quantitative research strengths and weaknesses brainly

13 Pros and Cons of Quantitative Research Methods

Quantitative research utilizes mathematical, statistical, and computational tools to derive results. This structure creates a conclusiveness to the purposes being studied as it quantifies problems to understand how prevalent they are.

It is through this process that the research creates a projectable result which applies to the larger general population.

Instead of providing a subjective overview like qualitative research offers, quantitative research identifies structured cause-and-effect relationships. Once the problem is identified by those involved in the study, the factors associated with the issue become possible to identify as well. Experiments and surveys are the primary tools of this research method to create specific results, even when independent or interdependent factors are present.

These are the quantitative research pros and cons to consider.

List of the Pros of Quantitative Research

1. Data collection occurs rapidly with quantitative research. Because the data points of quantitative research involve surveys, experiments, and real-time gathering, there are few delays in the collection of materials to examine. That means the information under study can be analyzed very quickly when compared to other research methods. The need to separate systems or identify variables is not as prevalent with this option either.

2. The samples of quantitative research are randomized. Quantitative research uses a randomized process to collect information, preventing bias from entering into the data. This randomness creates an additional advantage in the fact that the information supplied through this research can then be statistically applied to the rest of the population group which is under study. Although there is the possibility that some demographics could be left out despite randomization to create errors when the research is applied to all, the results of this research type make it possible to glean relevant data in a fraction of the time that other methods require.

3. It offers reliable and repeatable information. Quantitative research validates itself by offering consistent results when the same data points are examined under randomized conditions. Although you may receive different percentages or slight variances in other results, repetitive information creates the foundation for certainty in future planning processes. Businesses can tailor their messages or programs based on these results to meet specific needs in their community. The statistics become a reliable resource which offer confidence to the decision-making process.

4. You can generalize your findings with quantitative research. The issue with other research types is that there is no generalization effect possible with the data points they gather. Quantitative information may offer an overview instead of specificity when looking at target groups, but that also makes it possible to identify core subjects, needs, or wants. Every finding developed through this method can go beyond the participant group to the overall demographic being looked at with this work. That makes it possible to identify trouble areas before difficulties have a chance to start.

5. The research is anonymous. Researchers often use quantitative data when looking at sensitive topics because of the anonymity involved. People are not required to identify themselves with specificity in the data collected. Even if surveys or interviews are distributed to each individual, their personal information does not make it to the form. This setup reduces the risk of false results because some research participants are ashamed or disturbed about the subject discussions which involve them.

6. You can perform the research remotely. Quantitative research does not require the participants to report to a specific location to collect the data. You can speak with individuals on the phone, conduct surveys online, or use other remote methods that allow for information to move from one party to the other. Although the number of questions you ask or their difficulty can influence how many people choose to participate, the only real cost factor to the participants involves their time. That can make this option a lot cheaper than other methods.

7. Information from a larger sample is used with quantitative research. Qualitative research must use small sample sizes because it requires in-depth data points to be collected by the researchers. This creates a time-consuming resource, reducing the number of people involved. The structure of quantitative research allows for broader studies to take place, which enables better accuracy when attempting to create generalizations about the subject matter involved. There are fewer variables which can skew the results too because you’re dealing with close-ended information instead of open-ended questions.

List of the Cons of Quantitative Research

1. You cannot follow-up on any answers in quantitative research. Quantitative research offers an important limit: you cannot go back to participants after they’ve filled out a survey if there are more questions to ask. There is a limited chance to probe the answers offered in the research, which creates fewer data points to examine when compared to other methods. There is still the advantage of anonymity, but if a survey offers inconclusive or questionable results, there is no way to verify the validity of the data. If enough participants turn in similar answers, it could skew the data in a way that does not apply to the general population.

2. The characteristics of the participants may not apply to the general population. There is always a risk that the research collected using the quantitative method may not apply to the general population. It is easy to draw false correlations because the information seems to come from random sources. Despite the efforts to prevent bias, the characteristics of any randomized sample are not guaranteed to apply to everyone. That means the only certainty offered using this method is that the data applies to those who choose to participate.

3. You cannot determine if answers are true or not. Researchers using the quantitative method must operate on the assumption that all the answers provided to them through surveys, testing, and experimentation are based on a foundation of truth. There are no face-to-face contacts with this method, which means interviewers or researchers are unable to gauge the truthfulness or authenticity of each result.

