Qualitative and quantitative research designs are more similar than different

Abstract

The qualitative/quantitative divide has been extensively debated in social science and educational research. However, health researchers are still bound by traditional distinctions between qualitative and quantitative research. This paper argues that although these distinctions were valid at the turn of the twentieth century, they no-longer hold true. With advances in both qualitative and quantitative methods, and the need to explore increasingly complex situations it is time to concentrate on how best to answer the research question rather than focusing on the research design being used.