Comparing Quantitative and Qualitative Research
COMPARING QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Social theory is a “system of interconnected ideas that condenses and organises the knowledge about the social world and explains how it works” (Neuman, 2006, p.8) and for many years scientists have gathered data using specialised techniques such as Quantative and Qualitative research to support or reject these theories. Quantitative research “generates numerical data or information that can be converted into numbers,” (Experiment Resources, 2009, p.1) meaning only measurable data will be gathered and analysed in this type of research. Qualitative Research on the other hand “generates non-numerical data and focuses on gathering mainly verbal data rather than measurements” (Experiment Resources.com 2009, p.2). In order to compare and contrast these types of research, it is necessary to firstly define what each method encompasses, then to understand what is similar about the two types of research methodologies and finally to outline what makes them different by investigating how they can both compliment and limit findings in specific research studies.
Quantitative data can be used to “measure objective facts, with a focus on variables”. “With this form of data reliability is key and theory and data are separate, requiring many cases and subjects and relying on statistical analysis” (Neuman, 2006, p.13). Quantitative research design is considered the standard experimental method of most scientific disciplines and these experiments are sometimes referred to as “true science”, using traditional mathematical and statistical means to measure results (Martyn Shuttleworth, 2008, p.1). Quantitative experiments all use a standard format of generating a hypothesis to be proved or disproved. This hypothesis must be provable by mathematical and statistical means and is the basis around which the whole experiment is designed (Martyn Shuttleworth, 2008).
Qualitative data has “a social reality and cultural meaning focusing on
Social theory is a “system of interconnected ideas that condenses and organises the knowledge about the social world and explains how it works” (Neuman, 2006, p.8) and for many years scientists have gathered data using specialised techniques such as Quantative and Qualitative research to support or reject these theories. Quantitative research “generates numerical data or information that can be converted into numbers,” (Experiment Resources, 2009, p.1) meaning only measurable data will be gathered and analysed in this type of research. Qualitative Research on the other hand “generates non-numerical data and focuses on gathering mainly verbal data rather than measurements” (Experiment Resources.com 2009, p.2). In order to compare and contrast these types of research, it is necessary to firstly define what each method encompasses, then to understand what is similar about the two types of research methodologies and finally to outline what makes them different by investigating how they can both compliment and limit findings in specific research studies.
Quantitative data can be used to “measure objective facts, with a focus on variables”. “With this form of data reliability is key and theory and data are separate, requiring many cases and subjects and relying on statistical analysis” (Neuman, 2006, p.13). Quantitative research design is considered the standard experimental method of most scientific disciplines and these experiments are sometimes referred to as “true science”, using traditional mathematical and statistical means to measure results (Martyn Shuttleworth, 2008, p.1). Quantitative experiments all use a standard format of generating a hypothesis to be proved or disproved. This hypothesis must be provable by mathematical and statistical means and is the basis around which the whole experiment is designed (Martyn Shuttleworth, 2008).
Qualitative data has “a social reality and cultural meaning focusing on