Differences in Qualitative and Quantitative Research that Students Must Know

Understanding the differences between qualitative and quantitative research at the student level is felt to be very lacking. So far, there are still many people, especially students, both S1 and S2, who do not understand the differences between these two types of research. In general, many think that quantitative analysis is about numbers, while qualitative research is about words.

So, what’s the basic difference between qualitative and quantitative research?

Simply stating, qualitative research is comprised of non-numerical data and is mostly “textual form.” Quantitative research deals with numbers, states, and quantifiable data.

In other words, qualitative research is a type of research that produces findings that cannot be obtained using statistical procedures or other methods of quantification or measurements. Examples of qualitative research are interviews and open-ended questionnaires.

Qualitative research is mostly descriptive where as quantitative is statistical/numerical.

Quantitative research method is used in research samples, study populations, and sampling techniques that are generally carried out by random sampling. Common forms of quantitative research include surveys and close-ended questionnaires.

In general, qualitative research is a method that emphasizes aspects of a deeper understanding of a problem rather than looking at a problem. Qualitative research is research that is descriptive in nature, tends to use analysis, and more reveals the process of its meaning whereas quantitative research largely focuses on quantifiable data, numbers, stats, and ratios.

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research methods are research methods based on the philosophy of post-positivism. This method is used to examine the condition of natural objects (as opposed to experiments) where the researcher is a key instrument. Qualitative research is used to investigate, describe, explain, and discover the qualities or features of social influence that cannot be explained, measured, or illustrated through a quantitative approach, numbers or purely states, good examples being interviews or open-ended questionnaires.

Sampling in Qualitative research

A sampling of data sources is done purposively and snowballed, triangulation techniques (combined), data analysis is inductive or qualitative, and the results of qualitative research emphasize the meaning rather than generalization.

Characteristics of Qualitative Research:

• Research data is soft data, which is data that is rich in descriptions of people, objects, places, and conversations or utterances.

• Qualitative research is natural (naturalistic), namely the direct setting as a source of data and the researcher as a key instrument.

• The research problem is formulated in the form of a research focus that illustrates the complexity of the research problem according to the context (not in the form of variables, questions, or hypotheses).

• Data is collected from and in a natural setting, that is, the real setting and the way it is.

• In addition to the results, qualitative research emphasizes the process, which is the process that occurs and takes place in the data source (subject/informant, object, and respondent) along with the entire context that surrounds it, in addition to the data it produces.

• Analysis of qualitative research data tends to be inductive to obtain an abstraction from the overall data obtained.

• Qualitative research explores the meaning of life-based on the perspective of the participant, that is, based on the subject's process of constructing or compiling meaning and based on the process of describing the meaning set by the subject.

Research techniques used in qualitative research are:

Based on the type of data and how it is processed, in general, research is distinguished between qualitative research and quantitative approaches.

• Participatory observation, namely the researcher as an observer as well as a research participant; and

• In-depth interviews, i.e., researchers explore information in their entirety, comprehensively, and deeply to obtain the views, thoughts, and beliefs of the subject, respondent, or informant and to obtain a system that applies in the institutions of the community under study.

Quantitative Research

Quantitative research methods are research methods based on the philosophy of positivism. This method is used in researching samples and study populations, and sampling techniques are generally carried out by random sampling.

Sampling and Data collection in quantitative research

While data collection is done by utilizing the research instruments used. Analysis of the data used is quantitative or can be measured with the aim of testing the previously established hypothesis.

Characteristics of Quantitative Research

• Trying to find the cause of a phenomenon and its relationship with other phenomena without regard to the subjective conditions of research subjects.

• Require researchers to identify and control variables, select samples, and analyze treatment results.

• Aims to provide verification in the sense of testing or testing theories with intermediary hypotheses and using statistical techniques

• Variables, samples, hypotheses, and data collected are only those that are truly relevant to the research design

• Quantitative research is designed with certainty or predetermined without being changed during the study.

• Quantitative research sees reality as a single and fragmental phenomenon so that it can be broken down into variables.

• A quantitative research style is an intervention by manipulating situations and conditions in accordance with the design that has been created.

• Quantitative research always seeks to control field conditions.

• The scope of quantitative research focuses its attention on a limited number of variables according to the design.

• In quantitative research, researchers and research subjects are independent and dualistic.

