what is the difference between quantitative and qualitative research?

Answer 1

quantitive is quantity, questionaires, surveys etc.
eg 30% of all Americans love rice

Qualitative is more usually interviews.
eg This one american said he loved ric, brown rice especially but he didn't really go for easy cook rice, he prefered rice in resturaunts and told me about his favourite chinese take away

Answer 2

Quantitative research consists of the statistical description and comparison of different phenomena. Qualitative research consists of the interpretation of observations.

Strictly speaking, any research will have both quantitative and qualitative elements. Quantitative experiments must be interpreted if they are to have any meaning or use. You are unlikely to descibe research observations without some use of numbers, if only to count up e.g. how many people acted in different ways.

In practice, quantitative and qualitaitve research use different techniques, details of which you will find only too easily (and I fear often boringly, although it is not nessarily so) in texts for university statistics and research methods courses. They also relate to different philosophies of science (social science, psychology) in that quantitative research is typically based upon a hyothetico-deductive framework, i.e. you formulate a hypothesis and then conducted an experiment trying to disporve its opposite, holding everything else as constant as possible (big problem!). Qualitative research typically develops theory progressively from observations in more complex settings.

It would be a mistake to suggest that quantitative research of its essence requires a large enough number of people (in the case of psychology) to support statistica testing, whereas qualitative research can be done with fewer people. It is possible to carry out quantitative research on single cases, specifically by comparing observations over time, whilst qualtitative research can be of anything from single individuals to very large scale surveys.

This is an outline answer to a question for which a full answer would be very complex.

Answer 3

Quantitative research are studies which produce number/numerical data and qualitative research are studies which produce descriptive data.

Quantitative research methods include experiments, surveys/questionnaires, controlled observations (if well structured), content analysis and correlational analysis.

Qualitative research methods include interviews (if less structured), case studies, naturalistic observations (if less controlled), diary studies and questionnaires (if open questions are used).

An easy way to remember the difference is that the word 'quantity' in quantitative refers to how much of something there is, whereas the word 'quality' in qualitative refers to what something is like. E.g. 9 out of 10 cats prefer whiskas cat food (how many cats? 9-a quantity/number) or she is a kind person (what is she? Kind-a quality/description).

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

Quantitative research needs large sample for statistical comparison, while qualitative research can use small sample, case study and can consider own thoughts and feelings as valid.

Answer 5

In simple terms;
Quantitative is statistics in quantity, such as surveys, polls and questionaires. For example what is your favorite soap powder?
Qualitative is statistics and hypotheses based on extensive research and demands quality from the data given. For example, not only would the question be asked What is your favorite soap powder, but more in depth questions would be asked such as; how often do you purchase it? Why do you purchase it? What do you like about it? etc, etc.
Quantitative is usually measured in contrast to qualitative.
Hope this helps?

Answer 6

Quantative methods deal with collecting large quantities of research / data, look at as wider picture as possible and drawing conclusions based upon trends etc. Qualtive on the other had loos at a more smaller cross section indepth, may be methods such as participant observation. Both methods have there strengths and both there weakness. Good approach is to use a bit of each where possible.

Answer 7

there are two categories of research methods qualitative and quantitative QUALITATIVE:-deals with feeling and other non quantifiable elements. QUANTITATIVE:deals with numbers ,graphs,charts.

Answer 8

quantitative research is dealing with figures and numbers
qualitative research is dealing with facts and statistics analysing content from newspapers, magazines, tv shows, websites etc that you have collated together

Answer 9

quantitative is data in the form of statistics
Qualitative data is for example like questionnairs and more in depth answers.