QUALITATIVE RESEARCH vs.

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Qualitative Quantitative
Definition A systematic subjective A formal, objective, and
approach used to describe systematic process for
life experiences and give obtaining information; a
them meaning method used to describe,
test relationships, and
examine cause and effect
relationships
Goals To gain insight; explore the To test relationships,
depth, richness, and describe, examine cause
complexity inherent in the and effect relations
phenomenon
Seeks to explore, explain, Seek to confirm a hypothesis
and understand some about some phenomena –
phenomena – WHAT and WHAT and HOW MANY
WHY
Characteristics Soft Science Hard Science
Focus: complex and broad Focus: concise and narrow
Holistic Reductionist
Subjective Objective
Dialectic; inductive Logistic; deductive
Basis of knowing: meaning Basis of knowing: cause and
and discovery effect, relationships
Develops theory Tests theory
Shared interpretation Control
Methods: less-structured; Methods: highly structured
Data gathered through through the use of tools,
interviews, observations, equipment, and
content analysis, etc. questionnaires
Communication and Instruments
observation
Ask open-ended questions in Ask close-ended questions
an effort to explore that give quantifiable
answers
Data provided as narrative, Data is in the form of
pictures, or objects numbers and statistical
results
Basic element of analysis: Basic element of analysis:
words Numbers
Individual interpretation Statistical Analysis
Results may be presented Results are documented
subjectively – may reveal using objective language.
biases, values, or
experiences that impact
how the results are
interpreted
Uniqueness Generalization