It can be difficult when deciding on a thesis or dissertation project to figure out what you’re your methods section will look like – what method to choose - whether to choose to conduct quantitative or qualitative research based on your interest.
Quantitative data are used when a researcher is trying to quantify a problem or address the "what" or "how many" aspects of a research question. It is data that can either be counted or compared on a numeric scale.
Qualitative data describes qualities or characteristics. It is collected using questionnaires, interviews, or observation, and frequently appears in narrative form. Choosing one method or the other depends on what you believe would provide the best evidence for your research objectives. Consider your research objective carefully. Remember that researchers sometimes choose to incorporate both qualitative and quantitative data in their research since these methods provide different perspectives on the topic.
Qualitative Research is primarily exploratory research. It is used to gain an understanding of underlying reasons, opinions, and motivations. It provides insights into the problem or can serve to develop ideas or hypotheses for potential quantitative research. Qualitative Research is also used to uncover trends in thought and opinions, and dive deeper into the problem. Qualitative data collection methods vary using unstructured or semi-structured techniques. Some common methods include focus groups (group discussions), individual interviews, and participation/observations. Qualitative Research can capture changing attitudes within a target group. Qualitative approaches to research are not bound by the limitations of quantitative methods. If responses don’t fit the researcher’s expectation that’s equally useful qualitative data to add context and perhaps explain something which numbers alone are unable to reveal. Qualitative Research provides a much more flexible approach. If useful insights are not being captured researchers can quickly adapt questions, change the setting or any other variable to improve responses.
Quantitative Research is used to quantify the problem by way of generating numerical data or data that can be transformed into usable statistics. It is used to quantify attitudes, opinions, behaviors, and other defined variables – and generalize results from a larger sample population. Quantitative Research uses measurable data to formulate facts and uncover patterns in research. Quantitative data collection methods are much more structured than Qualitative data collection methods. Quantitative data collection methods include various forms of surveys – online surveys, mobile surveys, face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews, longitudinal studies, online polls, and systematic observations. Quantitative Research allows for a broader study, involving a greater number of subjects, and enhancing the generalization of the results Quantitative Research can allow for greater objectivity and accuracy of results. Generally, quantitative methods are designed to provide summaries of data that support generalizations about the phenomenon under study. In order to accomplish this, quantitative research usually involves few variables and many cases, and employs prescribed procedures to ensure validity and reliability. Using standards means that the research can be replicated, and then analyzed and compared with similar studies. Personal bias can be avoided by researchers keeping a 'distance' from participating subjects and employing subjects unknown to them.
While qualitative research brings depth of understanding to your research questions, it also makes the results harder to analyze. But quantitative data can help you see the big picture. Qualitative data adds the details and can also give a human voice to your survey results. Whereas qualitative data provides support when you need to draw general conclusions from your research.
It can be very beneficial to get both perspectives when approaching a research problem and combine methods. Qualitative research is often the starting point when you seek to discover new problems and opportunities–which will help you do deeper research later. Quantitative data will give you measurements to confirm each problem or opportunity and understand it. To say that one or the other approach is "better" is a trivializing of a far more complex topic than a dichotomous choice. There is value in combining both qualitative and quantitative methods in what is referred to as a "mixed methods" approach.
The firmer your objective is, the easier it will be for you to make the right choose as to which methods will serve you best.
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Tiffany
