...Qualitative Versus Quantitative Research Methods Martin Berkshire Indiana Tech Abstract This paper will discuss the varying thoughts of utilizing a qualitative approach to research versus a quantitative approach. It will look at scenarios from different aspects of the business world and compare the use of both approaches. Not all of the articles feel the same way about the research methods. Tauber (1987), is very clear on his take that qualitative research should be able to stand alone from quantitative research. While Carlson and Gold (2008), suggest that combining the two forms of research can lead to superior results. Qualitative Versus Quantitative Research Methods There are many types of definitions for the term Qualitative Data, according to Anderson, Sweeney, Williams (2008) “qualitative data is considered labels or names used to identify an attribute of each element.”(18) They go on to say that qualitative data can be either nonnumeric or numeric in nature and can use either the nominal or ordinal scale of measurement. The site BusinessDictionary.com defines qualitative data as “data that approximates or characterizes but does not measure the attributes, characteristics, properties, etc., of a thing or phenomenon. Qualitative data describes whereas quantitative data defines.” While the definitions of qualitative data vary, the definition of quantitative data remains fairly consistent. Quantitative data is defined as “numeric values that indicate...
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...Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research Methods There are a number of observational methods when conducting research. Generally, they are split into either qualitative or quantitative methods. Qualitative methods collect data in which the data cannot be quantified. Quantitative methods collect data which is then statistically analyzed. Each method each has its own advantages and disadvantages. As Cozby (2009) indicates, qualitative research focuses on behavior in natural settings. Sample sizes are smaller however, more in-depth information is gathered (Cozby, 2009). This information, or data, is then interpreted by researchers (Cozby, 2009). As listed in Table 1, naturalistic observation or field observation is a type of qualitative research. Conversely, quantitative research focuses on “specific behaviors that can be easily quantified,” (Cozby, 2009). Numerical values are assigned to the responses in data collection, and as such can be represented in a statistical analysis (Cozby, 2009). Empirical research is considered quantitative research. Two examples of quantitative methods to study giftedness include case study method and sampling method. For example, a perceived gifted child could be identified and observed at several developmental points in his or her life. In this way, data on all behaviors and actions that supersede normal expectations could be noted and recorded. A good example of a qualitative method for studying giftedness is psychobiography (Tewksbury...
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...Qualitative vs. Quantitative Analysis When research is being conducted you must gather data. “Data are the facts and figures collected, analyzed, and summarized for presentation and interpretation” (Anderson, Sweeney & Williams, 2005, 5.) You must differentiate the type of data before you can analyze it. “There are basically two ways to go about an analysis, qualitative analysis and quantitative analysis” ("Difference between qualitative," 2011). “You can use both qualitative and quantitative reports to track the work performance of individuals, business units and your workforce as a whole” (Ciaran, John). Each type of data has its own advantages and many times analyzers use a combination of both types of data to make decisions. Qualitative and quantitative data are important to gather because they provide different outcomes. These are often used together when analyzing in order to get a full picture of a population. Qualitative data is either on the “nominal or ordinal scale of measurement and may be nonnumeric or numeric” (Anderson, Sweeney & Williams, 2005, 7.). This type of data focuses on interpreting raw data. This type of data is also known as “categorical” data. Qualitative data can be used to evaluate investments or other business opportunities. This type of data can also assist when it comes to decision making. Some believe qualitative analysis is “the foundation of a broad array of investment and financial decision-making methods” ("Qualitative analysis...
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...In this Discussion board I will discuss the differences between quantitative and qualitative research. You will be given the difference between a hypothesis and a null hypothesis, as well as the research method that uses the uses a hypothesis. I will explain the key elements needed to develop a well written set of hypotheses. You will be able to identify what I believe are the key elements of a well written set of hypotheses and research question. A definition of the term research question will be given. Do know the major differences between qualitative and quantitative research? After reading my post you will have a better understanding. Quantitative researchers seek to “explain the causes of changes in social facts, primarily through objective measurement and quantitative analysis” (Firestone, 1987, p. 16). Quantitative researchers use numbers to study the phenomenon or occurrence. A hypothesis is a tentative explanation based on theory to predict a casual relationship between variables (Course Materials, 2013). Whatever the hypothesis is predicting, the null hypothesis is proving the complete opposite. In my opinion a well-written hypothesis must contain key elements. First a hypothesis has to be developed. At development, research must be carried out. The research results will prove or disprove the hypothesis. However, to show that your data was not produced by random chance, the results of the hypothesis must be compared to the opposite of what is trying to be proved...
