Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research Methods

Paper Summary:

This report looks at research methods including the debate between qualitative and quantitative research methodologies and relates these methodologies to the healthcare field in terms of providing cost effective solutions to healthcare problems like Medicare and other problems.

Table of Contents
Introduction
Paradigms and Theoretical Underpinnings
Mixed Methods Research
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"The first paradigm considered is logical positivism. This paradigm can roughly be equated as mentioned above with the quantitative approach to research methodology. It is a kind of research that comes from the theory that science is capable of providing definitive and objective statements regarding the proving or disproving of hypotheses, based on proof and deduction as well as statistics and mathematical reasoning. The theoretical underpinnings of logical positivism go back to the early twentieth century reliance on science and mathematical progress to solve the problems of the world, in healthcare and other environments. And logical positivism is still very strong in healthcare research, in terms of clinical trials and new drugs. But it is not as popular in the areas of healthcare the include improving cost effectiveness in government programs, because politics and science don't traditionally tend to travel too closely."

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