Abstract
Community-based research is often discussed in a way that assumes an inherent qualitative methodological approach. This includes discussions of research design, data collection, and analysis. The limitations of quantitative research aside, ignoring this strategy for developing knowledge may result in many project outcomes going undocumented and unmeasured, and it may ultimately be disempowering for the people and organizations that community-based researchers seek to assist. On this basis, I argue that researchers should take a more holistic and pragmatic approach to methods and analysis, following efforts to go beyond the traditional qualitative-quantitative divide. Doing so will provide the basis for addressing a wider range of community-based project outcomes. Examples from work with traditionally-underserved farmers and community-based organizations in the United States are used to illustrate possibilities.
Recommended Citation
Green, John. 2012. "Who Counts Reality and Why it Counts: Searching for a Community-Based Approach to Quantitative Inquiry." Journal of Rural Social Sciences, 27(2): Article 9. Available at: https://egrove.olemiss.edu/jrss/vol27/iss2/9
Publication Date
8-31-2012
