Merging Quantitative and Qualitative Research Techniques: Toward a New Research Paradigm¹

This paper focuses on the merging of qualitative and quantitative research approaches in educational research. Three Thai studies in the education‐related social sciences are reviewed as examples to illustrate the advantages to be gained by integrating qualitative and quantitative methods. Finally, ethnographic residual analysis is introduced as a new paradigm for developing a deeper and better understanding of the complex interrelationships among educational inputs, educational processes, and educational out comes.