Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research Methods: Similarities and Differences
QUALITATIVE VS. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS: SIMILARITIES AND
DIFFERENCES
Grace Emily Ruiz Baquerizo
ESPOL Polytechnic University
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Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research Methods: Similarities and Differences
This paper will be comparing both qualitative and quantitative research methods. This
work will start by explaining more in depth what each research method is and describe their
characteristics to finally focus on the similarities and differences amongst both approaches by
using tables and graphs to facilitate information to the reader.
Research Methods
Research methods are the ways in which a study is conducted. It is very important that
the researcher has very clear what each method entails in order to choose the appropriate one
for their study, data, and field of study. This work will focus on the quantitative and
qualitative methods which are the most predominant research approaches used in the area of
social sciences (Yilmaz, 2013).
Quantitative Method
The quantitative method, also commonly coined as positivist or empiricist method, is
recognized as an approach that analyzes data based on numbers and statistics conventionally
in social research. It is mainly focused on proving a hypothesis, clarification of terminologies,
reliability, objectivity, and validity. This deductive approach is also interested in finding
relationships amongst data and drawing to conclusions from that. Its main tools are
questionnaires or surveys in studies that can be easily replicated if necessary in various
contexts (Ma, 2015a; Nawaz, 2013; Ochieng Pamela Atieno, 2009; Pedulla, 2015; Science,
2017; Yilmaz, 2013).
Qualitative Method
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Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research Methods: Similarities and Differences
The qualitative method also called as Socio-Anthropological or Interpretive Method is
the approach that has been developing over the recent years thus finding a lot more literature
on this method and its implementation. It has become increasingly more popular with time
especially in non-social sciences fields (Woodsong, 2005). This inductive approach is
recognized to be more interested in the phenomena itself rather than on a hypothesis and it
deals with descriptive data and subjective information. It’s mainly focused on flexibility,
neutrality, sensitivity, accountability, and meaningful findings. Its main tools are interviews,
focus groups, and observations in order to pay attention to details as those could change the
direction of research thus showing its emphasis on flexibility (Pedulla, 2015).
Characteristics
Quantitative Method
Qualitative Method
Other names
Positivist or Empiricist Method
Socio-Anthropological or Interpretive
Method
Based on
Numerical Values
Descriptions and Interpretations
Nature
Deductive
Inductive
Focus
Tools
•
Hypothesis
•
Meaningful findings
•
Terminologies
•
Phenomena itself
•
Reliability
•
Neutrality
•
Objectivity
•
Subjectivity
•
Validity
•
Sensitivity
•
Correlation
•
Accountability
•
Causality
•
Flexibility
•
Questionnaires
•
Interviews
•
Surveys
•
Focus Groups
•
Studies
•
Observations
Chart’s information has been adapted from (Chowdhury, 2019; Nawaz, 2013; Ochieng Pamela Atieno, 2009; Pedulla, 2015;
Science, 2017; Yilmaz, 2013)
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Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research Methods: Similarities and Differences
After the brief description of both the Quantitative and Qualitative methods, the chart
shows that their characteristics differ, however those same characteristics fall under the
categories of their focus, nature, tools used by each approach, and what they are based on.
Similarities
There are not many similarities among these two approaches as they both have
different characteristics as we can tell from the chart above. However, it is imperative to
highlight that those differences fall under the same type of characteristics. Both methods have
the same objectives, needs, and concerns. They both have the objective of being able to use
the data analysis findings in research literature while answering hypothetical questions. They
both need to reduce data in order to have variation and significant frequency to analyze it.
Finally, they are both concerned with transparency, margin of error, and the capacity to
control deliberate distortion- which is the eagerness of only telling part of the story thus
making it inaccurate. (Bryman, 2012)
Similarities Among
Qualitative and
Quantitative Research
Methods
Objectives
Needs
Concerns
•
To use data analysis in literature
research.
