Qualitative research study concentrates on event of mainly verbal data rather than measurements. Gathered information is then analyzed in an interpretative way, subjective, impressionistic and even diagnostic.
Here’s a more detailed point-by-point contrast between the two kinds of research:
1. Goal or Goal of the Research study
The main objective of a Qualitative Research is to provide a complete, in-depth description of the research study subject. It is generally more exploratory in nature.
Quantitative Research on the other hand focuses more in counting and categorizing features and constructing statistical models and figures to explain what is observed.
Read also: Aims of Research study
QualitativeQuantitative
HypothesisBroadNarrow
DescriptionWhole pictureFocused
Kind of ResearchExploratoryConclusive
2. Usage
Qualitative Research is perfect for earlier phases of research tasks while for the latter part of the research study project, Quantitative Research is highly advised. Quantitative Research offers the researcher a clearer image of what to anticipate in his research compared to Qualitative Research study.
QualitativeQuantitative
PhaseEarlyLate
3. Data Gathering Instrument
The scientist works as the primary information gathering instrument in Qualitative Research.
Here, the scientist employs various data-gathering techniques, depending upon the thrust or approach of his research. Examples of data-gathering techniques used in Qualitative Research are private in-depth interviews, structured and non-structured interviews, focus groups, narratives, material or documentary analysis, individual observation and archival research.
On the other hand, Quantitative Research study utilizes tools such as surveys, surveys, measurements and other devices to collect numerical or measurable data.
4. Type of Data
The presentation of data in a Qualitative Research is in the form of words (from interviews) and images (videos) or objects (such as artifacts).
If you are conducting a Qualitative Research what will most likely appear in your discussion are figures in the form of graphs. However, if you are conducting a Quantitative Research, what will most likely appear in your discussion are tables containing data in the form of numbers and statistics.
5. Approach
Qualitative Research is primarily subjective in approach as it seeks to understand human behavior and reasons that govern such behavior. Researchers have the tendency to become subjectively immersed in the subject matter in this type of research method.
In Quantitative Research, researchers tend to remain objectively separated from the subject matter. This is because Quantitative Research is objective in approach in the sense that it only seeks precise measurements and analysis of target concepts to answer his inquiry.
Read also: Qualitative research, Quantitative research
Determining Which Method Should Be Used
Debates have been ongoing, tackling which method is better than the other. The reason why this remains unresolved until now is that, each has its own strengths and weaknesses which actually vary depending upon the topic the researcher wants to discuss. This then leads us to the question “Which method should be used?”
If your study aims to find out the answer to an inquiry through numerical evidence, then you should make use of the Quantitative Research. However, if in your study you wish to explain further why this particular event happened, or why this particular phenomenon is the case, then you should make use of Qualitative Research.
Some studies make use of both Quantitative and Qualitative Research, letting the two complement each other. If your study aims to find out, for example, what the dominant human behavior is towards a particular object or event and at the same time aims to examine why this is the case, it is then ideal to make use of both methods.
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