DIFFERENTIATING QUALITATIVE METHOD FROM QUANTITATIVE METHOD

Knowing the advantages and disadvantages of quantitative and qualitative methods will help you
make a better decision as to the appropriate approach to use. Both methods are quite useful depending on the
type of study.
QUANTITATIVE ADVANTAGES
You may be very familiar with quantitative research from your science classes where you learned
and practiced using the scientific method. A problem or question is examined by deductively forming a
hypothesis derived from theory. Controlled, objective testing and experimentation ultimately supports or
rejects your hypotheses. Each step is standardized to reduce bias when collecting and analyzing data. A big
advantage of this approach is that the results are valid, reliable and generalizable to a larger population.
Quantitative research is advantageous for studies that involve numbers, such as measuring achievement gaps
between different groups of students or assessing the effectiveness of a new blood pressure medication.
QUANTITATIVE DISADVANTAGES
While quantitative research methods work well in the laboratory under tightly controlled conditions,
measuring phenomena like human behavior in natural settings is trickier. Survey instruments are vulnerable
to errors such as mistakes in measurement and flawed sampling techniques. Another disadvantage is that
quantitative research involves numbers, but some topics are too difficult to quantify in numbers. For
example, constructing an effective survey with closed-ended questions about how people fall in love would
be difficult.
QUALITATIVE ADVANTAGES
Qualitative research is often used to conduct social and behavioral studies because human
interactions are more complex than molecular reactions in a beaker. Subjectivity, nonrandom sampling and
small sample size distinguishes qualitative research from quantitative research. A big advantage of
qualitative research is the ability to deeply probe and obtain rich descriptive data about social phenomena
through structured interviews, cultural immersion, case studies and observation, for instance. Examples
include ethnography, narratives and grounded theory.
QUALITATIVE DISADVANTAGES
Qualitative studies often take more time to complete due to the painstaking nature of gathering and
analyzing field notes, transcribing interviews, identifying themes and studying photographs, for instance.
Studies are not easily replicable or generalizable to the general population. Conscious or unconscious bias
can influence the researcher’s conclusions. Lacking rigorous scientific controls and numerical data,
qualitative findings may be dismissed by some researchers as anecdotal information.
 Terminology plays an important role in the understanding of contexts and specialized texts.
Understanding the intricate terminological details of the technical and scientific contexts helps students
comprehend what the main message of the document is, and it helps specialists to transmit the content more
effectively.
Quantitative methods are ideally suited for finding out who, what, when and where. Likewise with
qualitative methods, it also seeks out the who, what, however, it does not focus on the when and where.
Additionally, it includes the question how. In relation to this information, research gives statements with
proofs through careful observations and calculations.
The main purpose of research is to inform action, to prove a theory, and contribute to developing
knowledge in a field or study. Below are 7 significance of research (Zarah 2019).
1. A Tool for Building Knowledge and for Facilitating Learning
2. Means to Understand Various Issues and Increase Public Awareness
3. An Aid to Business Success
4. A Way to Prove Lies and to Support Truths
5. Means to Find, Gauge, and Seize Opportunities
6. A Seed to Love Reading, Writing, Analyzing, and Sharing Valuable Information
7. Nourishment and Exercise for the Mind
Finding reasons why research is important seems like a no-brainer, but many people avoid getting involved
in research. The lazy (if not mentally-drained) student is probably thinking - "Oh, no. Not again," while a
disinterested academic could just be doing it to secure job tenure and/or a promotion. Yet, for those who like
to learn, whether they are members of a learning institution or not, doing research is not just an imperative,
but a need.