Research Guides: Health Informatics and Information Management : Qualitative vs. Quantitative

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Methods

There are two types of research methods out there- Qualitative and Quantitative. Qualitative is used to describe methods which draw on data collection techniques such as interviews and observations. Quantitative research describes methods that gather a range of numeric data. The purpose is to generate knowledge and create understanding about the world.

Quick Comparison

Research Type	Definition	Title Words	Methods	Data	Research Role
Qualitative	Seeks to provide understanding of experience, perceptions, motivations, intentions, and behaviors based on description and observation. Uses a more naturalistic interpretive approach to a subject and its contextual setting.	Ethnographic study, field notes, focus group, observation, open ended, phenomenological	Interviews, focus groups, recording behavior, unstructured observation	Idea, interpretive, narrative description and analysis, text-based, word analysis	Subjective: Involved, participant observer
Quantitative	Based on scientific methods that generate numerical data and seek to establish causal relationships between two or more variables. Uses statistical methods to test strength and significance of relationships.	Control study, clinical trial, cohort study, randomized controlled trial, statistical, structured-questionnaire	Begins with testable hypothesis that determines methodology. Collects and analyzes data. Can also use mathematical and statistical methods to analyze data.	Measurable, numbers, statistics	Objective: Sperate, observes but does not participate

Sourced from from Maricopa College Qualitative vs. Qualitative Research

More Detailed Overview

	Quantitative Inquiry	Qualitative Inquiry
Goals	Explanation or Causation	Understanding or reasoning of a phenomena Focused on meaning Descriptive
Research Question	More conclusive and pertain to larger populations Answers When, Where, What	More exploratory questions Answers how or Why?
Data	Can be manipulated numerically Precise, objective, measurable data that can be analyzed with statistical procedures	Comprised of words, behaviors, images Goal is that data can enhance understanding of a phenomena
Design	Central tenant is strictly controlled research design in which researchers clearly specify in advance which data they will measure and procedure used to obtain data	Project can evolve over time Flexibility
Data Collection Instruments	Tolls employed to collected numerical data: Surveys, questionnaires, and/or equipment Research environment is likely a controlled representation of reality	Researchers collect through in-depth interview or observation Collected "in the field" observes behavior or interviews take place in participants natural habitat
Informant Selection	Ensure sample is representative of experiment population Gold standard is random sampling	Collected from small non-random samples Not 'measureable' in a quantifiable or mathematical way
Analysis	Deductive; precise measurement, mathematical formula, hypothesis testing	Inductive; Researcher builds concepts, abstracts, hypotheses, and theories from data Relies on categorization of data into patterns Complexity and a plurality of voice is sought
Results	Prediction, causality, or to generalize	Understand participants' own perspectives as embedded in their social context Do not seek to generalize with the same sense as quantitative research

Sourced from McGill University McGill Qualitative Health Research Group