qualitative and quantitative research

1. What is the difference and similarity
between qualitative and quantitative
research?
By: Alireza Hajarian

2. What is qualitative research?
Qualitative research provides information beyond the age and gender of
the respondent. Things like household income, education level and
occupation are three basic pieces of qualitative data.
Beyond that there can be information regarding where you shopped in
the past week, what kind of car you plan to buy in the coming year, and
yes, even your favorite candy bar.
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3. What is quantitative research?
Quantitative research is about asking people for their opinions in a
structured way so that you can produce hard facts and statistics to guide
you. To get reliable statistical results, it’s important to survey people in
fairly large numbers and to make sure they are a representative sample of
your target market.
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4. What is the differences between qualitative and
quantitative research?
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Quantitative ResearchQualitative Research
To quantify data and
generalize results from a
sample to the population
of interest
To gain an understanding
of underlying reasons and
motivations
Purpose

5. Quantitative ResearchQualitative Research
To measure the incidence
of various views and
opinions in a chosen
sample
To provide insights into
the setting of a problem,
generating ideas and/or
hypotheses for later
quantitative research
purpose
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6. Quantitative ResearchQualitative Research
Sometimes followed by
qualitative research
which is used to explore
some findings further
To uncover prevalent
trends in thought and
opinion
Purpose
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7. Quantitative ResearchQualitative Research
Structured techniques such
as online questionnaires,
on-street or telephone
interviews.
Unstructured or semi-
structured techniques e.g.
individual depth interviews
or group discussions.
Data- collection
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8. Quantitative ResearchQualitative Research
Statistical data is usually
in the form of tabulations
(tabs). Findings are
conclusive and usually
descriptive in nature.
Non-statisticalData- analysis
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9. Quantitative ResearchQualitative Research
Used to recommend a final
course of action.
Exploratory and/or
investigative. Findings are
not conclusive and cannot be
used to make generalizations
about the population of
interest. Develop an initial
understanding and sound
base for further decision
making.
Out come
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10. Qualitative & Quantitative Research Similarities
I've never had similarities between the two as a sociology graduate, the
only similar thing about them is the fact that they are both types of
methods used to find research that you can use.
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11. Difference Between Qualitative and Quantitative
Research
• Research is the most widely used tool to increase and brush-up the stock of
knowledge about something and someone. In the field of marketing, business,
sociology, psychology, science & technology, economics, etc. there are two
standard ways of conducting research, i.e. qualitative research or quantitative
research. While the former relies on verbal narrative like spoken or written data,
the latter uses logical or statistical observations to draw conclusions.
• There is a never-ending debate on which research is better than the other, so in
this article, we are going to shed light on the difference between qualitative
and quantitative research. Have a look.
•

12. Content: Qualitative Research Vs Quantitative
Research
•Comparison Chart
•Definition
•Key Differences
•Conclusion

13. Comparison ChartBasis for Comparison Qualitative Research Quantitative Research
Meaning
Qualitative research is a method of inquiry that
develops understanding on human and social
sciences, to find the way people think and feel.
Quantitative research is a research
method that is used to generate
numerical data and hard facts, by
employing statistical, logical and
mathematical technique.
Nature Holistic Particularistic
Approach Subjective Objective
Research type Exploratory Conclusive
Reasoning Inductive Deductive
Sampling Purposive Random
Data Verbal Measurable
Inquiry Process-oriented Result-oriented
Hypothesis Generated Tested
Elements of analysis Words, pictures and objects Numerical data
Objective
To explore and discover ideas used in the ongoing
processes.
To examine cause and effect relationship
between variables.
Methods
Non-structured techniques like In-depth interviews,
group discussions etc.
Structured techniques such as surveys,
questionnaires and observations.
Result Develops initial understanding Recommends final course of action

14. Definition of Qualitative Research
•Qualitative research is one which provides insights and understanding of
the problem setting. It is an unstructured, exploratory research method
that studies highly complex phenomena that are impossible to elucidate
with the quantitative research. Although, it generates ideas or hypothesis
for later quantitative research.
•Qualitative research is used to gain an in-depth understanding of human
behaviour, experience, attitudes, intentions, and motivations, on the basis
of observation and interpretation, to find out the way people think and
feel. It is a form of research in which the researcher gives more weight to
the views of the participants. Case study, grounded theory, ethnography,
historical and phenomenology are the types of qualitative research.

15. Definition of Quantitative Research
•Quantitative research is a form of research that relies on the methods of
natural sciences, which produces numerical data and hard facts. It aims at
establishing cause and effect relationship between two variables by using
mathematical, computational and statistical methods. The research is also
known as empirical research as it can be accurately and precisely
measured.
•The data collected by the researcher can be divided into categories or put
into rank, or it can be measured in terms of units of measurement. Graphs
and tables of raw data can be constructed with the help quantitative
research, making it easier for the researcher to analyse the results.
•

16. Key Differences Between Qualitative And Quantitative
Research
• The differences between qualitative and quantitative research are
provided can be drawn clearly on the following grounds:
• Qualitative research is a method of inquiry that develops understanding on
human and social sciences, to find the way people think and feel. A
scientific and empirical research method that is used to generate
numerical data, by employing statistical, logical and mathematical
technique is called quantitative research.
• Qualitative research is holistic in nature while quantitative research is
particularistic.
• The qualitative research follows a subjective approach as the researcher is
intimately involved, whereas the approach of quantitative research is
objective, as the researcher is uninvolved and attempts to precise the
observations and analysis on the topic to answer the inquiry.
•

17. •Qualitative research is exploratory. As opposed to quantitative research
which is conclusive. The reasoning used to synthesise data in qualitative
research is inductive whereas in the case of quantitative research the
reasoning is deductive. Qualitative research is based on purposive
sampling, where a small sample size is selected with a view to get a
thorough understanding of the target concept. On the other hand,
quantitative research relies on random sampling; wherein a large
representative sample is chosen in order to extrapolate the results to
the whole population. Verbal data are collected in qualitative research.
Conversely, in quantitative research measurable data is gathered.

18. • Inquiry in qualitative research is a process-oriented, which is not in the case of
quantitative research. The hypothesis is generated in qualitative research by
inductive reasoning. On the contrary, the hypothesis is tested by deductive
research in quantitative reasoning. Elements used in the analysis of qualitative
research are words, pictures, and objects while that of quantitative research is
numerical data. Qualitative Research is conducted with the aim of exploring and
discovering ideas used in the ongoing processes. As opposed to quantitative
research the purpose is to examine cause and effect relationship between
variables. Lastly, the methods used in qualitative research are in-depth
interviews, focus groups, etc. In contrast, the methods of conducting
quantitative research are structured interviews and observations. Qualitative
Research develops the initial understanding whereas quantitative research
recommends a final course of action.

19. Conclusion
•An ideal research is one, which is conducted by considering
both the methods, together. Although, there are some
particular areas which require, only one type of research which
mainly depends on the information required by the
researcher. While qualitative research tends to be
interpretative, quantitative research is concrete.

20. Thanks for your attention…
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