flexible and dynamic, and are subject to change as research studies unfold.