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...Qualitative vs. Quantitative Risk Assessment U.S. Industries, Inc. has just won a contract with the U.S. Government to expand an existing network. U.S. Industries has never traded with the U.S. Government at this level before, thus we must gain an understanding of the qualitative and quantitative risks surrounding this project. We must also look at Operations, Audit, Compliance, Budgeting and the many other facets of business that we may be able to map out all of the components used to assign a proper risk rating to this project. Quantitative risk assessment begins when we have the ability to apply a dollar amount to a specific risk. If the project was to be finished a month early there would not be a risk because the company would save money, however at what cost? Projects that are done early usually go wrong. If the project is completed on time but not with the required security measures the company would not be in compliance with PCI DSS. By completing the project a month early using the mandatory security requirements there is no risk. Qualitative risk assessment comes into play in a different form. There are additional factors and threat vectors into our contract. We now find out that the database that once held only 1,000 records is now going to hold a range of 100,000 records to 1,000,000 records, as well as the new knowledge that multiple groups within the organization will be accessing and modifying the database daily. We have also been informed that we have...
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...cons of quantitative and qualitative market research Marketing for Managers Pros and cons of quantitative and qualitative market research Qualitative marketing research is used instead of quantitative sometimes because the consumers’ actions do not always match the answers they give in the market survey. Qualitative market researches are not structured in their measurement, which promotes a wide variety of responses. The surveys are only limited by the creativity of the marketing researcher (Kotler & Keller, 2012). The flexibility that qualitative research allows, both researchers in their questions and the consumers in their responses, this form of research can be useful in the beginning process exploring consumers’ brand and product perceptions. A skilled interviewer in an unstructured, free flowing format that the topic of discussion guide is loosely followed. Since qualitative research is more indirect than quantitative research the people answering the questions may feel more open and make more known about their selves during the research process (Kotler & Keller, 2012). Some of the pros and cons of qualitative market research are open ended and dynamic. The con to this is that responses are not measured or are they statistically representative. Another pro to this type of research is that it taps into the consumers’ creativity. On the other hand, this cannot be repeated as easily with exactly replicable and thus comparable results as quantitative research...
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...Running Head: IMC 612 Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research 1 Comparing the Use of Qualitative and Quantitative Research in Marketing IMC 612 Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research 2 Qualitative vs. Quantitative Though qualitative and quantitative researches differ in their methodologies and philosophies, they both contribute to an overall research plan, and act to uncover the motives and feelings of the consumer. At their very essence the two types of research employ different reasoning and as such, each method has its own fair share of detractors and supporters. The truth of the matter is that despite their inherent differences, qualitative and quantitative research methods are complimentary in many ways and can be used in conjunction with each other (Colorado State University, n.d.). When combined, the two methods of research can give a more detailed picture of the consumer’s wants and needs. “Gathering vital evidence by conducting thorough and well-considered research can benefit businesses of all sizes” (Frost, 2012). Qualitative research by its very nature makes use of inductive reasoning (Colorado State University, n.d.). In inductive reasoning, the researcher begins with specific observations and measures, begins to detect patterns, formulates a tentative hypothesis based on those patterns...
