The Major Difference between Qualitative and Quantitative Researches
- Qualitative research is conducted to build a new Theory or Body of Knowledge.
- Quantitative research is conducted to test the existing theories.
Qualitative Vs. Quantitative Researches
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Qualitative Research |
Quantitative Research |
| – Take place in the natural world- Uses multiple methods that are interactive and humanistic
– Is emergent rather than tightly prefigured – Is fundamentally interpretive |
– Views social phenomenon holistically- Systematically reflects on who she is in the inquiry
– Is sensitive to her personal biography and how it shapes the study Uses complex reasoning that is multifaceted and iterative |
The Major Difference between Qualitative and Quantitative Researches
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No |
Issue |
Difference |
|
|
Qualitative |
Quantitative |
||
| 1 | Objective | Create theory of knowledge | Test theory |
| 2 | Philosophy or paradigm | Costructivism, Critical Theories, Participatory | Positivism, Post-positivism |
| 3 | Strategy | Narrative or Biography/Grounded Theory/Case study | Survey and Experimental Design |
| 4 | Data collection | In-depth interview | Questionnaire |
| 5 | Data analysis | Interpret words, phrases, letters | Use statistics |
| 6 | Software | NUD*IST, Atlas ti | SPSS, SAS |
| 7 | Data presentation | Diagrams, tables, matrices, graphs | Tables, Figures |
| 8 | Report | Flexible | Fixed pattern |
| 9 | Conducting Research | Begin with problem and end with theory | Begin with theory and end with the result of theory testing |
| 10 | Literature Review | Use as a guide for research design | Use to develop research conceptual framework |
| 11 | Researcher’s role | Mostly conducts research by himself | Can use research assistant in many areas |
| 12 | Informants’ s role | Play Active Role-Must listen to the voice of informant | Play Inactive Role |
| 13 | Rigour or trustworthiness | Credibility, Transferability, Dependability, Confirm ability | Internal Validity, External Validity, Reliability, Objectivity |
| 14 | Researcher’ s ethics | Protect the confidentiality of the informants | Not always necessary |
| 15 | Relationships of researcher and informants | Close | Distance |