Re:Individual and Community Analyses
lenora.c.de.la.luna.1 (lenora who-is-at purdue.edu)
Wed, 12 Nov 1997 11:37:38 -0500 (EST)
> Lenora de la Luna wrote:
>
> >I am not sure if I am reading your post correctly, but it seems to me that
> >you have placed a sharp division between "narrative" and "quantitative
> >analysis." I wonder, though, if these are appropriate
> >comparisons. It sounds as if you are comparing a final product (a
> >narrative) with an analysis (quantitative).
Martin Packer responded:
> ...and I think this is quite right; I glossed over a distinction here.But
> I think the point I was trying to make stands. Not too long ago I
> co-taught a course on Integrated Research Methods, where we examined
> quantitative and qualitative methods of analysis, and set these within
> discussion of interpretive and empirical-analytic research paradigms. I
> came to think that it's very tough to do a quantitative analysis that
> doesn't take for granted many of the assumptions about knowledge and
> reality of the second of these two paradigms; assumptions which I don't
> share. I think this is certainly true of quantitative "explanatory"
> analysis; perhaps less true of "descriptive" analysis.
>
Thanks for your response. I agree with the point you make. But am I
correct in understanding, then, that you are using "narrative" as an
umbrella term for qualitative research? I don't think I am. What am I
missing?
Lenora