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...Quantitative and Qualitative Quantitative and Qualitative Research The purpose of this paper is a comprehensive comparison of quantitative vs. qualitative research techniques for MBA 5210 Business Statistics. The paper will weigh the relative merits and demerits of each providing interpretation of the potential applications of qualitative and quantitative research to various fields of study as per the requirements of the paper. Qualitative and Quantitative Overview Researchers have long debated the relative merits quantitative vs. qualitative research techniques have to offer field researchers. It is important that one understand the implications of each in order to weigh the relative importance and relevance of each to the field. Qualitative and quantitative methods have a long history of providing researchers with information regarding specific events, phenomena and subjects. The primary difference between the two forms of investigation is the methods each employs to uncover the ‘reality’ behind a given situation. These separate realities are explored below. Benz & Newman (1998) suggest that qualitative and quantitative research methods align in a continuum. Qualitative research derives its foundation in naturalistic philosophy, whereas quantitative research focuses on positivistic philosophy (Benz & Newman, 1998). Qualitative research is more likely to adopt an individual phenomenological perspective, whereas quantitative approaches tend to emphasize...
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...Statistic – the average is from a subset of 35 from 1200 accountants 37) Parameter – 62 of a total of 97 passengers From Page 13: 7) Quantitative – height is measured by a number 9) Qualitative – eye color is a category 12) Qualitative – species is a classification or label 14) Quantitative – wait times are measured in units of time. From Page 15: 27) Qualitative and ordinal 28) Qualitative and nominal 30) Quantitative and interval 32) Quantitative and ratio From Pages 25-26: 23) Simple random – because phone numbers are chosen at random at each number has an equal chance of being chosen. The sample may be biased because telephone sampling only samples people with telephones, and if they are available and willing to respond. 24) Stratified – because both urban and rural people are selected. The two strata are urban and rural. Bias could be an issue since a smaller percentage of the urban population will be asked relative to the percentile of rural people. However, asking enough people, regardless of background population density (urban vs. rural) may overcome this bias. 26) Cluster – the entire grid is divided into 200 clusters from which 30 grids are randomly selected. A potential bias could be that households in certain grids may have been more damaged depending on the trajectory of the hurricane (i.e., beach front properties vs. inland homes). A potential solution is to use a cluster design but then consider strata within...
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...between qualitative and quantitative research methods Source: SEEP-AIMS 2000 Learning from Clients: Assessment Tools for microfinance practitioners. Washington, DC: AIMS/Management Systems International () Quantitative and Qualitative Methods As outlined in the previous chapter, the AIMS/SEEP approach to impact assessment by and for practitioners combines quantitative and qualitative techniques. The Impact Survey and Client Exit Survey are categorized as quantitative tools because they collect standardized information by asking exactly the same questions to clients and organizing their answers into quantifiable response categories. The individual Loan Use Strategies Over Time and Client Empowerment interviews and the Client Satisfaction focus group discussions are qualitative instruments that gather more detailed information through a more flexible, in-depth dialogue with clients. AIMS believes that these two categories of tools are complementary, each providing different types of information that enable evaluators to gain a more complete, richer picture of impact than would be possible with only one. This chapter's overview to quantitative and qualitative approaches presents the differences between the two techniques and provides general guidelines for their application. The interviewers' roles and responsibilities for both quantitative and qualitative techniques outlined here apply to all the corresponding tools presented in this manual. Quantitative? Qualitative? What Is...
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...Qualitative vs Quantitative analysis Corpus analysis can be broadly categorised as consisting of qualitative and quantitative analysis. In this section we'll look at both types and see the pros and cons associated with each. You should bear in mind that these two types of data analysis form different, but not necessary incompatible perspectives on corpus data. Qualitative analysis: Richness and Precision. The aim of qualitative analysis is a complete, detailed description. No attempt is made to assign frequencies to the linguistic features which are identified in the data, and rare phenomena receives (or should receive) the same amount of attention as more frequent phenomena. Qualitative analysis allows for fine distinctions to be drawn because it is not necessary to shoehorn the data into a finite number of classifications. Ambiguities, which are inherent in human language, can be recognised in the analysis. For example, the word "red" could be used in a corpus to signify the colour red, or as a political cateogorisation (e.g. socialism or communism). In a qualitative analysis both senses of red in the phrase "the red flag" could be recognised. The main disadvantage of qualitative approaches to corpus analysis is that their findings can not be extended to wider populations with the same degree of certainty that quantitative analyses can. This is because the findings of the research are not tested to discover whether they are statistically significant or due to chance. Quantitative...