• In quantitative research, objectivity is obtained through an inter-objective agreement, i.e., whether two or more competent observers agree about it.

Objectives of Qualitative and Quantitative Research

• Qualitative: Gain a deep understanding, develop theories, describe reality, and social complexity.

• Quantitative: Explain the relationships between variables, test theories, make generalizations of the social phenomena under study.

Data Types

• Qualitative: Descriptive and exploratory

• Quantitative: Numerical and statistical

A Deeper Look into the Differences

Qualitative Data and Quantitative Data are very often used in the study. Whether it's small scale or large scale, whether it's for thesis or national-level research. But there are still many students or people who still misunderstand what the difference between Qualitative and Quantitative is.

Here will be discussed in full and easy to understand about eight qualitative and quantitative differences. So for readers, it can be directly practiced in its research activities.

Different Basis of Research understanding

Qualitative is data in the form of words and not numbers. Usually, this data is used to explain the characteristics of a trait. For example, the condition of an item (whether bad, good, or moderate), work (businessman, farmer, or trader), level of satisfaction (satisfied, dissatisfied, very satisfied), and many others. Qualitative data also consists of nominal data and ordinal data.

While the quantitative understanding is data in the form of numbers and is also the result of measurements and calculations. For example, such as age, a number of objects, height, body income, and many others. This quantitative data consists of ratio data and interval data.

Data Type Differences

Qualitative method is a method whose data is qualitative. Qualitative data is data that is produced with a perspective that emphasizes more on nature, quality, object concerned.

For example, handsome, handsome, beautiful, looks less educated, very good, agile, responsive, representing young people today, and many others. While the quantitative method is a numerical method.

The type of data held by qualitative research is in the form of descriptive or describes the phenomenon or fact of research as is. Besides this research is also in the form of exploration, which is the data generated from field investigations or exploration so that the information obtained is more.

While quantitative research has a numeric type of data or a number system. It also takes the form of statistics, namely data that has been grouped so that it can provide information about a problem or symptom.

That's 10 qualitative and quantitative differences that need to be known before starting a study. It can be concluded that qualitative research is used to examine the truth of a phenomenon. Whereas quantitative research is used to prove existing theories.

Purpose Difference

Qualitative research has a goal, which is to make an interpretation of a social phenomenon. The research methodology used is multi methodology; thus, there is no specific methodology in qualitative research.

While the purpose of quantitative research is to develop a mathematical model, theory, and also hypotheses relating to natural phenomena. In fact, this research is also widely used to test the truth of a theory and to produce a fact by describing it statistically.

This method also shows the relationship between one variable with another variable. Quantitative research is also more conceptual in nature, describing many things or developing understanding in both natural and social sciences.

Research Objects

Qualitative methods focus more on just one research object. While quantitative methods can refer to more than one object of research.

Every research must have a goal to be achieved. In qualitative research, the first goal to be achieved is to gain an understanding of a case in depth so that there are no errors in that case. The second is to develop existing theories by presenting facts from research that has been done. The third, to describe or describe reality and social complexity.

While the purpose of quantitative research is the first to explain the relationship or interrelationship between the variables studied. Second, test the truth of existing theories by presenting data in the form of numbers. Third, is to draw conclusions from the social phenomena under study.

Instrument Used

The instrument used in the qualitative method is the researcher himself. The point is that the researcher must go into research to see and feel the facts of what actually happened. Whereas in quantitative methods, the instruments used such as questionnaires, questionnaires, and also other instruments.

Orientation

Qualitative research is oriented towards the research process, whereas quantitative research is oriented more to the results of the research.

Process

The process used in qualitative research is inductive, where the process begins with efforts made to obtain detailed data such as life stories, curriculum vitae, a lifestyle that is interrelated with the topic or problem to be studied.

This process is also carried out without first evaluating and interpreting. After that, it is categorized, abstracted, and also searched for themes to produce new theories and concepts.

While the process used in quantitative research is deductive-inductive. Deductive withdrawal is seen from the determination of variables, the process of collecting data, and then making conclusions.

Philosophies

Qualitative research is more based on the philosophy of postpositivism and interpretive paradigms. Where an object cannot be partially reviewed and must be solved in the form of a variable.

While quantitative research is based more on positivism philosophy, where reality is seen as a tangible form, can be observed using the five senses, can be categorized according to color, shape, type, and behavior can be measured and identified and not changed.

