Comparing the Methods – Qualitative Differences

A comparison of the three major research methods, discussed in the preceding chapters, begins by demonstrating how the techniques could be used to investigate the same medical problem. The methods are also judged in terms of three goals that drive medical research: efficiency, generalizability and validity. In addition, the methods are also compared in terms of the most crucial standard of all, causation –is the result likely to be true? For the sake of completeness, the chapter also touches on qualitative research, a novel and totally different way to examine medical issues.