Compare and Contrast Qualitative and Quantitaitve Research Methods

Research, no matter what field, is often conducted and analysed in accordance with two basic approaches: quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative approach aims to test a hypothesis and examine the relationship through generating numerical data or other information that is than converted into numbers, whereas the qualitative approach is more exploratory, aiming to gain a deeper understanding of the research subject. Through breaking down and examining the key features in each of these approaches it is evident that although they both begin with a problem the researcher aims to understand they fundamentally differ. The table below shows side by side comparisons, highlighting the differences that can be used to differentiate these approaches, described broadly across three main categories.

Qualitative research uses data obtained through methods such face- to- face interviews, observations, and focus groups. Data is analyzed by looking for trends and patterns. Quantitative research use numerical and statics to process the answer specific questions. Statistics used to support assessment of research. Analysis techniques are used to report are affected by the questions addressed and type of information that is expected in the research discoveries (Wakoff, 2007).

This paper primarily concerns qualitative research, but we were asked to compare both qualitative and quantitative methods. During comparison, there are many noted differences in both study designs, but not many similarities. Qualitative research uses a subjective approach with a large sample population. It collects non-statistical data, using an unstructured or semi-structured technique (Nieswiadomy & Bailey, 2018). Quantitative research uses an objective approach and large, random, sampling to ask opinions in a structured way. The findings of quantitative studies are conclusive and used to recommend a final course of action (Nieswiadomy & Bailey, 2018). While it is hard to see similarities between the two, both methods aim to find a solution to a problem or question, the researcher doing the study may affect the outcome and an analysis of the collected data must be done (Souza, 2017). What many don’t realize is the connection amongst the two. You can say, both types of research build upon one another, meaning quantitative studies can quantify results found in qualitative research (Souza, 2017).

This chapter presents the methods that will be used to carrying out this research. There are two main research types; Quantitative and Qualitative research. Quantitative research is one that uses qualitative approaches for inquiry – data is collected by interacting with the users and understanding their reasons, patterns and themes such as interviews (Creswell, 2013). On the other hand, Quantitative research uses quantitative approaches for inquiry - statistical, mathematical or computational techniques to understand patterns and themes such as laboratory experiments.

Qualitative data is not numerical and is more likely to take the form of observations or interviews. Obviously, it is very difficult to perform any statistical analysis on this kind of data. A further problem is that another researcher cannot replicate this data and therefore it is difficult to check the validity of what has been written. Researchers using this kind of data must be careful to avoid subjectivity, that is, they must avoid letting their personal beliefs or preferences affect the way they record and interpret the data. The advantage of this form of data collection is that it allows the researcher to answer open-ended questions; consequently, it is more flexible. Qualitative data also provides opportunities to explain the context of an observation and can therefore present a fuller picture (OU, 2001).

Qualitative and quantitative methods allow researchers to investigate, explore and inquire the nature of the phenomenon being studied. It is important that the researcher develops a clear understanding of the problem and design a plan to investigate it (Cresswell, 1998, para. 1). There are a variety of research methods; nevertheless, it is important to consider which research method is appropriate for the study. Qualitative research focuses on human experiences while quantitative research relies on numbers, measurements, and testing. Nevertheless, qualitative and quantitative methods use similar approaches to conduct research and collect data. For example, observations and interviews are approaches used in both research designs;

An examination of the quantitative and qualitative paradigms will help to identify their strengths and weaknesses and how their divergent approaches can complement each other. In most cases, researchers fall into one of the two camps--either relying exclusively upon "objective" survey questionnaires and statistical analyses and eschewing warm and fuzzy qualitative methods, or using only qualitative methodologies, rejecting the quantitative approach as decontextualizing human behaviour. However, social researchers recognise that each approach has positive attributes, and that combining different methods can result in gaining the best of both research worlds.

Qualitative research is considered to be particularly suitable for gaining an in-depth understanding of underlying reasons and motivations. It provides insights into the setting of a problem. At the same time, it frequently generates ideas and hypotheses for later quantitative research.

The more ‘extreme’ positions in the debate between qualitative versus quantitative research state that qualitative research is “unscientific, anecdotal, and saturated by the opinions of the researcher”, whereas the latter is “not representative of human behaviour” (Natasi & Schensul, 2005).

Qualitative studies focus primarily on meanings and words and attempt to explain and explore the fullness of human experiences; however, quantitative studies typically involve obtaining and recording numerical pieces of information from participants in order to perform statistical analyses of the data and improve the generalizability to the greater population (Tsai, Chuang, Liang, & Tsai).

Qualitative research is conducted in a natural setting and attempts to understand a human problem by developing a holistic narrative and reporting detailed views of informants about the culture of a problem. It forms a report with pictures and words. One of the most important distinctions that sets qualitative research apart from more traditional types of research is that qualitative research is holistic in that researchers study phenomena in their entirety rather than narrowing the focus to specific defined variables” (p. 93). Similarly, Cresswell (1984) indicated that qualitative research “is defined as an inquiry process of understanding a social or human problem, based on building a holistic picture, formed with words, reporting detailed views of informants, and conducted in a natural setting” (p. 2). Cresswell’s definition clearly delineates the major characteristics of qualitative research. Pg. 50 (Smith & Davis, 2010).

Qualitative and quantitative research are methods used in Sociology to explain and describe data. However, these methods contrast in different important aspects.

The quantitative research is built on a numerical measurement of specific characteristics relation to a phenomenon. Quantitative approaches employ deductive logic, moving from the general to the specific. The tools used to carry out quantitative research tend to be surveys and questionnaires (Coombes, 2001). It is a very structured approach and is most often focused on objectivity, generalisability and reliability (Collis & Hussey, 2003). The key advantage of the quantitative approach, therefore, is that it is based on fact and reliable data that enables researchers to generalize their findings to the population from which the sample has been drawn.

Quantitative and qualitative research methodologies utilize questions with the objective of investigating and answering posed research questions through an evaluation-based method (Dobrovolny & Fuentes, 2008). This structured process enables a researcher to develop a systematic approach to facilitate the harvesting, evaluation and presentation of data (Dobrovolny & Fuentes, 2008). Even though both quantitative and qualitative research methods possess many of the same characteristics, the inherent differences of each method provides the researcher with a level of flexibility that enables them to determine the best approach for answering the questions they endeavor to explore.

The underlying assumption behind qualitative research is that the entire subject needs to be examined in order to understand the phenomenon. Quantitative research