Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research

• Thomas Edison was probably the greatest inventor in American History. When he attended school, his teachers complained that he was "too slow" and hard to handle. At the age of 10, he had already set up his first chemistry laboratory (1% inspiration and 99% perspiration). When he invented the light bulb, he tried 2,000 experiments before he got it to work. Inventing the light bulb happened to be a 2,000-step process.
• Research is an action. (verb)
• Research is both a physical and mental activity.
• Be a novice (neophyte) first, then eventually become an expert (professional).
• Approaches to Research:

  • Qualitative Approach
  • Quantitative Approach
• Quantitative Approach

  The investigator primarily uses quantifiable claims for developing knowledge, employs strategies of inquiry such as experiments and survey, and collects data on predetermined instruments that yield statistical data.
• Statistical Data


  Based on numbers and mathematical equations.
• Qualitative Approach


  One in which the inquirer often makes knowledge claims based primarily on constructivist perspectives or advocacy/participatory perspectives.
• Qualitative Approach


  Uses strategies of inquiry such as narratives, phenomenology, ethnographies, grounded theory studies, or case studies
• Qualitative Approach


  The researcher collects open-ended, emerging data with the primary intent of developing themes from the data.
• Qualitative 


  Purpose: Explain and gain insight and understanding of phenomena through intensive collection of narrative data.
• Quantitative


  Purpose: Explain, predict, and/or control phenomena through focused collection of numerical data.
• Qualitative


  Example: Usually a smaller number of respondents
• Quantitative


  Example: Usually a large number of cases representing the population of interest
• Qualitative


  Setting: Natural, Familiar
• Quantitative

  Setting: Unfamiliar, Artificial
• Qualitative


  Mode of Analysis: Inductive
• Quantitative

  Mode of Analysis: Deductive
• Qualitative


  Type of Data Collected: Words and Images
• Quantitative


  Type of Data Collected: Numbers and Statistics
• Qualitative


  Forms of Data Collected: Based on open-ended responses, interviews, participant observations, field notes, and reflections
• Quantitative


  Forms of Data Collected: Based on precise measurements using structured and validated data-collection instruments
• Qualitative 


  Develops Theory, Interpretative, Researcher is part of the process, Participants, Words, Describes meaning, Discovery
• Quantitative


  Tests theory, Measurable, Researcher is separate, Subjects, Numbers, Establishes relationships