In this video, we are going to explore qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchmethodologies. We will also explain how to choose the right methodological approach for your dissertation, thesis or research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchproject step by step. So, grab a cup of coffee, grab a cup of tea whatever works for you and let us jump into it. Hey, welcome to Grad Coach TV where we demystify and simplify the oftentimes intimidating world of academic research. My name is Emma, and today we are going to have a look at the three types of research. Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods and how to choose the right approach. We will look at things from a fairly high level and will not go into the weeds in terms of specific data analysis methods. If you want to learn about particular analysis methods, we have got separate videos covering both qualitative and quantitative methods. I will include the links to those below. If you are new to Grad Coach TV, be sure to hit that subscribe button for more videos covering all things research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchrelated. Also, if you are looking for hands-on help with your research difference between qualitative and quantitative research check out our one-on-one coaching services where we help you craft your research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchproject step by step. It is like having a friendly professor in your pocket whenever you need it. If that sounds interesting to you, you can learn more and book a free consultation at www.gradcoach.com. Alright, with that out of the way let us get into it. If you are new to the wonderful world of research difference between qualitative and quantitative research some of the first lingoes you will likely hear thrown around are the terms qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research. But what exactly are these? Well simply put qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods reflect the three types of research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchthat you can undertake. These are not specific data collection or analysis techniques but instead, they reflect the broader research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchstrategies that will influence which data collection and analysis techniques you can adopt.
For example, if you undertake quantitative research, you will oftentimes use surveys as your data collection method and statistical analysis as your data analysis technique. In other words qual, quant and mixed methods are overarching strategies, not specific techniques or methods. Anyhow, I am getting ahead of myself. Let us take a step back and unpack each of the three types of research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchpiece by piece. First up let us look at qualitative and quantitative research. At the most basic level, qualitative research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchutilizes data that is not numbers based. In other words, qualitative research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchfocuses on words, concepts, perceptions or ideas. In contrast with this quantitative research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchmakes use of numbers and statistics. That is a very simplistic explanation though as it is just considering the type of data each one uses. So, let us dig a little deeper. Qualitative research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchis used to investigate the softer side of things. For example, to explore and understand people’s perceptions, ideas or feelings. Therefore it is more subjective in nature. Qualitative research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchis often used to gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of a situation to draw a rich picture of what is going on especially what is going on under the hood. Therefore qualitative data can be used to develop hypotheses and theories from the ground up. In other words, an inductive approach. For example, you could use a qualitative approach to explore what factors or product attribute customers consider when deciding which laundry detergent to purchase. This could involve undertaking interviews and focus group sessions to get people talking about their ideas, perceptions and feelings regarding laundry detergent. Contrasted to this quantitative research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchfocuses on the hard numbers. Typically quantitative research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchis used to measure differences between groups and or relationships between variables, as well as to test hypotheses.
Therefore it is more objective in nature and takes a deductive approach. For example, you could use a quantitative approach to measure what percentage of people prioritize price or any other variable when choosing a laundry detergent. You could also assess how this percentage varies between neighbourhoods, cities or different demographic groups. So, as you can see, qualitative and quantitative approaches can both be used to research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchdifferent aspects of the same topic or area of interest. Right, moving on to mixed methods. Mixed methods-based research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchas you would expect attempts to bring these two types of research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchtogether drawing on both qualitative and quantitative data. Quite often mixed methods-based studies will use qualitative research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchto explore a situation and develop a set of hypotheses. Then once those hypotheses are established, they will use quantitative methods to test them. It can also work the other way around. For example, they could use a quantitative approach to get a view of the bigger picture, the what, and then use qualitative methods to explore the underlying reasons, the why, for a specific trend or observation in the quantitative data. So, as you can see while qualitative and quantitative research difference between qualitative and quantitative research are distinctly different, they are not at odds with each other. It is not a competition of qualitative versus quantitative where one is better than the other. On the contrary, they can be used together, in other words, mixed methods to develop a high-quality piece of research. Of course, this is easier said than done so we usually recommend that first-time researchers stick to a mono method approach, either qual or quant unless the nature of their study genuinely warrants a mixed methods approach. The key takeaway here is that it is important to understand that each research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchtype has a different purpose. For example, to explore and understand situations qualitative, to test and measure quantitative or to do both mixed methods.
They are not simply interchangeable tools for the same job. Each approach has its purpose. Right, with that out of the way let us look at how you can go about choosing the right methodological approach for your research. If you are undertaking a dissertation, thesis or research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchproject chances are you will need to craft a comprehensive research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchdesign and methodology. This is not a task to be taken lightly as you will need to clearly and strongly justify every design choice you make. To choose the right approach you will need to consider three important factors. Based on these factors you can select your overarching approach. Qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. Once you have made that decision you can flesh out the finer details of your research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchmethodology such as the sampling strategy, data collection methods and analysis techniques. We will not cover the latter in this video but you can find loads of information over on the Grad Coach blog. I will include the link below. The three factors you need to carefully consider are one, the nature of your research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchaims and research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchquestions. Two, the methodological approaches taken in the existing literature and three, practicalities and constraints. Let us take a look at each of these. Factor number one, the nature of your research. As I mentioned earlier each type of research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchwhether qualitative, quantitative or mixed has a different purpose and helps address a different type of question. So, it is logical that the key deciding factor in terms of which approach you adopt is the nature of your research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchaims and research difference between qualitative and quantitative research questions. But what types of research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchaims exist? Broadly speaking research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchaims can fall into one of three categories. Exploratory, in other words getting a better understanding of an issue and potentially developing a theory or set of hypotheses regarding it. Confirmatory, in other words confirming a potential theory or hypothesis by testing it empirically.