A 2011 study published by Psychology Today looked at how often people lie in their daily lives. Participants were asked to talk about the number of lies they told in the past 24 hours. 40% of the sample group reported telling a lie, with the median being 1.65 lies told per day. Over 22% of the lies were told by just 1% of the sample. What would happen if the random sampling came from this 1% group?

4. There is a cost factor to consider with quantitative research. All research involves cost. There’s no getting around this fact. When looking at the price of experiments and research within the quantitative method, a single result mist cost more than $100,000. Even conducting a focus group is costly, with just four groups of government or business participants requiring up to $60,000 for the work to be done. Most of the cost involves the target audiences you want to survey, what the objects happen to be, and if you can do the work online or over the phone.

5. You do not gain access to specific feedback details. Let’s say that you wanted to conduct quantitative research on a new toothpaste that you want to take to the market. This method allows you to explore a specific hypothesis (i.e., this toothpaste does a better job of cleaning teeth than this other product). You can use the statistics to create generalizations (i.e., 70% of people say this toothpaste cleans better, which means that is your potential customer base). What you don’t receive are specific feedback details that can help you refine the product. If no one likes the toothpaste because it tastes like how a skunk smells, that 70% who say it cleans better still won’t purchase the product.

6. It creates the potential for an unnatural environment. When carrying out quantitative research, the efforts are sometimes carried out in environments which are unnatural to the group. When this disadvantage occurs, the results will often differ when compared to what would be discovered with real-world examples. That means researchers can still manipulate the results, even with randomized participants, because of the work within an environment which is conducive to the answers which they want to receive through this method.

These quantitative research pros and cons take a look at the value of the information collected vs. its authenticity and cost to collect. It is cheaper than other research methods, but with its limitations, this option is not always the best choice to make when looking for specific data points before making a critical decision.

10 Advantages & Disadvantages of Quantitative Research

Quantitative research is a powerful tool for those looking to gather empirical data about their topic of study. Using statistical models and math, researchers evaluate their hypothesis.

Quantitative Research

When researchers look at gathering data, there are two types of testing methods they can use: quantitative research, or qualitative research. Quantitative research looks to capture real, measurable data in the form of numbers and figures; whereas qualitative research is concerned with recording opinion data, customer characteristics, and other non-numerical information.

Quantitative research is a powerful tool for those looking to gather empirical data about their topic of study. Using statistical models and math, researchers evaluate their hypothesis. An integral component of quantitative research - and truly, all research - is the careful and considered analysis of the resulting data points.

There are several key advantages and disadvantages to conducting quantitative research that should be considered when deciding which type of testing best fits the occasion.

5 Advantages of Quantitative Research

• Quantitative research is concerned with facts & verifiable information.

Quantitative research is primarily designed to capture numerical data - often for the purpose of studying a fact or phenomenon in their population. This kind of research activity is very helpful for producing data points when looking at a particular group - like a customer demographic. All of this helps us to better identify the key roots of certain customer behaviors. 

Businesses who research their customers intimately often outperform their competitors. Knowing the reasons why a customer makes a particular purchasing decision makes it easier for companies to address issues in their audiences. Data analysis of this kind can be used for a wide range of applications, even outside the world of commerce. 

• Quantitative research can be done anonymously. 

Unlike qualitative research questions - which often ask participants to divulge personal and sometimes sensitive information - quantitative research does not require participants to be named or identified. As long as those conducting the testing are able to independently verify that the participants fit the necessary profile for the test, then more identifying information is unnecessary. 

• Quantitative research processes don't need to be directly observed.

Whereas qualitative research demands close attention be paid to the process of data collection, quantitative research data can be collected passively. Surveys, polls, and other forms of asynchronous data collection generate data points over a defined period of time, freeing up researchers to focus on more important activities. 

• Quantitative research is faster than other methods.

Quantitative research can capture vast amounts of data far quicker than other research activities. The ability to work in real-time allows analysts to immediately begin incorporating new insights and changes into their work - dramatically reducing the turn-around time of their projects. Less delays and a larger sample size ensures you will have a far easier go of managing your data collection process.

• Quantitative research is verifiable and can be used to duplicate results.

