UNIVERSITY OF EL SALVADOR
WESTERN MULTIDISCIPLINARY CAMPUS
FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT
SEMINAR I
ESSAY ON:
“WHAT DISTINGUISHES QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS FROM
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS”
PRESENTED BY:
BRENDA VERÓNICA BATRES GALÁN
MOISÉS EZEQUIEL LÓPEZ GARCÍA
FACILITATOR:
LICDA. DELURDY DE SERMEÑO
SANTA ANA, APRIL 29th, 2014
What Distinguishes Quantitative Research Methods from Qualitative Research
Methods
Research is a cyclic inquiry divided into two main paradigms: quantitative and
qualitative – both having limitations. Researchers have the possibility of choosing between
one of these paradigms – or the combination of the two – when conducting investigations
according to the type of phenomena under study since quantitative and qualitative research
methods differ significantly in several aspects.
First, two markedly different world views determine quantitative and qualitative
research. Quantitative studies are considered as realist or in some cases positivist. This idea
comes from the fact that realists believe that existing reality is uncovered through research;
realists think that research methods have to be objective to reveal the truth. Realism
suggests that researchers must be separate from the research in order to boost objectivity.
Likewise, positivism is the uttermost form of quantitative studies since it advocates that
fixed laws of cause and effect rule the world and that researchers can measure reality
completely objectively. Qualitative research studies, on the other hand, are regarded as
subjectivist. Subjectivists claim that reality cannot be separate from human subjectivity in
research; they also hold that reality is somehow constructed and changed by researchers’
observation and perceptions. In that regard, subjectivists are often seen as relativists as they
believe that all truth is never definitive.
Second, quantitative and qualitative research studies have different objectives and
purposes due to the nature of the phenomena. Quantitative researches focus on describing a
phenomenon, explaining such phenomenon through numerical data, and predicting
oncoming results. Further purposes of quantitative studies are to provide information in
width, to test hypotheses and theories, to look at causality relationships, among others. On
the contrary, qualitative studies’ main objectives are to understand and interpret phenomena
deeply and to look at the meaning of particular events or circumstances. These types of
studies attempt to describe, explore, and discover reality by providing in-depth information
about the phenomenon under study.
Third, the data collection procedure and the data itself are different depending on
the research method. Quantitative studies, for instance, explain phenomena through
numerical and measurable data. In that sense, researchers conducting quantitative
investigations attempt to answer questions like: What percentage?, How many?, To what
extent?, and so forth. Investigators, also, design data collection instruments, namely
questionnaires, structured interviews, observation checklists, tests, and so on, aimed at
answering the above-mentioned questions. Qualitative studies, on the other hand, deal with
non-numerical data. That is, these researches have to do with meanings, concepts,
definitions, characteristics, metaphors, symbols, and descriptions of things. In that regard,
researchers seek to answer questions as: What?, How?, When?, and Where?, among others.
The data gathering instruments may take the form of in-depth interviews, observation
guides, open-ended questionnaires, tape and video recordings, and so forth – giving
researchers the chance to analyze and interpret data from what is seen, heard, and
understood.
Fourth, the type of study – be it quantitative or qualitative – influences the data
analysis and the outcomes of the investigations. In quantitative studies, researchers seek to
reject or accept hypotheses through numerical data obtained from big samples or
populations, which enables researchers to generalize the outcomes. Besides, quantitative
outcomes may be presented in graphs, tables, statistical reports, and so forth. Opposite to
this, qualitative researches lead to particularistic findings due to the use of small samples to
conduct the investigations. That is, findings are not conclusive and cannot be used to make
generalizations about the population of interest. Moreover, the results of qualitative
researches may take the form of narrative reports, audio or video files, photographs, field
notes, to name a few.
All in all, quantitative and qualitative paradigms bear several discrepancies in their
epistemologies, objectives, data collection processes, and outcomes. However, these
differences do not mean that quantitative researches are better than qualitative studies or
vice versa. It does mean that researchers can make use of the paradigm that best suits the
phenomenon they want to study. In few words, both types of researches provide meaningful
results when carried out appropriately.