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...human race into the next era of technical development and business growth. The type of data varies as it can either be quantified or qualitative to meet the needs and purpose of the research. The age old question has always been which of the two is the most preferred methodology, but the real question should be how both mirror the theme of statistics to provide the closest range to the point of accuracy while minimizing the margin of error. As we compare and contrast qualitative and quantitative research methods, we will attempt to confirm which one is the better of the two, but how both apply the law of statistics to answer the research question with the highest level of accuracy. Qualitative research provides an in-depth analytical perspective on the data collected. “Unlike the case with quantitative data, both researcher and research sponsor often have more significant involvement in collecting and interpreting qualitative data”. (Schindler 2013, p.166) Qualitative research is more in tune with the emotional and personal data being collected for the study; a collection of person opinions in regards to the research conducted. “Qualitative research gathers information that is not in numerical form. For example, diary accounts, open-ended questionnaires, unstructured interviews and unstructured observations”. (McLeod, 2008) Qualitative data requires expert...
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...Action vs. Traditional Research Marissa Burchette EDD/581 July 2, 2013 Sherri Gelbard Action vs. Traditional Research The purpose of this paper is to define action and traditional research and describe uses for each. The author will also compare and contrast the differences between action and traditional research. Examples of how action research is used in the classroom or work environment will be discussed. According to Ncrel.org (n.d.), action research is inquiry in the context of focused efforts to improve the quality of an organization and its performance. The results are evaluated to help improve the current situations or practice. The research is conducted either by individuals or in teams often called as collaborative inquiry. Data from different sources are gathered and evaluated in order to see how improvements can be incorporated within the research and applied for future use. Action research is learning by doing, basically identifying a problem, resolving it, and depending how the results was and if not satisfied, re-evaluate. Action research deals with solving real problems and is used in real rather than experimental situations. It is used because a change needs to be implemented, but are not sure how it approach it successfully. The process entails self-study; to increase awareness by focusing on the intentions, methods, or wanted result of the research. Action research has the capability of producing quality improvements in schools. This gives instructors...
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...the research, the most suitable method to be used as an analysis of this study should be mixed between qualitative and quantitative. In order to gain a more in depth understanding of mental health and its association with healthcare cost and use, not only should quantitative measures be used, but a deeper understanding of the subset groups that have these higher costs should be investigated by using qualitative measures. The data matched up for the groups based on age and sex, but according to the report, it does not give sufficient evidence of why these costs are so much more higher, as well as leaving out some variables that may contribute to that answer. The authors of this study performed quantitative analysis on the data as there were pre-determined categories from an existing data set with specific variables. Some of the pros for the authors using the quantitative analysis approach for this particular study are: • They have a wealth of existing numerical data to search, and quantitative research is information derived from numbers, and the data is objective. • The data in quantitative research can be analyzed in a quick and simple way. By using statistical models and charts, this makes the data easier to view and read. • There are descriptive and inferential statistics and the process is structured. Some of the cons of using only quantitative methods: • The data is much generalized, meaning that in order to understand why the healthcare costs...
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...that can arise from not knowing the terminology as well as the benefits of knowing these terms when it comes to researching. The goal of the essay is to give a greater understanding of important subjects throughout week ones reading and overall how the new terminology studied can help in a career for criminal justice. New Terminology and How it Applies to Criminal Justice Throughout this first weeks of reading there has been many new words that needed to be learned, however as in anything there are a few terms that stood out as more important than others. Many of the terms that will be discussed through this essay are also highlighted as objectives for the week. Some of the most important terms that this essay will go over are: qualitative and quantitative research, pure and applied research, and lastly research ethics. The reasons behind these words being picked are the fact that many are new terms and also that the terms are important to the course and have been discussed throughout more than just the...
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