Qualitative Research Techniques
- According to Denzin and Lincoln (2005):
- Involves understanding a phenomenon through its inherent meaning, rather than through numerical measurement.
- Focuses on in-depth, interpretive understanding of complex social phenomena.
- Emphasizes the subjective experiences and perspectives of participants.
- According to Creswell (2009):
- Aims to describe and interpret a phenomenon from a subjective, insider perspective.
- Involves naturalistic inquiry, where researchers observe and interact with participants in their natural settings.
- Generates rich, in-depth data through methods such as interviews, observations, and focus groups.
Quantitative Research Techniques
- According to Sekaran and Bougie (2016):
- Involves collecting and analyzing numerical data to measure and quantify relationships between variables.
- Adopts a deductive approach, where hypotheses are tested using statistical methods.
- Aims to generalize findings to a larger population.
- According to Bryman (2012):
- Relies on objective, standardized data collection and analysis.
- Uses structured methods such as surveys, experiments, and content analysis.
- Provides numerical evidence to support or refute hypotheses and theories.
Key Differences between Qualitative and Quantitative Research Techniques
- Data Type: Qualitative research generates non-numerical, descriptive data (e.g., words, images, observations), while quantitative research produces numerical data (e.g., statistics, scores).
- Methodology: Qualitative research follows an inductive and interpretive approach, while quantitative research follows a deductive and hypothesis-testing approach.
- Focus: Qualitative research focuses on understanding specific individuals or groups in detail, while quantitative research aims to generalize findings to a larger population.
- Sample Size: Qualitative research typically involves smaller, purposive samples, while quantitative research often requires larger, representative samples.
- Data Analysis: Qualitative research involves thematic analysis, narrative analysis, or grounded theory. Quantitative research involves statistical analysis, such as regression or ANOVA.