The Qualitative and Quantitative Research

Approaches
By Joseph Cesar

ADHM Year Four

Research Method Module

Commissioned by Miss Marie Harnett

Submission Date: 2nd June 2011

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 There are a few approaches to conducting research. In this essay, two approaches are

discussed and analysed. These are the qualitative and the quantitative methods. Before going

into the two approaches to research, it is essential to understand the meaning of research itself.

The other chapters will outline the different perspectives of the two methods, their historical

attributes, their philosophical origins, their strengths and weaknesses, their advantages and

disadvantages, the various techniques they used, etc. The two methods are sometimes used

together in a single research which is known as the ‘mixing methods’. The use and justification

for combining both methods is also discussed.

Scridhar (2010, 18) define research as “a voyage of discovery or a journey or movement

from the known to the unknown. That it is an art of scientific investigation, and that it a

systematic effort to gain new knowledge.” He further describes it as; an attitude; an experience;

a method of critical thinking; and a careful critical inquiry in seeking facts for principles.

Scridhar (2010, 18) also gives an equation for the clarity of research and it reads; research =

implicit questions + explicit answers + data to support the answers. Research can also be

identified as; “a form of intelligence gathering to provide contextual background or more often is

selectively used and presented to support a pre-determined business decision. In that context the

word research does not mean a scientific study and it does not follow a rigorously defined

methodology nor be subject to critical peer review.” Jones & Phillips (2003, 290). This type of

research is mostly used by industry that needs short term results. Jones & Phillips (2003, 290)

continues that “academics are often more exercised and interested in research question and the

methodology than the results”, which is what this essay focuses upon.

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 The qualitative and the quantitative approaches have everything to do with the data that a

survey produces. The data are analysed before interpreting so as to conclude if it can support the

sought answers or if it cannot. In order to give strategic credibility to any hypothesis, the

researcher must decide on which method to use so as to better analyse and/or support the subject.

“Quantitative research measures and expresses data in terms of quantity. It is the

expression of a property or quantity in numerical terms. It helps to gain precise measurements, to

knowing trends or changes over time and to comparing trends or individual units.” Sridhar

(2010, 30). This method is also associated with the positivism philosophical approach. It is also

identify as the second phase approach of during a research.

As quantifiable classification of data can be a complex science, it uses tools like

questionnaires, surveys, statistical models, technological equipments, etc, are used to gather

numerical data. Interpretation of those data gathered, are processed through the various

quantitative method techniques and formulas so that the result reflect accurately the sought

answers. Those data, depending on what type of information being gathered, are classified as;

ordinal or ranked data, nominal or descriptive data, continuous data, and discrete data.

“Qualitative research involves quality or kind forms of data. It helps in having insight

into problems or cases.” Scridhar (2010, 30). This method entails subjective ways of finding

answers to questions. It describes data rather that counting or measuring them. Those data

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involves here are commonly in the form of words, pictures, objects, scenes, events, activities,

trends, behaviours, etc. Some limitations of the qualitative approach to research is that it is

purely a gathering of story and personal impressions, and strongly subject to the researcher’s

preconception. Another weakness of the method is that the researcher could take the research

too personal that the latter may lacks reproducibility. This means that if a different researcher

undertakes the same research, different results would be shaped. Therefore this approach also

known as post-positivism is criticised for lacking generalisability. (Crossan, 54)

The questions that are posed in a research have implicitly philosophical attributes. For

example research in trying to answer questions like why a certain segment chooses a certain type

of activity, or like the development of technology and their impact on societies, the development

of tourism industry and its impact on different cultures or economies, etc. These are all

philosophical questions that involve human values and beliefs. The term positivist and post-

positivist have both philosophical implications. (Crossan, 46) states that “positivism adopts a

clear quantitative approach to investigating phenomena, as opposed to post-positivist approaches,

which aim to describe and explore in-depth phenomena from a qualitative perspective.”

