Applied Linguistics in TESOL: Critical Review of QUALITATIVE and QUANTITATIVE approaches to research (Part I)

The main purpose of research is to answer a problem noticed in certain phenomenon in a certain field. For example, in the field of language learning and teaching, what is the most difficult part of English grammar for Korean students to learn? Or why do Korean ESL students have difficulty in learning articles in English grammar? How can these questions be answered? Questions can be answered by doing research on these matters. Then, how can research be done? Research approach can be classified in various way, however one of the most common distinctions is between qualitative and quantitative research approach. There are many research methods and also many factors to consider for valid and reliable research.

 

Therefore, it may not be easy to determine which research method is the most appropriate for a given case. However, one of the most common distinctions is between qualitative and quantitative research approaches, two significant approaches, a quantitative approach and a qualitative approach, will be discussed to review the characteristics of each approach as follows:

Firstly, definition of each approach will be discussed to get better idea about what they are like. Secondly, discussion of advantages and limitations of each approach and how the limitations can be addressed will follow after. Thirdly, reliability and validity of each approach add to the discussions. Finally, methodologies associated with each approach are presented and how they can be approached to research questions with three research questions for each approach are discussed.

 

Ultimately, it is expected in this critical review of each approach that knowing what kinds of research methods associated with each approach and characteristics of each approach will be helpful to decide which one should be appropriately chosen.

Quantitative and Qualitative approach

 A quantitative approach is likely to be a scientific approach based on the data collected from statistical analysis and employed to establish general laws or principles. It is inductive in that it requires hypotheses and main variables in advance of data collection. The researcher in quantitative research is ideally an objective observer that neither participates in nor influences what is being studied in terms of the fact the assumption is that social reality is objective and external to the individual. Examples of quantitative methods now well accepted in the social sciences include survey methods, laboratory experiments, formal methods and numerical methods such as mathematical modeling.

 

In the meantime, a qualitative approach tends to answer questions in relation to the human element that cannot be numerically explained or represented in terms of the realization that the subjective, experiential life world of humans is important. The researcher in a qualitative approach is likely to put himself or herself in the middle of the question being investigated to understand and interpret the complexity of the world that the participants experience and add their own viewpoints because personal meanings are recognized as significant. Examples of qualitative methods are action research, case study research and ethnography. Qualitative data sources include observation and participant observation (fieldwork), interviews and questionnaires, documents and texts, and the researcher’s impressions and reactions.

 

The definition of each approach is briefly mentioned above but the difference between them is distinctively noticed. As a result, which approach is more appropriate is apt to be dependant upon the combination of characteristics of research and each approach.