The careful and exact way in which quantitative tests must be designed enables other researchers to duplicate the methodology. In order to verify the integrity of any experimental conclusion, others must be able to replicate the study on their own. Independently verifying data is how the scientific community creates precedent and establishes trust in their findings.

5 Disadvantages of Quantitative Research

• Limited to numbers and figures.

Quantitative research is an incredibly precise tool in the way that it only gathers cold hard figures. This double edged sword leaves the quantitative method unable to deal with questions that require specific feedback, and often lacks a human element. For questions like, “What sorts of emotions does our advertisement evoke in our test audiences?” or “Why do customers prefer our product over the competing brand?”, using the quantitative research method will not derive a meaningful answer.

• Testing models are more difficult to create.

Creating a quantitative research model requires careful attention to be paid to your design. From the hypothesis to the testing methods and the analysis that comes after, there are several moving parts that must be brought into alignment in order for your test to succeed. Even one unintentional error can invalidate your results, and send your team back to the drawing board to start all over again.

• Tests can be intentionally manipulative.  

Bad actors looking to push an agenda can sometimes create qualitative tests that are faulty, and designed to support a particular end result. Apolitical facts and figures can be turned political when given a limited context. You can imagine an example in which a politician devises a poll with answers that are designed to give him a favorable outcome - no matter what respondents pick.

• Results are open to subjective interpretation.

Whether due to researchers' bias or simple accident, research data can be manipulated in order to give a subjective result. When numbers are not given their full context, or were gathered in an incorrect or misleading way, the results that follow can not be correctly interpreted. Bias, opinion, and simple mistakes all work to inhibit the experimental process - and must be taken into account when designing your tests. 

• More expensive than other forms of testing. 

Quantitative research often seeks to gather large quantities of data points. While this is beneficial for the purposes of testing, the research does not come free. The grander the scope of your test and the more thorough you are in it’s methodology, the more likely it is that you will be spending a sizable portion of your marketing expenses on research alone. Polling and surveying, while affordable means of gathering quantitative data, can not always generate the kind of quality results a research project necessitates. 

Key Takeaways 

Numerical data is a vital component of almost any research project. Quantitative data can provide meaningful insight into qualitative concerns. Focusing on the facts and figures enables researchers to duplicate tests later on, and create their own data sets.

To streamline your quantitative research process:

Have a plan. Tackling your research project with a clear and focused strategy will allow you to better address any errors or hiccups that might otherwise inhibit your testing. 

Define your audience. Create a clear picture of your target audience before you design your test. Understanding who you want to test beforehand gives you the ability to choose which methodology is going to be the right fit for them. 

Test, test, and test again. Verifying your results through repeated and thorough testing builds confidence in your decision making. It’s not only smart research practice - it’s good business.

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Strengths and Weaknesses of Quantitative and Qualitative Research

Research plays a crucial role when it comes to achieving success in the world of business. When it comes to good research, both quantitative and qualitative research matters the most in building marketing strategies. Data gained through quantitative research includes demographics, consumer growth, and market trends. All of these help businesses and marketers build new theories. Qualitative data, on the other hand, tests the existing strategies or theories based on the gathered data from open-ended sources. Organizations need both methods to run their business smoothly. Upon combining both quantitative and qualitative research, you can get more objective insights from data and achieve more impactful results.

Let’s discover more about the quantitative and qualitative research, including their strengths and weaknesses. But first let’s understand what these two types of researches are. Here we go…

What is Quantitative Research?

Quantitative research is a systematic investigation. It majorly focuses on quantifying relationships, behaviors, phenomena, or other variables by collecting and analyzing numerical data. This type of research is done to test hypotheses, measure outcomes, and determine patterns and trends. It provides theoretical analysis of statistical data, i.e. insights, calculations, and estimations. This research method significantly gathers quantifiable data to perform the systematic investigation. It employs statistical, computational, and mathematical techniques to provide accurate and reliable outcomes.

For this research study, the researcher often collects statistically authentic and valid information by conducting online surveys , questionnaires, and online polls. In addition, they use sampling methods. More often than not, this method is employed used in the fields of social sciences, economics, health, and marketing, among others to get unbiased results. It helps in drawing valid conclusions and making informed decisions to introduce transformative changes to society. Let’s now take a look at the strengths of this type of research.

