Quantitative and Qualitative Research

Quantitative research


In the social sciences, quantitative research refers to the systematic empirical investigation of quantitative properties and phenomena and their relationships. The objective of quantitative research is to develop and employ mathematical models, theories and/or hypotheses pertaining to phenomena. The process of measurement is central to quantitative research because it provides the fundamental connection between empirical observation and mathematical expression of quantitative relationships. There's no such thing as qualitative data. Everything is either 1 or 0 - Fred Kerlinger

The quantitative method



Based on the idea that social phenomena can be quantified, measured and expressed numerically. The information about a social phenomenon is expressed in numeric terms that can be analysed by statistical methods. The observations can be directly numeric information or can be classified into numeric variables. Observation are transformed into a data matrix in which each observation unit (e.g. individual) occupies one row and each variable one column. The data matrix is the starting point for the analysis.

Qualitative research


Qualitative research is a method of inquiry appropriated in many different academic disciplines, traditionally in the social sciences, but also in market research and further sciences contexts. Qualitative researchers aim to gather an in-depth inunderstanding of human behavior and the reasons that govern such behavior. The qualitative method investigates the why and how of decision making, not just what, where, what, where, when. when. Hence, smaller but focused samples are more often needed, rather than large samples. All research ultimately has a qualitative grounding Donald T. Campbell T.

Quantitative and Qualitative research

Qualitative research aims at understanding. It answers primarily to how? questions.  Quantitative research aims at (causal) explanation. It answers primarily to why? questions.  Both qualitative and quantitative research can aim at description of social reality.
 

Quantitative and Qualitative research

Complementary - not contradictory  different kinds of research questions and objects of research  different perspectives on the same research objects / questions


Purpose
Qualitative  Contextualization  Interpretation  Understanding actors' perspectives Quantitative  Generalizability  Prediction  Causal explanations

Features
Qualitative  The aim is a complete, detailed description.  Researcher may only know roughly in advance what he/she is looking for.  Recommended during earlier phases of research projects. Quantitative  The aim is to classify features, count them, and construct statistical models in an attempt to explain what is observed.  Researcher knows clearly in advance what he/she is looking for.  Recommended during latter phases of research projects.

Features
Qualitative  The design emerges as the study unfolds.  Researcher is the data gathering instrument.  Data is in the form of words, pictures or objects. Quantitative  All aspects of the study are carefully designed before data is collected.  Researcher uses tools, such as questionnaires or equipment to collect numerical data.  Data is in the form of numbers and statistics.

Features
Qualitative  Subjective - individuals interpretation of events is important, important, e.g., uses participant observation, in-depth interviews etc. in Qualitative data is more rich, time consuming, and less able to be generalized.  Researcher tends to become subjectively immersed in the subject matter. Quantitative  Objective seeks precise measurement & analysis of target concepts, e.g., uses surveys, questionnaires etc.  Quantitative data is more efficient, able to test hypotheses, but may miss contextual detail.  Researcher tends to remain objectively separated from the subject matter.

Main points


 

Qualitative research involves analysis of data such as words (e.g., from interviews), pictures (e.g., video), or objects (e.g., an artefact). Quantitative research involves analysis of numerical data. The personality / thinking style of the researcher and/or the culture of the organization is under-recognized as a key underfactor in preferred choice of methods. Overly focusing on the debate of qualitative versus quantitative frames the methods in opposition. It is important to focus also on how the techniques can be integrated, such as in mixed methods research. More good can come of social science researchers developing skills in both realms than debating which method is superior.

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