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compare qualitative and quantitative research
types of qualitative research methods essays example
qualitative and quantitative research methods
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Research roughly divides into two kinds: qualitative research and quantitative research.
Quantitative and qualitative data are the two huge types of statistical data.We can make use of choosing both methods one after another, economic or time moderation may not accept us to opt for both. In such situation, comparison between the both can help in making choice.
Qualitative Research: It is about exploring questions or problems, gathering some information and recognising the phenomena.This type of research most often used in major fields like humanities , sociology and anthropology, each of these fields studied by qualitative research as well.Collection of data and analysing it in a proper way is also consider as qualitative research. Qualitative researchers intend is to collect an in depth recognisation of human behaviour and the expalnation that rule such activities.It can be used in different hypothesis.And it does not essentially indicate allgorical. It is very controlled ,exact approach to research.Different research methods like data collection methods can replace this qualitative research.There are some other important qualitative research types we can discuss
1. Ethnography
2. Grounded Theory
3. Phenomenology
4. Case Study
1. Ethnography: It mainly concentrates on the concept of the culture as it has its roots from Anthropology.There are two sub-divisions in this .
(a) Ethnology: The balance study of cultural organs and comparison among them.
(b) Ethnohistory: The study of a particular part of the culture.
2. Grounded Theory: In this some questions arises about what theory appears from an analysis of data gathered about the phenomenon.IT is also refers to the previous analysis and tells about how and why we operated them.T...
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...es, counting them and to observe.
2. The researcher in Qualitative research doesn't know clearly what he is looking for. And in the Quantitative research, the researcher will be very clear about what he is looking for.
3. Qualitative research is useful in the pre-stages of the project and the Quantitative research is used in the post-stages of the project.
4. In the qualitative research, the researcher acts as the gathering instrument. But, in the Quantitative research, the researcher will have tools and equipment to gather dat.
5. The information in the Qualitative research is in the form of words, pictures and objects where as it is in the form of numbers and statistics in the Quantitative research.
6. The researcher in the Qualitative research will be involved in the subject matter and the researcher will be avoided from the subject matter in the Quantitative
Qualitative research aims to gather information from data collection methods and transform it into written words. Such as transcribing recorded interviews, taking field notes from observations, using words to outline images (Denscombe, 1998, p. 174). On the other hand, quantitative research aims to gather information from data collection methods and transform it into numbers. Such as analysing conducted surveys and pulling numbers to transform it into statistics, tables and graphs (Denscombe, 1998, p.174-177).
Research can be quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative research is objective and involves measuring the phenomena under investigation. Qualitative research is subjective, explores experiences and feelings, and involves the recording of phenomena that cannot easily be quantified (Toates, 2010, pp. 5-6). Both are empirical since they involve data collection (OU, n.d.).
Qualitative: This is different to quantitative due to the fact that first this can provide question which can be given multiple choice responses for the user to be able to answer.
Qualitative research relies on subjective data to provide a deep understanding of the meaning of an event from the point of view of certain individuals (Lobiondo-Wood & Haber, 2014). In contrast, quantitative research uses an objective approach (Lobiondo-Wood
As indicated, research requires a process in order to collect data and analyze the data to come to a correct conclusion. Quantitative research is different from the qualitative research as researched above. Quantitative research focuses on amounts or quantities of one or multiple variables (Leedy, & Ormrod, 2010). To further explain, Fischler (2010) states, “a type of educational research in which the researcher decides what to study; asks specific, narrow questions; collects quantifiable data from participants; analyzes these numbers using statistics; and conducts the inquiry in an unbiased, objective manner” (p. 12). In order to utilize this philosophy, the problem needs to be clearly identified, data needs to be collected and analyzed in order to come to a solid evaluation or conclusion.
According to Smith (1983) quantitative research is to explain, predict and develop laws that can be universally applied and Qualitative research is the interpretation and understanding of what people give to their situation. The researchers clearly stated the purpose of their studies, aim, objectiv...
Research in healthcare is used to answer a question or to test a method about how something effects another. Connor (2014) states that research is about investigation, exploration, and discovery. Research is also about creating a dynamic environment for promoting healthcare, health, and wellness. There are two different types of research: quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative research is a numerical way to collect data and using it to obtain information. Ingham-Broomfield (2014) refers to quantitative research as a means for testing objective theories by looking at relationships among variables and that the word quantitative implies quantity or amounts. Qualitative research is more of a verbal research method. It looks at life experiences and gives meaning to them (Connor. 2014).
