Qualitative research is the process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting non-numerical data, such as language. Qualitative research can be used to understand how an individual subjectively perceives and gives meaning to their social reality. Show
Qualitative data is defined as non-numerical data, such as text, video, photographs or audio recordings. This type of data can be collected using diary accounts or in-depth interviews, and analyzed using grounded theory or thematic analysis.
An interest in qualitative data came about as the result of the dissatisfaction of some psychologists (e.g., Carl Rogers) with the scientific study of psychologists such as the behaviorists (e.g., Skinner). Since psychologists study people, the traditional approach to science is not seen as an appropriate way of carrying out research, since it fails to capture the totality of human experience and the essence of what it is to be human. Exploring the experience of participants is known as a phenomenological approach (re: Humanism). The aim of qualitative research is to understand the social reality of individuals, groups and cultures as nearly as possible as its participants feel it or live it. Thus, people and groups, are studied in their natural setting. Research following a qualitative approach is exploratory and seeks to explain ‘how’ and ‘why’ a particular phenomenon, or behavior, operates as it does in a particular context. It can be used to generate hypotheses and theory from the data. Methods (used to obtain qualitative data)There are different types of qualitative research methods including diary accounts, , documents, , case study research, and ethnography. The results of qualitative methods provide a deep understandings of how people perceive their social realities, and in consequence, how they act within the social world.
A good example of a qualitative research method would be which generate qualitative data through the use of open questions. This allows the respondent to talk in some depth, choosing their own words. This helps the researcher develop a real sense of a person’s understanding of a situation. Notice that qualitative data could be much more than just words or text. Photographs, videos, sound recordings and so on, can be considered qualitative data. Qualitative Data AnalysisQualitative research is endlessly creative and interpretive. The researcher does not just leave the field with mountains of empirical data and then easily write up his or her findings. Qualitative interpretations are constructed, and various techniques can be used to make sense of the data, such as content analysis, grounded theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967), thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) or discourse analysis. For example, thematic analysis is a qualitative approach that involves identifying implicit or explicit ideas within the data. Themes will often emerge once the data has been coded. While quantitative research is based on numbers and mathematical calculations (aka quantitative data), qualitative research is based on written or spoken narratives (or qualitative data). Qualitative and quantitative research techniques are used in marketing, sociology, psychology, public health and various other disciplines. Comparison chartQualitative versus Quantitative comparison chartQualitativeQuantitativePurposeThe purpose is to explain and gain insight and understanding of phenomena through intensive collection of narrative data Generate hypothesis to be test , inductive.The purpose is to explain, predict, and/or control phenomena through focused collection of numerical data. Test hypotheses, deductive.Approach to Inquirysubjective, holistic, process- orientedObjective, focused, outcome- orientedHypothesesTentative, evolving, based on particular studySpecific, testable, stated prior to particular studyResearch SettingControlled setting not as importantControlled to the degree possibleSamplingPurposive: Intent to select “small, ” not necessarily representative, sample in order to get in-depth understandingRandom: Intent to select “large, ” representative sample in order to generalize results to a populationMeasurementNon-standardized, narrative (written word), ongoingStandardized, numerical (measurements, numbers), at the endDesign and MethodFlexible, specified only in general terms in advance of study Nonintervention, minimal disturbance All Descriptive— History, Biography, Ethnography, Phenomenology, Grounded Theory, Case Study, (hybrids of these) Consider many variable, small groupStructured, inflexible, specified in detail in advance of study Intervention, manipulation, and control Descriptive Correlation Causal-Comparative Experimental Consider few variables, large groupData Collection StrategiesDocument and artifact (something observed) that is collection (participant, non-participant). Interviews/Focus Groups (un-/structured, in-/formal). Administration of questionnaires (open ended). Taking of extensive, detailed field notes.Observations (non-participant). Interviews and Focus Groups (semi-structured, formal). Administration of tests and questionnaires (close ended).Data AnalysisRaw data are in words. Essentially ongoing, involves using the observations/comments to come to a conclusion.Raw data are numbers Performed at end of study, involves statistics (using numbers to come to conclusions).Data InterpretationConclusions are tentative (conclusions can change), reviewed on an ongoing basis, conclusions are generalizations. The validity of the inferences/generalizations are the reader’s responsibility.Conclusions and generalizations formulated at end of study, stated with predetermined degree of certainty. Inferences/generalizations are the researcher’s responsibility. Never 100% certain of our findings.Type of dataQualitative research gathers data that is free-form and non-numerical, such as diaries, open-ended questionnaires, interviews and observations that are not coded using a numerical system. On the other hand, quantitative research gathers data that can be coded in a numerical form. Examples of quantitative research include experiments or interviews/questionnaires that used closed questions or rating scales to collect information. Applications of Quantitative and Qualitative DataQualitative data and research is used to study individual cases and to find out how people think or feel in detail. It is a major feature of case studies. Quantitative data and research is used to study trends across large groups in a precise way. Examples include clinical trials or censuses. When to use qualitative vs. quantitative research?Quantitative and qualitative research techniques are each suitable in specific scenarios. For example, quantitative research has the advantage of scale. It allows for vast amounts of data to be collected -- and analyzed -- from a large number of people or sources. Qualitative research, on the other hand, usually does not scale as well. It is hard, for example, to conduct in-depth interviews with thousands of people or to analyze their responses to open-ended questions. But it is relatively easier to analyze survey responses from thousands of people if the questions are closed-ended and responses can be mathematically encoded in, say, rating scales or preference ranks. Conversely, qualitative research shines when it is not possible to come up with closed-ended questions. For example, marketers often use focus groups of potential customers to try and gauge what influences brand perception, product purchase decisions, feelings and emotions. In such cases, researchers are usually at very early stages of forming their hypotheses and do not want to limit themselves to their initial understanding. Qualitative research often opens up new options and ideas that quantitative research cannot due to its closed-ended nature. Analysis of dataQualitative data can be difficult to analyze, especially at scale, as it cannot be reduced to numbers or used in calculations. Responses may be sorted into themes, and require an expert to analyze. Different researchers may draw different conclusions from the same qualitative material. Quantitative data can be ranked or put into graphs and tables to make it easier to analyze. Data ExplosionData is being generated at an increasing rate because of the expansion in the number of computing devices and the growth of the Internet. Most of this data is quantitative and special tools and techniques are evolving to analyze this "big data". Effects of FeedbackThe following diagram illustrates the effects of positive and negative feedback on Qualitative vs Quantitative research: What are the similarities and differences between qualitative data and quantitative data?Quantitative data is numbers-based, countable, or measurable. Qualitative data is interpretation-based, descriptive, and relating to language. Quantitative data tells us how many, how much, or how often in calculations. Qualitative data can help us to understand why, how, or what happened behind certain behaviors.
What is a similarity between quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis?Both qualitative and quantitative research are based on a logical and repeatable process. Determination for either research method is driven by the problem, gap, purpose, and research questions. Both also include the ability to collect primary and/or secondary data.
What are the similarities between qualitative and quantitative analysis in chemistry?Similarities : In chemistry, both qualitative vs quantitative analysis in chemistry are analytical procedures. In chemistry, both qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques provide information on the components of a sample.
What is the difference between quantitative and qualitative analysis quizlet?Quantitative data are data from a population, while qualitative data are data from a sample.
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