SMJW Oct 1 9:47PM

Reviewing the exemplars helped me see that the difference between quantitative and qualitative research questions is about what the researcher wants to understand. Quantitative questions examine measurable variables, relationships, or differences. Qualitative questions explore experiences, perceptions, and meaning. Mann’s (2020) dissertation illustrates quantitative questioning by examining relationships between ethical drift in law enforcement and officer age, gender, education, and agency size. These questions identify variables that can be measured and analyzed statistically. In comparison, Mills’s (2022) qualitative dissertation explores mental health providers’ perceptions of psychiatric death with dignity for prisoners with severe mental illness. The emphasis is on understanding perspectives through open-ended responses. Duemig’s (2020) dissertation adds another layer by integrating qualitative and quantitative elements through Q methodology. Participants’ subjective perspectives are examined using factor analysis. This exemplar reminded me to look beyond whether a question begins with “what” or “how” and consider how the question, data, and analysis fit together. A Response