Strengths of Quantitative Research

Now that you have understood what exactly quantitative research is, it’s time to look at the strengths of this research type. Here we go…

• Validity and Credibility : This type of research provide statistically valid and authentic results to help you make informed decisions.
• Objectivity and Unbiased : Data collection is structured. Therefore, researchers’ biases and preconceptions do not impact their findings.
• Broader Perspective : This allows for generalization and conclusions about a broader population. This makes the research findings more impactful and useful.
• Clear and Accurate Results : The theoretical analysis of statistical data is clear and accurate. This promotes its easy explanation to a wider audience.
• Forecast : This research study helps to forecast future trends. As a result of this, the researcher can make more informed decisions.
• Diversity : This research method allows researchers to collect quantifiable data from diverse sources such as online surveys, questionnaires, and more.
• Versatility : This is a versatile research method. It can be used in various organizations to benefit from data-driven decisions .

Let’s now take a look at the weaknesses of this type of research…

Weaknesses of Quantitative Data

Although quantitative research is versatile and its findings are very impactful, it has some weaknesses that you should know. Look at the following pointers to know the weaknesses of quantitative research:

• Alien to Real-Life Situations : Data collection is structural; however, it is often limited in nature. Since it is used to collect quantifiable data, often it is not related to real-life situations.
• Does Not Identify Causes : The objective of quantitative research is to find correlations between different variables. The researchers are concerned with how much and how many. However, they often avoid looking into the why part – why something happens.
• No New Idea : The quantitative research aims to test the hypothesis of existing concepts. It does not emphasize generating new ideas or discovering uncovered areas.
• No Subjectivity : It does not take into account human experience. There is no place for human opinions and feelings in this type of research.
• Time Consuming : It uses a larger sample size and complex data sets for analysis. Therefore, it is more time-consuming compared to the other research methods.
• Complex : The rigorous design of the study requires a high level of expertise to draw findings.

Common Types of Quantitative Research Methods

Go over the following types of quantitative research methods:

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Researchers often conduct surveys to gather a huge data set that can be analyzed to identify patterns, relationships, and trends. For example, you can conduct online surveys to analyze customers’ experience with products or services. This analysis helps you identify customer satisfaction levels. Furthermore, you can discover areas of improvement or change.

2. Correlation Research

This is a non-experimental method. As the name says, this method is used to discover a correlation between two variables. It does not let extraneous variables intervene in the research study. If the correlation is positive, it indicates both variables are in the same direction. On the other hand, the negative correlation suggests both variables go in a negative direction. Furthermore, this type of research method only uses existing sources to analyze the dataset. Therefore, it is considered cost-effective.

3. Causal-Comparative Research

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The casual-comparative method identifies cause and effect variables. Under this research method, one variable is dependent and another one is independent. Some researchers claim it to be similar to an experimental research method. However, this is not a complete experimental method.

4. Experimental Research

Experimental research method or true experimentation administers scientific techniques to test the hypothesis of the study. It aims to measure how independent variables impact dependent variables. Moreover, it controls extraneous variables to ensure the validity of the research design.

5. Result Analysis

Take a look at the following two methods to do the result analysis on the quantitative research:

Descriptive Analysis

This computes or calculates your datasets using mean, median, and mode to summarize the statistical dataset.

Inferential Analysis

As the name suggests, this includes inferences about what the data means. To ensure its effectiveness, researchers employ the three most common methods, including cross-tabulation, factor analysis, and T-tests.

Let’s now take a look at the important pointers you need to keep in mind when constructing surveys.

Pointers to Keep in Mind While Constructing Surveys

Check out the following pointers to know how to administer a perfect survey for quantitative research:

• The questions should be short and simple
• You should avoid asking for misleading information
• Images should be clear and legible
• Grammar and spelling mistakes can make data quality poor. So, avoid them.

Why Is Quantitative Research Important to Marketing?

Take a look at the following details to know how quantitative research is important to marketing:

Real-Time Insights

Quantitative research helps researchers gather real-time statistical data on market trends, consumer choice patterns, and the organization’s performance. Based on that, researchers compute or calculate complex datasets to gain insights into various aspects. Finally, the research insights help organizations understand the impact of their strategies. They can use this information to reform their business plans.

Improve Marketing Strategies

By gaining real-time data analytics reports on online marketing strategies , they can boost their brand visibility. This helps them determine new strategies for driving organic traffic to the website.

