Difference Between Qualitative and Quantitative Research

Qualitative vs Quantitative Research

Research is the most important tool to increase our knowledge base about things and people. In humanities or social sciences, there are two important methods of doing research namely quantitative and qualitative research methods. Despite some overlapping, there is a clear cut difference between quantitative and qualitative research. This article attempts to highlight the basic difference between these two types of research methods.

Quantitative Research

As the name implies, this type of research pertains to studying social behavior through techniques that have computational basis. The tools in a quantitative research are mathematical in nature, and measurements form the backbone of any quantitative research.

These measurements provide the basis for observation and recording of data that can be later analyzed quantitatively. Rather than being subjective, quantitative research yields data that is more or less unbiased and can be expressed in numerical terms such as percentages or statistics that is easily understandable for a layman. Researcher utilizes the results to make generalizations about a larger set of population.

Qualitative Research

This is a kind of research that employs different ways of gathering information without making use of any scientific measurement tools. For example, the sources of information could be varied like diary accounts, surveys, and questionnaires containing open ended questions, interviews that are not structured and also such observations that are not structured.

The data collected through qualitative research is not expressed in mathematical terms. It is descriptive in nature and its analysis is also harder than finding one’s way through a maze of statistical tools. Case studies and ethnography seem to be perfect for utilizing qualitative research tools.

Qualitative research came into prominence because of dissatisfaction of some psychologists with the use of empirical data in studies of human nature and behavior as they felt that this method lacked the totality of human nature and essence. Human experience and behavior cannot be quantified they said, and this lead to development of qualitative research in humanities. Proponents of qualitative research also acknowledge the value of attitude and experience of the researcher and feel that quantitative research does not pay any attention to this aspect of the research.

Qualitative vs Quantitative Research

• The design of study is not ready beforehand and develops and unfolds gradually in a qualitative research while the design and structure are already present in quantitative research

• Data generated in quantitative research is numerically expressed in percentages and numbers while data obtained through qualitative research is in the form of text or picture

• Data in quantitative research is efficient but may not be able to capture the true essence of human nature and behavior while qualitative data in words can capture the human nature in totality

• Results of quantitative research are quantifiable while the results of a qualitative research are subjective in nature