Qualitative or Quantitative Research - Which is better?

 Those who undertake a research project often find they are unknown to the differences between Qualitative Research and Quantitative Research methods. Many inappropriately think the two terms can be used interchangeably.

So what is the dissimilarity between Qualitative Research and Quantitative Research?

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research is expressed in words. It is used to recognize concepts, thoughts, or experiences. This type of research helps you to gather in-depth insights on topics that are not well acknowledged. Common qualitative methods incorporate interviews with open-ended questions, considerations described in words, and literature reviews that explore concepts and theories.

Quantitative Research

Quantitative research is demonstrated in numbers and graphs. It is used to test or validate theories and assumptions. This kind of research can be used to create generalizable facts about a topic. Common quantitative methods incorporate experiments, observations recorded as numbers, and surveys with closed-ended questions.

When to use qualitative vs. quantitative research

A rule of thumb for determining whether to use qualitative or quantitative data is:

• Use quantitative research if you would like to confirm or test something (a theory or hypothesis)
• Use qualitative research if you would like to understand something (concepts, thoughts, experiences)

For most research topics, you can select a qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-methods approach. Which type you should choose depends on other things, either you’re taking an inductive vs. deductive research approach; your research question(s); whether you’re doing experimental, correlational, or descriptive research; and practical considerations such as money, time, availability of data, and access to respondents.

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