Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research: The Differences Explained | Scribbr 🎓

Summary

In this educational video, Jessica from Scribbr distinguishes between quantitative and qualitative research methods. Quantitative research, ideal for testing hypotheses, involves larger sample sizes and numerical data analyzed through statistical means. Qualitative research, conversely, is exploratory, yielding rich, descriptive data from fewer participants, analyzed through summarization and interpretation. Jessica also introduces mixed methods research, combining both approaches, and illustrates their application through an example of gauging student satisfaction. The video briefly covers data collection methods for each approach, encouraging viewers to explore further through linked resources.

Takeaways

• 🔢 Quantitative research focuses on testing hypotheses using numerical data and larger sample sizes, analyzed through mathematical and statistical methods.
• 📝 Qualitative research aims to formulate hypotheses, relying on textual data and smaller sample sizes, with analysis involving summarizing, categorizing, and interpreting.
• 🔍 The choice between quantitative and qualitative research depends on the research goal: testing a theory (quantitative) or exploring an idea (qualitative).
• 🤝 Mixed methods research combines both quantitative and qualitative approaches, providing a more comprehensive understanding of a research question.
• 🎯 In a quantitative study example, a survey of 300 students could reveal average satisfaction levels with professors.
• 🗣️ For a qualitative approach, interviews with 15 students might uncover specific desires such as more individual guidance from professors.
• 🔄 Mixed methods can start with interviews to generate hypotheses, then surveys to test these on a larger scale, or vice versa.
• 🌐 Quantitative data collection methods include online, in-person, or phone surveys, experiments, and observations.
• 🗂️ Qualitative data collection involves interviews, focus groups, case studies, and literature reviews.
• 👍 The video encourages viewers to like if they learned something and to ask questions for further clarification.

Q & A

What is the primary difference between quantitative and qualitative research?

Quantitative research focuses on testing hypotheses and involves numerical data and statistical analysis, while qualitative research is geared towards formulating hypotheses and involves textual data and interpretive analysis.

What type of data is typically collected in quantitative research?

In quantitative research, data is collected in the form of numbers and graphs, which are then analyzed using mathematical and statistical methods.

How does the sample size differ between quantitative and qualitative research?

Quantitative research requires a larger sample size, whereas qualitative research typically involves fewer respondents due to its in-depth nature.

What is the main goal of using quantitative research?

Quantitative research is used when the goal is to confirm or test a theory or hypothesis, often using statistical analysis to draw conclusions.

In what scenarios would one choose qualitative research over quantitative?

Qualitative research is chosen when the aim is to understand or explore an idea, often yielding insights through open-ended questions and in-depth analysis.

Can you explain the mixed method approach in research?

The mixed method approach combines both quantitative and qualitative research. It can start with qualitative research to gain insights and then use quantitative methods to test these insights on a larger scale, or vice versa.

How does the data analysis process differ between the two research methods?

In quantitative research, data is analyzed through statistical methods, while in qualitative research, data is analyzed by summarizing, categorizing, and interpreting the textual information.

What is an example of a question that could be asked in a quantitative research survey?

An example of a quantitative research survey question could be, 'On a scale from 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with your professors?'

How can qualitative research help in understanding student satisfaction?

Qualitative research, such as interviews, can reveal in-depth insights like 'students would like to have more one-on-one guidance from their professors,' which might not be captured in quantitative data.

What are some common methods for collecting quantitative data?

Common methods for collecting quantitative data include online surveys, in-person surveys, phone surveys, conducting experiments, and observations.

What are some methods for collecting qualitative data as mentioned in the script?

Methods for collecting qualitative data include interviews, focus groups, case studies, and literature reviews.

How can the mixed method approach be applied in a study about student satisfaction?

In a study about student satisfaction, the mixed method approach could involve conducting interviews to understand student preferences and then testing these preferences through a larger survey to confirm their validity across a broader student population.

