Thomas, R. Murray

Blending Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods in Theses and Dissertations

Preface ix About the Author xi The Qualitative and the Quantitative 1(14) Qualitative and Quantitative Defined 1(2) Qualitative and Quantitative Examples 3(3) The Demise of a Controversy 6(2) An Example of How Methods Can Be Described 8(2) An Illustrative Dissertation Proposal 10(3) Conclusion 13(2) Part I: A Catalogue of Methods---Qualitative and Quantitative 15(84) Historical Perspectives 17(16) Chronicles 18(2) Explanatory Histories 20(2) Life-Course Studies 22(4) Evaluative Histories 26(1) Combination Histories 27(1) Biographies 28(1) Autobiographies 29(2) Conclusion 31(2) Present-Status Perspectives---Qualitative 33(8) Case Studies 33(2) Ethnographies 35(3) Experience Narratives 38(2) Conclusion 40(1) Present-Status Perspectives---Quantitative 41(16) Surveys 41(4) Correlation Analyses 45(6) Experiments 51(5) Conclusion 56(1) Data-Collection Processes and Instruments 57(18) Content Analyses 57(3) Observations 60(3) Interviews 63(3) Factual Questionnaires 66(4) Inventories 70(1) Tests 70(3) Conclusion 73(2) Researcher Role Perspectives 75(6) Degree of Engagement 78(1) Competencies of Participants 78(3) Interpretation Methods 81(18) Kinds of Meaning 81(3) Causation 84(2) Comparison 86(3) Generalization---The Problem of Sampling 89(5) Context 94(1) Symbolism 95(2) Conclusion 97(2) Part II: A Variety of Theses and Dissertation Proposals 99(128) Solving Immediate Problems 101(28) Evaluating Ways of Teaching Science 101(6) Effective Political Ads 107(5) A Functional English-Usage Curriculum 112(4) Juvenile Delinquents' Lifestyles 116(2) Controlling Academic Cheating 118(6) Assessing Classroom-Management Practices 124(3) Conclusion 127(2) Establishing Foundations for Planning 129(18) Conducting a Public-Opinion Poll 129(2) Analyzing Historical Trends 131(4) Producing Curriculum Source Material 135(6) Identifying Computer-Technology Needs 141(4) Conclusion 145(2) Applying, Testing, and Generating Theories 147(24) Social Environments and Human Development 148(9) Testing a Moral-Development Theory 157(5) Theorizing About a Pair of Twins 162(4) A Typology of Help-Seeking Behavior 166(4) Conclusion 170(1) Contributing to Research Methodology 171(28) A Graphic-Arts-Preference Inventory 171(13) Appraising Note-Taking Methods 184(10) Improving Questionnaire Rates of Return 194(4) Conclusion 198(1) Replicating Others' Research 199(14) Readers' Skills in Grade One and Grade Seven 199(4) An Enhanced Boot-Camp Study 203(4) Hispanics Rather Than American Indians 207(5) Conclusion 212(1) Publishing the Results 213(12) Oral Presentations 213(2) Print Presentations 215(7) Internet Publishing 222(1) Conclusion 223(2) Reviewing the Themes 225(2) References 227(8) Index 235