In contrast to quantitative research, qualitative research focuses on words
instead of numbers, on understanding and giving meaning to a phenomenon or
an event. Data often stem from telling stories, describing events, analyzing case
studies, and examining context, all of which emphasize words versus numbers
and statistics (Anthony & Jack, 2009). Qualitative research is more exploratory
and inductive, while quantitative research aims to reach conclusions by deduc-
tion and hypothesis testing. In deciding whether qualitative methods would
be appropriate to the topic being studied, Patton (2003) suggested a checklist
such as the one found in Box 9-1.
With qualitative studies, researchers often discover those important aspects of
inquiry that would be easily missed if the researchers had relied completely on
quantitative data. Qualitative research is often the most appropriate method of
inquiry for subjects that have been scarcely studied and for those topics about
which the researcher wishes to obtain a different viewpoint. For example, if a
nurse was interested in exploring the healthcare practices of a culture differ-
ent from his or her own, and one that had not been referenced in the research
literature, a type of qualitative research method would be the logical place to
begin. The nurse would not expect to be able to develop an appropriate question-
naire or instrument to measure healthcare practices in a culture about which- Determine the extent to which qualitative methods are appropriate given the evaluation’s
purposes and intended uses. - Determine which general strategic themes of qualitative inquiry will guide the evaluation.
Determine qualitative design strategies, data collection options, and analysis approaches
based on the evaluation’s purpose. - Determine which qualitative evaluation applications are especially appropriate given the
evaluation’s purpose and priorities. - Make major design decisions so that the design answers important evaluation questions
for intended users. Consider design options, and choose those most appropriate for the
evaluation’s purposes. - When fieldwork is part of the evaluation, determine how to approach fieldwork.
- When open-ended interviewing is part of the evaluation, determine how to approach the
interviews. - Design the evaluation with careful attention to ethical issues.
- Anticipate analysis—design the evaluation data collection to facilitate analysis.
- Analyze the data so that the qualitative findings are clear and credible and they address the
relevant and priority evaluation questions and issues. - Focus the qualitative evaluation report.
Patton, M. Q. (2003). Qualitative evaluation checklist. Retrieved on March 3, 2017, from http://
citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.135.8668.
BOX 9-1 Example of a Qualitative Evaluation Checklist
222 CHAPTER 9 Qualitative Designs: Using Words to Provide Evidence