Easterby-Smith et al., (1997) cited in (Crossan, 47) identify some reasons why

philosophy is significant to research methodology such as; helping the researcher to refine and

specify the research methods used in a study including the type of evidence gathered and its

origin, how it is interpreted, and how it helps to answer the research questions posed; enabling

and assisting researchers to evaluate methodologies and methods and avoid unnecessary work by

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identifying limitations; and by helping researchers to be creative and innovative the selection or

adaptation of methods. Hughes (1994), cited in (Crossan, 48) explained that “the philosophical

level of a research method relates to its assumptions based on the most general features of the

world, encompassing such aspects as the mind, matter, reality, reason, truth, nature of

knowledge, and proofs for knowledge.”

There are different views by different researchers onto which method is better and/or that

it is better to use both methods simultaneously or using both alternatively at different stage

during the research. Some researchers states that “there is no such thing as qualitative research

and that everything is either 1 or 0” Huberman (1994, 40). But although there exist different

views on which method is best or not, it can be accepted that “to a certain extent, researchers on

all sides of the debate are correct: each approach has its drawbacks. Quantitative research often

"forces" responses or people into categories that might not "fit" in order to make meaning.

Qualitative research, on the other hand, sometimes focuses too closely on individual results and

fails to make connections to larger situations or possible causes of the results. Rather than

discounting either approach for its drawbacks, though, researchers should find the most effective

ways to incorporate elements of both to ensure that their studies are as accurate and thorough as

possible.” Huberman (1994, 40).

At this stage it is supportive to reflect on Myers (1997, online); “Quantitative research

methods were originally developed in the natural sciences to study natural phenomena.

Examples of quantitative methods now well accepted in the social sciences include survey

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methods, laboratory experiments, formal methods (e.g. econometrics) and numerical methods

such as mathematical modeling. Qualitative research methods were developed in the social

sciences to enable researchers to study social and cultural phenomena. Examples of qualitative

methods are action research, case study research and ethnography. Qualitative data sources

include observation and participant observation (fieldwork), interviews and questionnaires,

documents and texts, and the researcher’s impressions and reactions.”

The combination of the two methods when carrying one single research is also known as

the ‘mixing method’, or the ‘triangulation’ approach. This approach has everything to do with

gathering more credible data thus ensuring a more accurate result. It makes use of both

qualitative and quantitative analysis for a study. The quantifiable data can be compared to the

qualitative findings and can further determine if the hypothesis of the research is justifiable. The

triangulation is detailed as the “interrelationship between the ontological (what is the nature of

reality?), epistemological (what can be known?), and methodological (how can a researcher

discover what or she believes can be known?)”, (Crossan, 47).

There are however a lot of shortcomings to adopting mixing method. The need to have

participants with expertise in both methods can be expensive and difficult to materialise. The

bulk of data that are gathered by this method can be time consuming and stressful to analyse.

But it could be argued that this method does results in more accurate and/or credible research

results.

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 References

Crossan, F. Issues in Research: Research Philosophy: Towards an understanding.

NURSERESEARCHER. 11 (1), 46-55. England: Glasgow Caledonian University.

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Easterby-Smith, M., et al., (1997) Management Research: an introduction. London: Sage. Cited
in Crossan, F. Issues in Research Philosophy: Towards an understanding.
NURSERESEARCHER. 11 (1), 46-55. England: Glasgow Caledonian University.

Huberman (1994, 40) The Qualitative Versus Quantitative Debate. [Online]. Available from:
http://www.colostate.edu/guides/research/gentrans/popzf.cfm [Accessed 31st May 2011]

Hughes, J., (1994) The Philosophy of Social Research. Essex: Longman. Cited in in Crossan, F.
Issues in Research Philosophy: Towards an understanding. NURSERESEARCHER. 11 (1), 46-
55. England: Glasgow Caledonian University. Available from: http://www. [Accessed 31st May
2011]

Jones, P.A., & Phillips, D. (2003) Research in brief: What use is research anyway? Industry and
academe’s differing views. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 15
(5), 290-293

Myers, (1997) Research Methodology [Online]. Available from:

http://www.upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-07302006-065725/unrestricted/05chapter5.pdf

Scridhar, M.S. (2010) Introduction to Research Methodology: Problem Selection, Formulation

and Research Design. [Online]. Available from: http://www.scribd.com/doc/16995449/-
Introduction-to-Research-Methodology-Problem-Selection-Formulation-and-Research-Design
[Accessed 31st May 2011]