What is Quantitative and Qualitative Research?

To get the answers to different questions a problem can be researched based on two different processes.

Qualitative research:

• Research is figured as qualitative if the purpose of the study is primarily to describe a situation, phenomenon, problem or event.
• if the information is gathered through the use of variables measured on nominal or ordinal scales; which are also called qualitative measurement scales
• if the analysis is done to establish the variation in the situation, phenomenon or problem without qualifying it.
• The depiction of an observed situation, the chronological description of events, an account of the different opinions that people have about an issue, and a description of the living conditions of a community are examples of qualitative research.

Quantitative research:

• On the other hand, the study is classified as quantitative if you want to quantify the variation in a phenomenon, situation, problem or issue.
• if the information is gathered using predominantly quantitative variables.
• if the analysis is geared to ascertain the magnitude of the variation.
• Examples of a quantitative research study are: How many people have a particular problem? How many people cling to have a fussy attitude?

Statistics in quantitative research:

• The use of statistics is not an integral part of a quantitative study.
• The main function of statistics in research is to perform a test to confirm or contradict the conclusion that you have drawn based on your understanding of analyzed data.
• Statistics, among other things, assist you in quantifying the level of an association or relationship, provide a suggestion of the assurance you can place in your findings and help you to isolate the effect of different variables.

Some recommendations:

• It is a friendly recommendation that please do not lock yourself into becoming either solely a quantitative or solely a qualitative researcher.
• There are indeed disciplines that lend themselves predominantly either to qualitative or quantitative research. For example, disciplines of study like anthropology, history and sociology are more prone towards qualitative research, whereas psychology, epidemiology, education, economics, public health and marketing are more inclined towards a qualitative approach to research, or that an anthropologist by no means uses quantitative information.
• There is a growing acknowledgement by the majority of disciplines in the social sciences that both types of research are important for a good research study.
• The research problem itself should verify whether the study is carried out using quantitative or qualitative methodologies.

Which one to use:

• It is a difficult question to ask, As both qualitative and quantitative approaches have their strengths and weaknesses, and advantages and disadvantages, neither one is distinctly advanced to the other in all respects.
• The measurement and analysis of the variables about which information is obtained in a research study are dependent upon the purpose of the study.
• In many studies you need to combine both qualitative and quantitative approaches.
• For example, presume you want to discover out the types of service available to victims of domestic violence in a city and the extent of their utilization.
• Types of service are a qualitative aspect of the study as finding out about them entails a description of the services. The amount of consumption of the services is the quantitative feature as it involves estimating the number of people who use the services and calculating other indicators that reflect the extent of utilization.

When to use quantitative research:

• If you want to find the relationship between two variables.
• For the identification of links between cause and effect.
• Testing Hypothesis.
• It is used to find Generalized findings in a large population.

When to use qualitative research:

• For the Generation of Ideas.
• To find a relationship between the reaction of individual response to certain scenarios.
• It is used to explore the meaning of people being attached to something

Conclusion:

There is no use in finding what study will suit you until and unless you have your question ready and you have command over your subject then your supervisor will guide you accordingly to find the study type you will conduct in your career.