Article synopsis and summary

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research

This article analyzes the distinctions between Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methodologies and discusses seven distinct research criteria and how each method differs regarding them. This first Criterion, Epistemological Assumptions, also generally describes the features of both methods. Quantitative research seeks to discover and objective and quantifiable reality independent of feelings or thoughts about it. While qualitative research ascribes beliefs, feeling and thoughts regarding reality and describes it in a varying non-absolute scale. Often the researchers own beliefs about what they are trying to accomplish can influence their selection of research methods. But the parameter for choosing one or the other generally guided by criterion two, Purpose. If the purpose of the study is to garner information about a predictive future state, than quantitative research is generally chosen. More aligned with number theory, quantitative analysis can yield more predictable and graphic results for decision making based on current states. In other words, "generalizability" is the key. Whereas, if a study's purpose is to understand and interpret research that requires a more in-depth methodology that will dig deeper into motivations and beliefs, qualitative methods are usually employed. Here also sample size has less relevance that in quantitative research.

Raw Data, criterion three, is presented quite differently in these methods. Quantitative data, as the word implies, regards quantity or numerical differentiation as key. It is not so much what is said, but how many times an instance occurs or what value can be placed upon it. Whereas qualitative data is usually composed of words whose meanings regarding information can include various media and formats as well.

The next criterion, emphasis, is similar to purpose, as it is the overall intention of the study and the researcher point-of-view. In quantitative research the emphasis is on repeatability and predictability. The results show that there is a trend or tendency and that they are in agreement or disagreement with hypotheses. On the other hand, qualitative research is process oriented and usually seeks the methods by which individuals draw certain conclusions about the information under scrutiny. It is more aligned with studies on social systems that have numerous variables and properties. There would be a search for "chain" sequences that lead to events.

Criterion five, Sampling, as previously stated has very different emphasis in either of these methods. In quantitative analysis, the bigger the better is the overall emphasis on sampling size. The more data and the larger the sample, the less the variance and the more accurate the results. This is often the opposite in qualitative research. In this venue the research often has to gather a great deal of information from individual subjects. The time involved for data collection and analysis is much greater and requires more detailed analysis of meaning. Which leads to criterion six, Analysis. Analysis is also quite different for both methodologies. Quantitative research relies on well-structured experiments whose results are scalable and repeatable. Data analysis and prediction occurs at the end of the research. Qualitative research relies on more subjective methods such as observation, interviews and other more in-depth data collection. Analysis is an ongoing process through the research and can often change direction through findings. The final criterion is quality. Both methodologies have different sets of evaluative standards that go directly to quality assessments. The quality of quantitative research lies in its validity, both external and internal, and objective analysis of data collected. Qualitative research has more the qualities of truth and credibility, which can often be quite subjective standards, but nonetheless provide the quality for this research paradigm. Finally, while both methods have their merits, they can also be combined as mixed methods in a single project to allow more flexibility with the particular research project.