Welcome to QualQuant
QualQuant is a site dedicated to social research methods—qualitative and quantitative alike. It's grounded in a simple idea expressed by H. Russell Bernard in his introduction to the Handbook of Methods in Cultural Anthropology (1998): "Whatever our epistemological differences, the actual methods by which we collect and analyze our data belong to everyone across the social sciences."
We believe that social researchers should be fluent in the full range of methods for collecting and analyzing data. The questions we ask, rather than ideological commitments, drive the choice of one method over another in any particular situation. This website aims to help researchers choose the right tools, emphasizing the integration and complementary applications of qualitative and quantitative data and analysis.
Field Methods, a refereed journal, publishes articles on methods for studying human thought and human behavior. Articles examine data collection and analysis techniques, the link between method and theory, and the impact of new technology on traditional field research activities. Field Methods embraces both qualitative and quantitative methods in both scientific and interpretive paradigms.