qualitative versus quantitative debate
qualitative versus quantitative debateA methodological issue in sociology with arguments for and against a distinction between qualitative and quantitative studies. The debate arises from the distinction drawn between sociologies arising from different epistemological positions. Quantitative methodology, generally associated with positivist epistemology, is usually regarded as referring to the collection and analysis of numerical data. Qualitative methodology, generally associated with interpretative epistemology, tends to be used to refer to forms of data collection and analysis which rely on understanding, with an emphasis on meanings. The debate became prominent in the 1970s and arose through a backlash against the priority attached to scientific or positivist methodology in sociological textbooks. In these works, sections on...
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