Qualitative and Quantitative ResearchQualitative and Quantitative Research

QuantitativeQuantitative

Deductive: transforms Deductive: transforms general theory into general theory into hypothesis suitable for hypothesis suitable for testingtesting

ObjectiveObjective

Sample represents the Sample represents the whole population so that whole population so that results can be results can be generalizedgeneralized

QualitativeQualitative

Inductive: inductive Inductive: inductive thought which transforms thought which transforms specific observations into specific observations into general theorygeneral theory

SubjectiveSubjective

Samples are studies but Samples are studies but not for their not for their representativeness or representativeness or with the intension to with the intension to generalize the results but generalize the results but because focus of interest because focus of interest is only that is only that samplesample

QuantitativeQuantitative

There is some sort of There is some sort of quantitative quantitative frameworkframework within which within which questions are posed and questions are posed and answered’ structured answered’ structured questionnaires, questionnaires, structured interviews structured interviews

Sample is comparatively Sample is comparatively largerlarger

Usually focuses on group Usually focuses on group level level comparisonscomparisons

QualitativeQualitative

Data is collected Data is collected through through open-ended open-ended questionnaires, questionnaires, unstructured unstructured interviewinterview

Sample can be as Sample can be as smallsmall as decided by the as decided by the researcher researcher

Focuses on variable Focuses on variable forms of forms of subjective subjective meaningmeaning

QuantitativeQuantitative

Descriptive, Descriptive, Causal/experimental, Causal/experimental, correlationalcorrelational

Involves attaching Involves attaching numbers to units numbers to units measured and measured and performing statistical performing statistical analyses on the analyses on the numbers using some numbers using some statistical packagesstatistical packages

QualitativeQualitative

Descriptive usuallyDescriptive usually

Analysis usually involves Analysis usually involves interpretation based on interpretation based on researcher’s opinion, researcher’s opinion, statistics not used, statistics not used, however is not however is not necessarily number necessarily number free, some may include free, some may include tallies and frequency tallies and frequency countscounts

Nvivo is a software for Nvivo is a software for content analysiscontent analysis

QuantitativeQuantitativeReportReport IntroductionIntroduction Aim of the studyAim of the study Literature ReviewLiterature Review MethodMethod ObjectivesObjectives HypothesisHypothesis Operational definitions of Operational definitions of

variablesvariables SampleSample Data collection toolData collection tool Analysis planAnalysis plan ResultsResults DiscussionDiscussion ConclusionConclusion RecommendationsRecommendations

QualitativeQualitativeReportReport IntroductionIntroduction Aim of the studyAim of the study Literature reviewLiterature review SampleSample Data collection methodsData collection methods FindingsFindings DiscussionDiscussion ConclusionConclusion Recommendations Recommendations

A combination of both types is much A combination of both types is much

appreciated these daysappreciated these days