Qualitative and quantitative research have many differences. Qualitative is exploratory, interpretive, subjective, descriptive, emergent, looks to produce or reach a hypothesis by what is observed, has unknown variables, is flexible, and uses personal views. Qualitative research is confirmatory, predictive, objective, deduces and test the hypothesis, has known variables, is not flexible, but is a fixed, static designed to control variables, and tries to be bias-free. Qualitative research collects data through interviews, observation, surveys, review of artifacts, and self inqu...
Quantitative research uses a deductive reasoning also known as top to bottom or (top down approach) starting with a theory, then the hypothesis, followed by observation and finally confirmation , going from the general to the more specific. Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics to show the results of the research exercise and mainly are concerned with mathematics and statistics. In quantitative research there are levels of measurement being firstly nominal which are names of things followed by ordinal sequence of things, interval where the sequence has equal distance between each item, and ratio where there is a true zero (Alston & Bowles, 2003, p. 7-9).
On the other hand, Quantitative research refers to “variance theory” where quantity describes the research in terms of statistical relationships between different variables (Maxwell, 2013). Quantitative research answers the questions “how much” or “how many?” Quantitative research is an objective, deductive process and is used to quantify attitudes, opinions, behaviors, and other defined variables with generalized results from a larger sample population. Much more structured than qualitative research, quantitative data collection methods include various forms of surveys, personal interviews and telephone interviews, polls, and systematic observations. Methods can be considered “cookie cutter” with a predetermined starting point and a fixed sequence of
Each of them have the same goal, but use a different path to find contrasting info in various ways. Doing qualitative research gets you reasonings and explanations of certain issues or improvements a company can do. People who are surveyed are telling their own opinions and ideas in their own words. Companies take this into consideration and use this info collected for future reference. Qualitative data is collected by doing interviews, focus groups, and observations. This data is usually recorded in person, to get a true and more accurate answer. For example, if the business has a drop in sales, they gather people to tell them why people are not buying the products. Quantitative data, however is collected by polls, questionnaires, and surveys. A majority of these methods are not done in person, but are done using online surveys. These surveyors will get numbers, like how many people liked a certain product or the average age of customers. For simple and efficient ways of getting information in numbers, using technology is the fastest and easiest way to do this. All the company needs, is to send out these online polls or surveys to a large group of people. Unlike qualitative data, quantitative data can give you a more general idea of data and a bigger amount of it as well. Qualitative data takes time to find out and can only use a small sample
Qualitative studies are slightly different in that they do not use large cohorts and they are not analyzing large data sets. Qualitative studies also look to answer question “why”. They use smaller numbers but go more in-depth with the small group they have. “In contrast, qualitative research involves looking at characteristics, or qualities, that cannot easily be reduced to numerical values. A qualitative researcher typically aims to examine the many nuances and complexities of a particular phenomenon” (Leedy & Ormrod, 2010, p. 94). Qualitative and Quantitative studies can be used separately or together in a mixed methodology.
We believe it is clear that both qualitative and quantitative research have many benefits and many costs. In some situations the qualitative approach will be more appropriate; in other situations the quantitative approach will be more appropriate.
Qualitative and quantitative research methods take different approaches to gathering and analysing information. Whether it is a qualitative or quantitative study, the research study begins with a question or series of questions. Both use rigorously designed studies to get the most accurate, detailed and complete results. Qualitative studies common methods are interviews, surveys and observation. A qualitative study aims to provide a detailed description of the study results, often using pictures and written descriptions to describe what the research revealed. A qualitative study looks at the big picture, helping researchers to narrow in on points of interest that then can be followed up on in a quantitative study. While a quantitative study has a narrower focus, it attempts to provide a detailed explanation of the study focus, along with this using numbers and statistics. And the results from a quantitative study can reveal bigger questions that call for qualitative study. Or vice versa a qualitative study may reveal at analysis that a more focus and direct approach may be needed. With both methods analysis is a key part of any study whether qualitative or quantitative.
Stejskal, S.M. (2010) Quatiative and Qualitative Research Methods are not and should not be Mutually Exclusive, Grinn Verlag.