What Is the Difference Between Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods?
The difference in the qualitative and quantitative research methods is clearly denoted in the data collection and data analysis and the respective methods utilized in the two processes. Qualitative research methods refer to the techniques involved in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting non-numerical/qualitative data. Qualitative data could involve the characteristics, beliefs, and attitudes displayed by research participants or research situation. In qualitative research, the researcher strives to understand the research phenomena and make sense of them through utterances, body language, and sentiments. The qualitative research methods include interviews, ethnography, literature reviews, and content analysis. These methods help measure data that cannot be quantified, such as experiences, perceptions, and attitudes. An example could be the methods determining why consumers prefer a particular brand over another.
Quantitative research involves the collection, analysis, and interpretation of numerical data. This data is derived from the definite outcome of variables in research. Findings from quantitative research are often represented in numerical, graphical, and tabulated presentations. Quantitative research methods aim at testing theories and rely on statistical and numerical analysis methods. Characteristically, the computational and statistical methods aim at deriving causal relationships between the study's variables. To obtain the definite responses, the quantitative research methods utilize closed questions. Some of the qualitative research methods include surveys, observations, and experiments. Experiments derive quantitative data as they strive to measure variables. Statistical methods help in quantitative data analysis to foster decision-making and arrive at an informed research conclusion. Statistics summarizes research data and identifies patterns, relationships, and connections from the quantitative data. Inferential and descriptive statistics are the common statistical methods that could be considered for the study.
The difference in the qualitative and quantitative research methods also plays out in the type of studies. Qualitative research methods are the inquiry techniques fostering the understanding of human and social sciences to determine people's thoughts and perceptions. While the qualitative research methods are explorative, quantitative methods are conclusive. The subjective approach of the qualitative research methods allows the researcher's involvement. On the other hand, the objective nature of the quantitative research minimizes the researcher's participation, especially during data collection due to the possibility of bias.
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