Article posted on:Nov 17, 2022
Article updated on:Jun 7, 2025
Quantitative vs Qualitative Research: Difference Between the Study Methods & Examples
Today we will explore the difference: qualitative vs quantitative research. After all, knowledge comes in various forms. Sometimes, it is about calculated values. Sometimes, you have to analyze in order to gain a solid understanding.
These two categories of methods are the main ways a research object can be analyzed and described. They take different approaches to obtaining information. One is more focused on observing, noticing and explaining differences. Another is about collecting numbers and measurements. It is about calculating, performing statistical analysis and predicting trends.
We will explain both approaches in detail and talk about their main area of application.
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Let’s compare qualitative vs quantitative research. Their main differences lie within the following aspects:
Let’s make a more detailed comparison of quantitative vs qualitative research methods. As we’ve already mentioned, the qualitative category is mostly about observing groups and understanding the meaning of their reactions. At the same time, qualitative one is about data collection and processing. Knowledge obtained through any of these methods can be useful for many various topics. This way you should choose those methods which can be most useful for your project.
Check below for more details about the methods.
The main feature of quantitative data collection methods is a general methodology of gathering numeric or measurable data about the subjects. Collected data should provide enough material for statistical analysis. This way, different meaningful research conclusions will be obtained.
Main ways of data collection are:
It is important that you take precautions to ensure that the data you’ve gathered is valid.
Qualitative data collection methods don’t work with measurable parameters. They must rely on opinions, impressions, reflections and typical reactions of target groups. Main ways to obtain qualitative insights and knowledge include:
If you must choose qualitative vs quantitative research and perform an online search because you aren’t quite sure about that, here are basic tips about them:
A complicated problem typically requires both qualitative and quantitative research. This is also called a mixed methods approach.
Quantitative approach helps the most when you must analyze measurable values. The following steps are recommended when researching such values:
Qualitative research, on the contrary, helps with values which are not measurable. These are the steps of implementing such an approach:
When making a choice – qualitative vs quantitative – you should keep in mind that these approaches actually don’t conflict with each other. In general, any study of a complicated problem has to implement them both. It is called a mixed methods approach.
Qualitative research is usually the best starting point when you must discover new aspects of your problem before you conduct a deeper research later. Quantitative data, on the other hand, can give you measurements to confirm or refute a statement about a problem or opportunity by analyzing available data.
Finally, let’s compare qualitative vs quantitative research by how the results are analyzed in each case.
Quantitative approach works with numeric data. Once you have collected your samples, you should extract some meaningful information from them. Use operations such as:
Qualitative data focuses on evaluation and explanation instead of statistical analysis. You can do the following to analyze it:
Are you writing a paper on a complicated topic? Do you need help with implementing different research types? We have a few quantitative vs qualitative research examples to better illustrate the concepts described above. Let’s examine one of them.
If you know how to work with data and statistics, you will not have any problems with a lab report.
We hope that a detailed comparison of qualitative vs quantitative research was useful to you! Both these concepts were examined and explained. Data collection and analysis approaches were compared. A helpful example was also provided to help you understand this information better. Hopefully that helps you a lot in your own project!
Data collection of qualitative vs quantitative research is the systematic process during which observations or measurements are gathered in research. You should obtain some basis before you start making assumptions or conclusions. So you must plan how and where you can collect enough data to form that basis.
The research methods you use depend on the type of data you need to answer your research question. Use quantitative methods to collect and analyze measurable data. But if you must evaluate some new ideas or to explain some complicated, non-measurable concepts, be sure to involve the qualitative approach.
After you have identified the measurable parameters you must explore, you have to identify your sources and work with them. Probability sampling, interviews, questionnaire observation, and document review are the most common ways of quantitative data collection. Make sure your sources are credible so that you only process valid data.
Qualitative data can provide valuable insights on how to identify valid sources of measurable data. Once you’ve done that, you can use the quantitative approach. Here’s an example of such a scenario:
Example
A new supermarket has opened recently. Your task as a marketing manager is to collect feedback from customers. There are several parameters that could be measured and analyzed with quantitative research. These are:
Attendance rate.
Number of returning customers.
Sales growth (in general or by separate categories of products).
Ratings of product quality or service level given by customers and others.
You can perform statistical analysis and develop understanding of a big picture here.
But you can also provide some open-ended, qualitative research questions to find out what you may have overlooked. Customer focus groups can be selected to answer the following:
What did you enjoy the most in our supermarket? What would you suggest to improve?
What kinds of new goods would you like to find here?
Do you prefer making purchases here alone or together with your family?
If you discover any common themes through these qualitative questions, you can decide to research them more in depth.
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