Qualitative and Quantitative Research

Qualitative and Quantitative Research

It is imperative to understand that qualitative research involves collecting and analyzing non-numerical data such as video, text, or audio to understand concepts, experiences, or opinions. Qualitative analysis may gather intensive insights into the problems or even give rise to new ideas for research. Times, qualitative research is often used in social sciences and humanities in diverse subjects such as sociology, education, anthropology, history, and health sciences, to mention just a few. On the other hand, quantitative research involves collecting and analyzing numerical data for statistical analysis. Consequently, the produced data are frequently numerical and thus analyzed through statistical and mathematical methods. Therefore, with this knowledge in mind, it suffices to maintain that it cannot be said to be quantitative research if no numbers are involved. The distinction between the qualitative and the qualitative methods primarily touches on more than the data collection type (Bachman & Schutt, (2013).

Still, some joint research motives for using the quantitative research method are that it often ends with recommendations. Hence, it tries to quantify the problem and cognizance of its prevalence by looking for results that could be projected to a large population. Also, this method would be consistent during data collection, especially during the closed-ended questionnaire (Blog). In this case, the data could be used to find cause and effect relationships, thus used in making predictions.

Lastly, it is vital to note that mixed research methods, including qualitative and quantitative research, are often helpful in understanding their findings. As such, the mixed methods often give the participants a voice and ensure that the study’s conclusions are interwoven in the participants’ experience.

References

Bachman, R., & Schutt, R. K. (2013). The practice of research in criminology and criminal justice. Sage.

Blog, Formplus. “15 Reasons To Choose Quantitative Over Qualitative Research”. Formpl.Us, 2021, https://www.formpl.us/blog/quantitative-qualitative-research.

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Explain what is involved in qualitative and quantitative research methods and describe some of the common motives for using qualitative or quantitative research methods. Describe why some researchers use both methods to answer their research questions.