To answer hypothetical questions
To reduce data
Transparency
To have variation
Margin of error
To have significant frequency
Control deliberate distortion
Graph’s information has been adapted from (Bryman, 2012)
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Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research Methods: Similarities and Differences
Differences
As seen above, there are some general similarities amongst the Qualitative and
Quantitative approaches but there are many differences as well. Literature shows that the
most important areas of differentiation are: ontological, epistemological, axiological,
rhetorical, and methodological (Chowdhury, 2019; Yilmaz, 2013).
Ontological
Ontological differences refer to the nature of reality or being. The qualitative method
is known for its acceptance of multiple realities making it relativist. It also talks about
specifically the objectivity of the quantitative method and the subjectivity of the qualitative
method also coined as constructivism (Chowdhury, 2019; Ma, 2015b; Yilmaz, 2013).
Epistemological
This term focuses on the nature of the relationship among the researcher and the
subject matter that is being studied or knowledge. It answers the question of how to reach the
above-mentioned reality whether that is to take a distant (positivism)or an involved stance
(interpretivism). (Chowdhury, 2019; Ma, 2015a; Yilmaz, 2013).
Axiological
This term is concerned with values and ethics position applied by the researcher and it
is taken into consideration after recent and valuable research on the qualitative method.
(Chowdhury, 2019).The quantitative method is value-free meaning that there are not a
specific set of values imposed while the qualitative method is considered value-laden which
refer to having some bias. This term of values is also related to what the researcher might find
relevant or non-relevant to the research which in turn leads to make assumptions and thus
taking research in a particular direction (Chowdhury, 2019; Yilmaz, 2013)
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Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research Methods: Similarities and Differences
Rhetorical
The rhetorical difference calls for the language used in the approach for the study, for
the qualitative method it is literary, informal and not very definition oriented. Unlike the
qualitative approach the language used in the quantitative method is formal and very
concerned with definitions.
Methodological
This term refers to which methodology is implemented by each approach those might
be fixed or flexible, confirmatory or exploratory, and deductive or inductive basically how
the research should proceed to gather and collect data. In the quantitative method the most
common are questionnaires, surveys, experiments, etc. while in the qualitative method
include case studies, focus groups, ethnography, etc. (Chowdhury, 2019; Ma, 2015a; Yilmaz,
2013)
Differences
Quantitative Method
Qualitative Method
Ontological
Objective
Subjective/ Constructivist/ Relativist
Epistemological
Positivist
Interpretivist
Axiological
Value-free
Value-laden
Rhetorical
Formal/ Definition oriented
Informal/ not very definition oriented
Methodological
Fixed/ Confirmatory/ Deductive
Flexible/ Exploratory/ Inductive
Chart’s information has been adapted from (Chowdhury, 2019; Ma, 2015a; Yilmaz, 2013)
After observing the aforementioned differences amongst both the quantitative and
qualitative research methods it is important to acknowledge that these differences might not
be the norm as each researcher has his/her own assumptions about each approach (Ochieng
Pamela Atieno, 2009).
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Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research Methods: Similarities and Differences
Conclusion
Literature suggests that it is imperative for a valuable researcher to be able to know
the differences, similarities, advantages, disadvantages, strengths and limitations of each
approach and use that knowledge to their favour and combine efforts in order to get the best
results with data during the time of their studies (Bryman, 2012; Chowdhury, 2019; Ochieng
Pamela Atieno, 2009; Pedulla, 2015; Yilmaz, 2013). This work showed that while having
many differences in the nature of the approach (ontological, epistemological, axiological,
rhetorical, and methodological), there are also some similarities among them such as
equivalent objectives, needs, and concerns (Bryman, 2012; Chowdhury, 2019; Yilmaz, 2013)
Researchers most of the times combine methods to potentialize efforts in gathering data that
will in the end yield important findings, for this reason it is important to acknowledge the
potential in each approach to answer any type of hypothetical question and learn to use those
to their advantage (Ochieng Pamela Atieno, 2009). Researchers must also be aware that their
own perceptions on the approach used in their study will shape the results but not only for the
nature of the approach but because of their own perception and assumptions of what those
really are. Literature suggests that mixing research methods complements one another in
different areas and contributes to a successful and meaningful research (Chowdhury, 2019;
Nawaz, 2013).
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Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research Methods: Similarities and Differences
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