Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research

Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research

Introduction

Research refers to a term used profusely for an investigation that is anticipated to find new or interesting facts or proofs. As with all activities, the thoroughness with which Research is executed will be mirrored in the quality of the outcomes (Walliman, 2011).  It is possible to develop two fundamental approaches in scientific Research. These approaches include quantitative and qualitative Research.

The qualitative Research

The qualitative approach is thought to have existed before the quantitative approach as the method tries to describe frequently through observations on how and why things occur, or individuals behave.  Qualitative approach advances its roots to such fields as sociology and psychology.  The qualitative area attempts to clarify through subjective analysis and observation the reasons a phenomenon arises (Miles, 1994).  The qualitative approach entails a range of interpretative approaches that seek to explain, decode, translate, and then come to terms with the meaning and not the frequency, of particular more or less naturally occurring occurrences in the social domain. Qualitative approaches are used in both the data analysis and data collection phases of a research project (Cooper, 2014).

The quantitative technique comprises a range of strategies focusing on the systematic study of social occurrences, using numerical or statistical data. Hence, the quantitative research technique encompasses measurement and denotes that the phenomena under investigation can be measured. It arrays to analyze data for tendencies and relationships and to authenticate or validate the measurements made (Watson, 2015).

The target of this paper is to build up the contrasts among subjective or qualitative and quantitative Research, albeit both are part of scientific Research, the distinctions do not happen at the degree of the examined issue; however, at the degree of the strategies and instruments that everyone applies.

The Qualitative Technique

The qualitative procedure has as its prime goal the depiction of the characteristics of phenomena. This technique for the request does not endeavor to quantify to what degree a specific condition is found in a given occasion, but to find as several conditions as possible. The subjective or qualitative study does not talk about the accuracy but in-depth knowledge or understanding.

The sources of qualitative strategies have grounds in several disciplines, including economics, sociology, linguistic, psychology, and anthropology, among many other fields. Qualitative procedures have been accessible some as right on time as the nineteenth century, with the rise of the sociologies – particularly human science and humanities – this strategy starts to grow dynamically, in American sociology history, the utilization of qualitative approach was first announced in the researches of the “Chicago School” in the period from around 1910 to 1940. During that time, researchers related to the University of Chicago created itemized observational examinations participants on urban life.

The quantitative approach

The quantitative system permits analyzing the information or data numerically, particularly in the field of Statistics. In technique, it is necessitated that exists a direct connection between the components of the study. In other words, that there is rationality among the elements of the research problem, that it is feasible to describe it, and know precisely where the problem begins, in which direction it heads, and what sort of connection exists among its components.

The components of linear examination are variables or factors, the connection among the unit of perception and variables. A variable is whatever might be estimated or measured.

The quantitative approach comprises an array of techniques concerned with the methodical or systematic examination of social phenomena, utilizing numerical or statistical data. Accordingly, quantitative Research includes measurements and asserts that the events under investigation can be measured or estimated. It sets out to examine data for patterns and connections and to validate the measurements made (Watson, 2015).

Differences between quantitative and qualitative methods of Research

The inductive and deductive strategies have various goals and could be summarized as hypothesis improvement and hypothesis examination correspondingly. Qualitative Research is commonly connected with inductive techniques, while quantitative Research is frequently connected with the deductive strategy. The fundamental contrasts between the two methodologies include:

• Quantitative data on variables are gathered and analyzed in quantitative Research
• Qualitative Research does not evaluate or quantify. Qualitative analysts make authentic records of the issues addressed through procedures, such as unstructured interviews, observation surveys, and focus groups.
• The central contrast between the two methodologies is that the quantitative approach studies the connection or association between quantified or measured variables or factors. In contrast, the qualitative approach explores the relationships in structural and situational settings.
• Quantitative Research attempts to determine the association between variables or factors, through samples to interpret a populace from which all examples come. In contrast, the qualitative study attempts to pinpoint the nature of the actualities, its structure of correlations, and its dynamic structure.

Strengths and shortcomings of the various techniques

The two methodologies have advantages and weaknesses and will rely upon the scientist and the sort of Research the determination of the suitable method. One of the weaknesses noted in the quantitative methodology is the absence of interaction or correspondence of the specialist with the individuals participating in the study.

In the qualitative methodology, it is recognized as a shortcoming that surveys utilize the subjects of Research to get data to process without a “follow-up” to those subjects who gave the information.

The qualitative technique permits a progressively horizontal and increasingly equivalent correspondence between the research subjects and the researchers. The interviews enhance the analyst to have a more natural method to interact with the respondents, in the quantitative methodology the researchers never connect or communicate directly with the subject of study, thus, rendering the correspondence to be vertical.

Conclusion

The quantitative study analyzes different components that can be estimated and evaluated. All the data is gotten through samples of the populace, and its outcomes can be inferred to the whole population, with a specific degree of mistake and level of certainty. Quantitative Research depends on numbers and factual strategies.

Qualitative Research does not depend on numerical or statistical measures; it utilizes in-depth interviews and exploration of different wellsprings of information, depends on observation of the explored subject and the product or object of the analysis.

Both techniques of Research have a diverse approach, based on the Research and the subject of analysis, the information would be either dependent on the numerical or statistical interpretation or dependent on the information gathered through interviews, surveys, and focused groups among other processes of the qualitative approaches.  My research technique of preference would be the qualitative approach

References

Cooper, D.R &.Schindler,P.S. (2014). Business Research Methods (12th ed.). McGraw Hill.

Miles, M. B., & Huberman, A. M. (1994). Qualitative data analysis (2nd ed.). Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

Watson, R. (2015). Quantitative Research. Nursing Standard (2014+), 29(31), 44. Retrieved from:http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.libproxy.db.erau.edu/10.7748/ns.29.31.44.e8681

Walliman, N. (2011). Research Methods: The Basics. London: Routledge. Retrieved from http://vw9tq4ge9f.search.serialssolutions.com