A mix of both, for example, developing a set of hypotheses and then testing them. So, what does this mean for you? Well, as a rule of thumb exploratory research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchtends to adopt a qualitative approach whereas confirmatory research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchtends to use a quantitative approach. This is not set in stone but it is a reliable heuristic. Naturally then research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchthat combines a mix of both or seeking to develop a theory from the ground up and then test that theory, would utilize a mixed methods approach. Let us take a look at an example in action. If your research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchaims were to understand the perspectives of war veterans regarding certain political matters you would likely adopt a qualitative methodology, making use of interviews to collect data and one or more qualitative analysis methods to make sense of the data. If on the other hand, your research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchaims to assess the distribution of left versus right-leaning veterans per state or compare the political leanings between vets and non-vets, you would adopt a quantitative methodology using numbers-based data from a survey to address your research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchaims. So, the first and most important thing you need to consider when deciding which methodological approach to use, is the nature of your research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchaims and research difference between qualitative and quantitative research questions. Specifically, you need to assess whether your research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchis exploratory or confirmatory in nature or involves a mix of both. The importance of achieving solid alignment between these three factors and your methodology cannot be overstated. If they are misaligned you are going to be forcing a square peg into a round hole. You will be using the wrong tool for the job and your research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchwill become a disjointed mess. A quick tip, if your research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchinvolves a mix of both exploratory and confirmatory aims but you have a tight word count limit, you may want to consider trimming down the scope a little and focusing on one or the other.
A mono method approach executed well has a far better chance of earning marks than a poorly executed mixed methods approach. So, do not try to be a hero unless there are strong reasons to take a mixed method approach. Right, let us look at the next factor. Factor number two, the disciplinary norms. Choosing the right approach for your research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchalso involves looking at the approaches used by other researchers in the field and studies with similar research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchaims and objectives to yours. Oftentimes within a discipline, there is a commonly accepted methodological approach or set of approaches used in studies. While this does not mean you should just follow the herd simply because, you should at least consider these approaches and evaluate their merit within your context. A major benefit of reviewing the research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchmethodologies used by similar studies in your field is that you can often piggyback on the data collection techniques that other more experienced researchers have developed. For example, if you are undertaking a quantitative study, you can often find tried and tested survey scales with high Cronbach’s alphas. These are usually included in the appendices of journal articles so you do not even have to contact the original authors. By using these scales you will save a lot of time and ensure that your study stands on the proverbial shoulders of giants by using high-quality measurement instruments. Of course, when reviewing existing literature keep point number one front of mind. In other words, your methodology needs to align with your research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchaims and research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchquestions. Do not fall into the trap of adopting the methodological norm of other studies just because it is popular. Alright, now let us look at the last factor. Factor number three, practicalities. When choosing a research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchmethodology there will always be a tension between doing what is theoretically best, in other words, the most scientifically rigorous research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchdesign and doing what is practical given your constraints.
This is the nature of research difference between qualitative and quantitative research and there are always trade-offs as with anything else. But what constraints you ask? Well, there are a few when you evaluate your methodological options you will need to consider the following constraints and ask yourself some important questions. Number one, data access. What data will you need to access to pull off your analysis and how likely is it that you will get this access. Also, are there any ethical clearance requirements you will need from your university? Number two, time. How much time will you need to undertake interviews or focus groups in the case of qualitative or collect a sufficient number of survey responses in the quantitative or both? If you are wanting to undertake longitudinal research, what sort of timeline will you need and will your university allow this. Number three, money. What financial resources will you need to execute your research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchdesign? Will you need to spend money on participation incentives, travel costs, snacks and drinks, meeting facilities or other services? Number four, equipment and software. What equipment might you need for collecting data? For example, lab equipment or recording equipment. What software will you need to analyse the data and how will you get access to this. And lastly number five, your knowledge and skills. What is your current level of competence and experience in terms of the data collection and analysis methods you plan to use, and what will you still need to learn? How long will this take and how confident are you in your ability to acquire the necessary skills? What will your backup plan be if you cannot develop the necessary skills? As you can see there is a wide range of practicalities and constraints that you need to think about when you are deciding on your research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchdesign and methodology.
As I mentioned these practicalities create a tension between the ideal methodology and the methodology that you can realistically pull off. This is perfectly normal and it is your job to find the option that presents the best set of trade-offs. If you carefully consider these three factors and design your methodology in a way that strikes a good balance between research difference between qualitative and quantitative research rigour and practicality or viability, you will be headed in a good direction. Remember you can learn more about the various research difference between qualitative and quantitative researchdesign choices including data collection and analysis methods over on the Grad Coach blog at gradcoach.com/blog. Alright, so that wraps it up for today. If you enjoyed the video hit the like button and leave a comment if you have any questions. Also, be sure to subscribe to the Grad Coach channel for more research-related content. If you need a helping hand with your research, remember to check out our private coaching service where we work with you on a one-on-one basis, chapter by chapter to help you craft a winning dissertation or thesis. If that sounds interesting to you book a free consultation with a friendly coach at gradcoach.com. That is all for this episode of Grad Coach TV. Until next time, good luck.
Where to find great research papers?
Various great research journals such as Global Research Letters are a great option and way to help you look up impactful research papers with a great format. Here, you will find a number of various research papers that are provided and made available to you in the journal, which will help you write your own paper.
You can very easily find papers on a variety of topics at Global Research Letters, which will help you with your own research work and understanding of writing and publishing research papers properly. With access to so many amazing research papers, you can practice and learn the process of writing research papers and their importance.