Closure

These are differences between qualitative and quantitative data. Hopefully, it can add to your horizons and can improve the quality of your research results.

Research Design

Qualitative research design has a general nature, so researchers can determine the study of research as a whole or not related to specific things. Besides that, it has a flexible and dynamic nature in which research processes can be adapted to circumstances or can develop.

Whereas quantitative research has specific, detailed characteristics in which the design has been described down to its small parts. The last is static, that is, quantitative research cannot be changed its path or its research developed.

Data Analysis

Data analysis is the second thing that makes the difference between qualitative and quantitative research. For data analysis on qualitative research can be done or investigated while conducting research. Therefore, the analysis is really in accordance with the current situation or not.

While data analysis of quantitative research is carried out or investigated at the end of the study before reporting the results. This is because the quantitative research flow has been determined.

Research Subjects

The third difference between qualitative and quantitative research is in terms of research subjects. Qualitative research raises the resource person as a subject due to his research methods in the form of case studies and requires researchers to conduct interviews to obtain information.

While quantitative research raised respondents or answerers to the researcher's questions with the method of research in the form of experiments or surveys.

Different approaches towards seeing the Truth

Qualitative research views a truth that depends on the way the researcher provides a view of the data. The reason is that there are some complex things that cannot be explained by numbers, for example, humans. This study raises data that is explained by relevant theories, in order to produce new theories that can strengthen the previous theory.

In contrast to qualitative research that has a way of looking at facts or truths on the object of research. Where a researcher must not side with a certain person or group in and also be neutral.

Because this research raises a theory and then presents it in data. So, whatever researchers get in the field, that's a fact that must be presented.

Data Collection

In terms of data collection, qualitative research focuses on things that cannot be measured good or bad of a fact, so that requires researchers to dig deeper data about that fact.

Therefore, the quality of this research is not determined by the quantity or number of sources, but how deep the researchers dig up more specific information from the selected informants.

While quantitative research data collection is done by a series of research instruments such as tests and questionnaires. Data that has been collected will be categorized into predetermined criteria. In contrast to qualitative, the quality of quantitative research is influenced by the large number of respondents involved.

Data Representation

Qualitative and quantitative differences exist in terms of data representation. In qualitative research, data that represents the results of research in the form of interpretations or researchers' views of the phenomena under study. So the form of the report will be in the form of a description.

While the data representing quantitative research is presented in the form of calculation results or in the form of numbers. So the results of the calculation of this study are considered as confirmed facts because the validity of the results of the validity and reliability of the instruments used will be crucial.

Method

The seventh qualitative and quantitative difference is the method. The method is a method used by researchers to collect research data. For qualitative, the method used is phenomenology, namely the study of life experiences or phenomena that occur.

Ethnography is a study in the form of a description of nations. Case studies are conducted to test hypotheses. Historical is a study to reconstruct the past in a systematic and objective way, and grounded theory.

While the method that can be done in quantitative research is an experiment that is usually done with an experiment. The survey was conducted by collecting primers by giving questions to individuals. There are also correlation, regression, and path analysis methods.

Impact

The next difference that the two studies have is in terms of the implications of the results of the research or research. Qualitative research results have limited impact or effect on certain situations. So the results of this study cannot be concluded in a different setting. While quantitative research has an impact or effect in the form of facts or generally accepted theories. So, wherever and whenever a study is carried out, that fact applies.

Conclusion

To make a scientific paper or thesis, students (and researches) are told to choose the type of research they will use. Is the research to be conducted using qualitative or quantitative methods?

However, in reality, there are still many students who are confused by the differences in qualitative and quantitative research. This causes some students to choose the wrong type of research and experience difficulties. In some cases, some students who did not continue their thesis research because they chose the wrong type of research. So that this does not happen it is better before stepping on the final level or conducting research, a student or researcher understands the differences between these two types of research.

At the very least, by recognizing the differences between qualitative and quantitative research, one can choose which studies are suitable for their character and abilities.

Although they have some similarities and similarities, the two studies have quite a lot of differences. Qualitative and quantitative research have several differences which are seen in various aspects.

By knowing the differences between qualitative and quantitative research, there is certainly no need to worry about choosing which research to choose in making scientific work or thesis. I hope this information is helpful. This blog post aimed to discuss all the differences in a detailed manner and if you still have questions please feel free to contact us via email.