Qualitative research is unscientific…

The characterization of qualitative data as unscientific, biased, poorly sampled, and lacking statistical techniques is a common misconception. In reality, qualitative research is a rigorous and valuable approach to understanding the complexities of human experiences, behaviors, and social phenomena. It serves different purposes and operates under a different paradigm compared to quantitative research, which relies on numerical data and statistical analysis.

Here are some reasons why qualitative research may sometimes be perceived in this way:

1. Misunderstanding of Purpose: Qualitative research aims to explore, understand, and interpret the nuances of social and human phenomena. It seeks to uncover underlying meanings, context, and subjective experiences, which are often not easily quantifiable. The goal is not to generalize findings to a large population, as in quantitative research, but to provide rich insights into a specific context or phenomenon.

2. Subjectivity and Bias: Qualitative research acknowledges the role of subjectivity and bias in the research process. Researchers are often transparent about their own perspectives and biases and may use techniques like reflexivity to mitigate their influence. This transparency is seen as a strength rather than a weakness because it allows for a more nuanced understanding of the research context.

3. Sampling: Qualitative research typically uses purposeful sampling rather than random sampling. Researchers select participants or cases strategically to gain in-depth insights into a specific phenomenon. The goal is not to generalize to a larger population but to provide a detailed exploration of the chosen sample, which may be small and deliberately non-representative.

4. Lack of Statistical Techniques: Qualitative research employs various analytical techniques, such as content analysis, thematic analysis, grounded theory, and narrative analysis. While these methods do not rely on statistical tests like hypothesis testing or p-values, they have their own rigor and systematic processes for analyzing data.

5. Different Epistemological and Ontological Assumptions: Qualitative research often operates within a constructivist or interpretivist paradigm, which means it recognizes the subjective nature of reality and the importance of context. This differs from the positivist paradigm that underpins much quantitative research.

It's important to recognize that both qualitative and quantitative research have their strengths and limitations, and they are often used in conjunction to provide a more comprehensive understanding of complex phenomena. Researchers should choose the most appropriate research design and methodology based on their research questions and objectives.

In summary, the perception of qualitative research as unscientific or biased is a misunderstanding of its purpose and methodology. Qualitative research serves a valuable role in social science and other fields by providing deep insights into human experiences and phenomena that quantitative methods alone cannot capture. When conducted rigorously, qualitative research can yield robust and insightful findings.

At Leximancer we’re excited to combine Qual and Quant, we think it’s the future and marries both areas of science, watch this space..