Outlines

00:00

📊 Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research

Jessica from Scribbr introduces the differences between quantitative and qualitative research methods. Quantitative research is suitable for testing hypotheses and involves numerical data, larger sample sizes, and statistical analysis. In contrast, qualitative research is used to formulate hypotheses, involves textual data, fewer respondents, and data analysis through summarization, categorization, and interpretation. The video suggests choosing quantitative research for confirming or testing theories and qualitative research for exploring or understanding ideas. A mixed method approach, combining both quantitative and qualitative research, is also discussed.

Keywords

💡Quantitative research

Quantitative research is a systematic methodology that emphasizes the collection of numerical data and the application of statistical techniques to analyze it. It is used to test hypotheses and establish relationships between variables. In the video, Jessica explains that this approach requires a larger sample size and the data is mainly expressed in numbers and graphs, which are then analyzed through mathematical and statistical methods. An example given is surveying students to rate their satisfaction with professors on a numerical scale.

💡Qualitative research

Qualitative research focuses on understanding social phenomena through the collection of non-numerical data, such as words, observations, and audiovisual material. It aims to explore and describe rather than measure. In the video, Jessica contrasts this with quantitative research by stating that qualitative data is expressed in words, requires fewer respondents, and is analyzed through summarizing, categorizing, and interpreting the data. An example provided is conducting interviews with students to understand their satisfaction with their studies in depth.

💡Hypotheses

A hypothesis is a proposed explanation or assumption made on the basis of limited evidence, serving as a starting point for further investigation. In the context of the video, hypotheses are the basis for quantitative research, where they are tested through data collection and statistical analysis. Jessica mentions that if the goal is to confirm or test a theory or hypothesis, one would opt for the quantitative approach.

💡Sample size

Sample size refers to the number of observations or individuals included in a study. It is a critical aspect of quantitative research as it affects the power of statistical tests and the generalizability of results. The video script indicates that quantitative research requires a larger sample size, which allows for more robust statistical analysis and generalization of findings, as demonstrated in the example of surveying 300 students.

💡Statistical analysis

Statistical analysis involves the use of mathematical techniques to analyze and interpret data, allowing researchers to draw inferences from the sample to the larger population. In the video, Jessica explains that quantitative research involves analyzing numerical data through statistical analysis to derive conclusions, such as calculating the average satisfaction rating of students with their professors.

💡Mixed method research

Mixed method research combines both quantitative and qualitative approaches within a single study to provide a more comprehensive understanding of a research problem. It allows for the exploration of different aspects of a phenomenon and can enhance the validity and reliability of the findings. In the video, Jessica describes how mixed method research can be used to first gain insights through qualitative interviews and then test these insights on a larger scale through quantitative surveys.

💡Interviews

Interviews are a qualitative research method where researchers ask questions to gather detailed information from participants. They are used to explore opinions, experiences, and perspectives. In the video, interviews are mentioned as a way to collect qualitative data, allowing researchers to understand the reasons behind students' satisfaction or dissatisfaction with their studies.

💡Focus group

A focus group is a research technique where a small, select group of individuals are brought together to discuss a particular topic, allowing researchers to gather qualitative data on their perceptions, opinions, and attitudes. While not explicitly mentioned in the video script, it is a method that could be used in qualitative research to collect data similar to interviews.

💡Case study

A case study is an in-depth examination of a particular instance or situation, often used in qualitative research to explore complex phenomena within their real-life context. It provides detailed insights into individual cases. The video does not directly mention case studies, but they could be relevant for collecting qualitative data to understand specific instances of student satisfaction or dissatisfaction.

💡Literature review

A literature review is a systematic and comprehensive examination of existing literature on a particular topic. It is a qualitative research method that helps researchers understand the current state of knowledge and identify gaps in the research. Although not explicitly discussed in the video, a literature review could be part of the qualitative data collection process to inform the research questions and hypotheses.

