Social Aspects of Fashion
Library guide for FSH 204: Explore how clothing and fashion reflect cultural contexts, and how images and representations of dress influence meaning and perception.
Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research
| Qualitative Research | Quantitative Research |
|---|---|
| Cannot be counted numerically | Can be counted numerically |
| Focuses on description of qualities over measurement | Focuses on measurement over description |
| Often takes place in a naturalistic environment | Often takes place in a controlled environment |
| Does not employ statistical analysis | Employs statistical analysis |
| Examples: Focus groups, interviews, open-ended surveys (unstructured responses) | Examples: Close-ended surveys, data analysis |
Databases with Qualitative/Quantitative Limiters
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APA PsycNETClick Advanced under the search box to go into Advanced search; then under Filters, select Methodology to open options including Qualitative/Quantitative Study.
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CINAHL UltimateSearches can be limited to qualitative studies by selecting one of the "Qualitative" options under the Clinical Queries dropdown menu.
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ICPSR: Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social ResearchSearch for keywords and, in search results, under Data Type, select either qualitative or quantitative.
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MEDLINE (ProQuest)
This database is the premier bibliography in biomedicine and the life sciences, compiled by The National Library of Medicine. It contains a broad range of medical topics relating to research, clinical practice, administration, policy issues and health care services.
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PsycINFOCan narrow searches to Quantitative/Qualitative Studies in the Methodology section.
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SAGE Research MethodsClick on Advanced Search (to the right of search box), then under Datasets, select either All Quantitative or All Qualitative.
Mixed Methods
Research does not have to be entirely qualitative or quantitative. Studies that employ both methods are referred to as mixed methods.