Quantitative vs Qualitative

738 Words3 Pages
Quantitative research and qualitative research are research methods that gather different types of data. Qualitative research at its core gathers non-numerical, diagnostic, and/or interpretive data (Experiment Resources, 2012). Quantitative research mainly gathers numerical data or data that can be measured (Experiment Resources, 2012). Each of these research methods describes different types of data and have different goals in their research (Experiment Resources, 2012). Qualitative and quantitative research use different tools for gathering data and tend to approach the data differently (Experiment Resources, 2012). Each research method has advantages and disadvantages in their use. Qualitative data is used mainly as a tool early on in information gathering to reduce the burden on quantitative studies. Qualitative research’s goal is to provide detail and understanding of data. Quantitative research is usually used after qualitative data has been gathered and uses that information to construct its own research gathering techniques. The goal of quantitative data is to classify data or to create statistical models for explaining observations (Experiment Resources, 2012). Generally qualitative studies will use researchers as the main tool for gathering data. Researchers in qualitative studies will use interviews and other verbal communication tools to gather data; quantitative research differs from this in that it collects data from questionnaires and surveys to compile information. The distinction is made that in an interview the people involved can clarify and describe answers while, in a survey or questionnaire the participant is constrained to the descriptions provided which will be the same for each person. Due to the difference in received information qualitative data tends to be more subjective while quantitative data tends to be more objective. (Experiment
Open Document