💡Data collection

Data collection refers to the process of gathering information and data required to answer the research questions. It can involve various methods depending on the research design. In the video, Jessica briefly mentions different methods for collecting quantitative data, such as surveys, experiments, and observations, and qualitative data, such as interviews and focus groups.

Highlights

Quantitative research is used to test hypotheses and involves numerical data and graphs.

Qualitative research is used to formulate hypotheses and involves data expressed in words.

Quantitative research requires a larger sample size for data analysis.

Qualitative research requires fewer respondents and focuses on in-depth analysis.

Quantitative data is analyzed through mathematical and statistical methods.

Qualitative data is analyzed by summarizing, categorizing, and interpreting.

Choose quantitative research to confirm or test a theory or hypothesis.

Choose qualitative research to understand or explore an idea.

Mixed method research combines quantitative and qualitative approaches.

Example of quantitative approach: Surveying students on satisfaction with professors.

Example of qualitative approach: Conducting interviews to understand student satisfaction.

Mixed method approach can start with interviews to formulate a hypothesis, then test with surveys.

Alternatively, start with surveys for a broader view, then use interviews for deeper understanding.

Quantitative data collection methods include surveys, experiments, and observations.

Qualitative data collection methods include interviews, focus groups, case studies, and literature reviews.

The video provides a brief overview of data collection methods for both approaches.

For more detailed information, refer to the article in the video description.

Transcripts

When doing research you often have to choose between

quantitative and qualitative research.

In this video, I'll explain the differences between the two.

Hi, I'm jessica from Scribbr, here to help you achieve your academic goals.

Let's start with the differences between quantitative and qualitative research.

Quantitative research allows you to test hypotheses

so you can expect to see data collected with this approach will mainly be expressed in numbers and graphs.

It also requires a larger sample size.

These numbers are then analyzed through math and statistical analysis.

On the other hand

qualitative research allows you to formulate a hypothesis.

So yes, opposite to quantitative research, this approach will yield data that's expressed in words

and also require fewer respondents.

The data is then analyzed by summarizing

categorizing and interpreting.

Alright, now we know the differences, but when to use which?

It's very simple.

If your goal is to confirm or test a theory or a hypothesis

you're most likely going to opt for the quantitative approach

But if you want to understand or explore an idea

then you should go for the qualitative approach.

There's also a third approach

which combines quantitative with qualitative.

And this is called the mixed method.

Let's see how it applies in a concrete example, shall we?

Say we wanna find out how satisfied students are in their studies.

I'll show you how both approaches can answer this question.

If I'm taking the quantitative approach

I can survey 300 students at the University

and ask them questions like "on a scale from 1 to 5

how satisfied are you with your professors?"

With the collected data, I will run the statistical analysis

and draw conclusions that might sound something like

"on average students rate their professors 4.4 out of 5."

But if I want to go for a qualitative approach

then I can conduct interviews with 15 students

and ask them open-ended questions such as

"How satisfied are you with your studies?" or

"What can be done to improve the study program?"

Then, I transcribe the interviews and try to find patterns or recurring themes

For example, something like "students would like to have more one-on-one guidance from their professors."

For the mixed method approach, you first conduct interviews with the students

through that you gain new insights and come up with a hypothesis

For example, you learned through interviews that students prefer individual assignments over group projects.

Then you test whether this apply to a larger scale of students using survey research.

It's also possible to do it the other way around.

You can start off with a survey to see the bigger picture

then use interviews to understand the reason behind it.

Now, I will go over a data collection for both approaches in this video very briefly

but if you want to know more, just check the article in the description

To collect quantitative data, you can, for example

survey people online, in person, or over the phone

Conduct experiments or observe subjects.

On the other hand, collecting qualitative data can be quite different.

You can do an interview, get a focus group, do a case study, or a literature review.

And that's it for this video

If you've learned something give this video a like, and if you have any questions ask away and I will reply. See you in our next video!