ABSTRACT
The distinction between qualitative and qualitative research is one of the historic issues in the debate on social research methodology. The distinction between quantitative and qualitative research thus refers to differences in approach found at the various levels of inquiry, from the general design to the more specific procedures for constructing the empirical base. The favor accorded to impersonal techniques also contributes to defining the researcher’s professionalism: in the objectivist tradition, a good researcher must above all show a mastery of the techniques and a highly codified corpus of general knowledge about statistics and data analysis, which can be transmitted through training in protocols and standards for carrying out research and assessing findings.
