Chapter 1: Lesson 4

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DIFFERENCES
BETWEEN
QUANTITATIVE AND
QUALITATIVE
RESEARCH
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QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
 It is based on an approach which sees the individual and the world
around him/her as interconnected.

 It focuses on what people experience – how they do and perform

as well as think and feel.

 It is primarily an exploratory research. It is used to give an

understanding of underlying reasons, opinions and motivations. The
investigation provides insights into the problems or helps to develop
ideas or hypothesis for potential qualitative research.

 It deals with designs, techniques and measures that do not produce

discrete numerical data. It involves extensive narrative data in order
to gain insights into phenomena.
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QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
continued…

1. Studying the meaning of people’s lives, under real-world

conditions; people will not be limited by the confines of a
laboratory.

2. Representing the views and perspective of the people or

participants of the study in the results in the results of the
research. Mirrors the values and meanings of the people who live
them, not by the researcher.

3. Contributing insights into existing or emerging concepts which may

help or explain human social behavior.

4. Striving to use multiple sources of evidence is better than relying

on a single source alone.
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QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

 This research is used to quantify – that is to put numerical

equivalents to findings. Statistics and Math are the means used
to quantify the results.

 Attitudes, opinions and behaviors, even when they are

subjective in nature, can be compared quantitatively in order to
produce results.

 Used to quantify the problem by way of generating mathematical

data or data that can be transformed into usable statistics.
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SIMILARITIES OF QUALITATIVE &
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

1. Empirical research is aimed at creating new knowledge.

2. Research creates new knowledge by observing phenomena.

3. All the entities of interest like attitudes, motivates and learning

can be inferred from what people do or say in a given setting.

4. All researchers are concerned about the universality of ideas or

expressing an idea in a general statement; that is, they both
desire to find meaning for the research results beyond a
particular study.
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DIFFERENCES OF QUALITATIVE & QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH
CRITERIA QUALITATIVE QUANTITATIVE
Purpose To understand & interpret To test hypotheses, look at
social interactions cause & effect, and make
predictions
Group Smaller & not randomly Larger & randomly selected
Studied selected
Variables Study of the whole, not Specific variables studied
variables
Type of Data Words, images, or objects Numbers and statistics
Collected
Form of Data Qualitative data such as Quantitative data based on
Collected open-ended responses, precise measurements
interviews, participant using structured & validated
observations, field notes & data-collection instruments
reflections
z DIFFERENCES OF QUALITATIVE & QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH
CRITERIA QUALITATIVE
Type of Data Analysis Identify patterns, features,
themes
Objectivity & Subjectivity Subjectivity is expected
Role of Researcher Researcher and their biases
may be known to participants
in the study, & participant
characteristics may be known
to the researcher
Results Particular or specialized
findings that is less
generalizable
Scientific Method Exploratory or bottom-up: the
researcher generates a new
hypothesis and theory from
data collected
continued…
QUANTITATIVE
Identify statistical
relationships
Objectivity is critical
Researcher and their biases are
not known to participants in the
study, & participant
characteristics are deliberately
hidden from the researcher
(double blind studies)
Generalizable findings that
can be applied to other
populations
Confirmatory or top-down:
the researcher test the
hypothesis and theory with
the data
 DIFFERENCES OF QUALITATIVE & QUANTITATIVE
z RESEARCH
CRITERIA QUALITATIVE
View of Human Dynamic, situational, social
Behavior & personal
Most Common Explore, discover &
Research Objectives construct
Focus Wide-angle lens; examines
the breadth & depth of
phenomena
Nature of Study behavior in natural
Observation environment
Nature of Reality Multiple realities; subjective
Final Report Narrative report with
contextual description &
direct quotations from
research participants
continued…
QUANTITATIVE
Regular & predictable
Describe, explain & predict
Narrow-angle lens; tests
specific hypotheses
Study behavior under
controlled conditions
Single reality; objective
Statistical report with
correlations, comparisons of
means, & statistical
significance of findings