ESS: 2004 Why Integrate Methods?

1. ESS: 2004Why Integrate Methods? Tony Macmillan Coxon Honorary Professorial Research Fellow SSPS, University of Edinburgh When, why & how (and if!) to integrate qualitative and quantitative research methods

2. The qualitative vs quantitative distinction … is …in my opinion • internally incoherent • covers several levels of discourse • is used differently within and across levels.

3. The Q&Q distinction can refer to different … • Methodological approaches • Variable-centred versus Meaning-centred • Epistemologicalapproaches • Empiricism vs Interpretativism • Data conceptualisation • Representational measurements vs speech as data • Data collection • systematic questionnaire-format vs discursive data-elicitation • Data analysis • GLM vs semantic and content analytic.

4. But the Q&Q distinction can also refer to: • Software hegemony • Packages pre-empt integration by making assumptions about appropriate data and and range of analysis offered • “Law of the Instrument” • Pre-disposes to restricted use! • Serious integrated analysis may well involve writing own software … allow for it in grant applications! • But also keep a watch on CAQDAS website • http://www.esds.ac.uk/qualidata/introduction.asp

5. Is a New paradigm needed? • to supplant the qualitative and quantitative distinction • Artificial Intelligence? which successfully integrates Q&Q • (as do other "cognitive" disciplines) • in search for adequate representation of more subtle and complex data-structures which today's developments demand • Belief-systems, semantic networks, fuzzy-logic categorization

6. Practicalities of integration … • Practical issues: not separating • software and data storage • i.e. integrated Q&Q data base AND data structure • nor data collection from analysis • Software that assumes integrated data • TWO EXAMPLES • POOC: Project on Occupational Cognition (Hierarchies method) • Data inherently Q&Q, but primarily quantitative • “Qualitating quantitative (systematic)” • (In this class we’ll use another method & domain) • SIGMA: Sexual diaries • Data inherently Q&Q, but primarily textual, but structured • “Quantitating qualitative” • (in this class, we won’t emulate data collection!)

7. POOC …Hierarchical Method (Similarity task) • Standard instructions given to {R} by {I} on how to construct a bottom-up hierarchy • And encouraged to verbalise • DVD/Tape-recorder switched on • “Data collection” proceeds • Account is transcribed and calibrated by position • In the Interviewer’s Report • In machine readable file (initially as comment) at appropriate “action” position (Basic File)

8. POOC …Hierarchical Method (Similarity task) • Data file checked • and extracts UMI matrix for “quantitative” (scaling) analysis • Textual analysis of Basic file using GI3, • by level of hierarchy (cf class terminology) • By referent subset of covered occupations (for descriptors / categories • RETRIEVAL IN CONTEXT! • For analysis there needs to be • A file whose data structure contains BOTH types of information • Software which allows “retrieval in context”: both • Text with pointers to quantitative “task” • Quantitative data with pointers to text

9. … [Final Join at Level 15 of the two main branches. What follows is the transcribed tape-recording relevant to this point] ______________________________________ {Respondent} ... I think that I would put the Psychiatric Nurse[MPN] and the Ambulance Driver [AD]in this category as well, um, I realise there's a contradiction here - I've got people with professional qualifications and perhaps academic skills, um, and an ambulance driver, but the reason I mentioned {i} Policeman [P] vis a vis the Commercial Traveller [CT] and Barman [BM]; it seems to me these people have responsibilities in relation to the community which they're working in, that perhaps the Commercial Traveller and Barman doesn't have. {Interviewer} OK, we're there.

10. POOC …Hierarchical Method (Similarity task) • INTEGRATED RETRIEVAL: “qualitative retrieval in quantitative context” : Research problem : • Themes established as most prevalent in the occupational narratives generated in doing the Hierarchies task • Money, Training, Caring and Responsibility • (1) Are they generalising or particularising themes ? • need to know not only how often a Theme occurs in these data AND • where in the hierarchical structures they occur, and • relate their occurrence to the overall consensus hierarchy (see paper) • (2) Class terminology: where does it occur in structure, & at what levels of generalising?

12. A final thought on Q&Q divide … • hegemony of software producers • will ensure a “safe” Q&Q divide continues to exist • Students (& staff!) • prefer to keep Q&Q divide because of: • Threat of the other side & its competencies • No ready-made paradigm/ research practice is established. • Do we/they really want integration?