Competitor Analysis

Numeric data analysis helps organizations track competitors’ performance. Based on the in-depth analysis, they can compare their marketing strategies and performance with competitors. This helps them understand what they can do to increase their brand awareness.

Objectivity

The qualitative research method provides leaders with objective data. They can easily communicate this data with their team members. Furthermore, this objective data helps team members understand in which direction they should proceed to yield better results.

It’s now time to move on to another very crucial research type, i.e., Qualitative Research and understand it in detail. Here we go…

What is Qualitative Research

Qualitative research is an exploratory method. It primarily focuses on understanding human behavior, customer’s experiences, and social phenomena. It involves detailed and in-depth analysis. Unlike quantitative research, which emphasizes numerical data and statistical analysis, qualitative research strives to discover the causes of any problem by examining non-numerical data. Its main emphasis is on why rather than what. Essentially, it is subjective in nature because it typically relies on human experiences.

It employs open-ended techniques , including interviews, observations, focus groups, content analysis, and more, to collect rich data. This approach allows researchers to gain a deeper understanding of the context, motivations, and perspectives of participants. This method allows participants to express their issues and opinions in their own words. Based on the data, the researcher analyzes their attitudes, interests, behaviors, and motivations. It is often employed in the fields of education, sociology, psychology, and anthropology. The study focuses on the intricate and subtle aspects of human experiences. It often employs smaller sample sizes to facilitate an in-depth analysis of a problem. By capturing rich, detailed data, qualitative research offers a comprehensive view of the subject matter, highlighting themes, patterns, and relationships that cannot be gathered using quantitative research methods.

Strengths of Qualitative Research

Here are some of the noteworthy strengths of qualitative research that you must be aware of. Take a look…

• Data Collection : The qualitative research method is not restricted to participants’ pre-defined questions. It focuses on open-ended methods to enable data collection. Interviews/observations help a researcher gain a complete understanding of respondents. All in all, this research method focuses on collecting rich and detailed data.
• Novel Theories : This method allows researchers to generate new ideas/theories that can be opposite to conventional social beliefs and norms.
• Express in Numeric : The qualitative research method allows researchers to convert research findings into numeric data for a better understanding.
• Can combine with Quantitative Method : The researcher can combine qualitative research with quantitative research to gain incredible insights into the matter.
• Flexibility : This type of research is more flexible in nature than any other form of research, and it provides room for adaptability.
• Contextual Understanding : The researcher gains a deeper understanding of the social and cultural contexts of participants, resulting in more impactful findings.

Weaknesses of Qualitative Research

• Misleading Information : The researcher must adhere to rigorous standards when collecting and analyzing data. If they fail to do so, resources and expertise of low quality can lead to misleading results.
• Can Not Be Generalized : It is challenging to draw broad conclusions and generalize the data to a larger population using this research design.
• Time-consuming : In contrast to other research methods, the qualitative research method is time-consuming because it involves collecting data through multiple interviews and observations.
• Less Valid : Because of the human experience intervention, the qualitative research findings are believed less valid and less authentic.

Common Types of Qualitative Research Methods

Here are some common types of qualitative research methods to know:

One-on-one Interview

One-on-one interviews have emerged as one of the most popular qualitative research methods. It involves face-to-face or online interviews of the participants. This research method aims to understand and analyze the opinions, ideas, and experiences of the interviewee.

Focus Groups

This research method involves the researcher organizing a small discussion or interview with a group of participants. All of the participants need to discuss a specific topic under this method. The objective of this study is to gain an understanding of the beliefs and considerations of the participants regarding a particular topic.

Discussion Boards

Online discussion boards have replaced traditional discussion boards . Under this research method, researchers provide students with a set of questions to make them participate in the debate. This is a highly efficient way to understand their perspectives, beliefs, and ideas in different situations.

Case study is yet another kind of method used for qualitative research. This method is primarily employed to gain in-depth information about the subject. It is important to note that the subject can encompass a wide range of entities, including organizations, countries, events, or individuals. A lot of researchers view the case study method as highly explanatory.

Pictures and Videos

Pictures and videos are also used as qualitative research methods to understand human experience through image or video analysis. They enhance the richness of data by allowing participants to express themselves in a non-verbal way. Based on visual elements analysis, a researcher reveals insights into social, cultural, or psychological phenomena.

Record-Keeping or Logging

Under this research method, the researcher collects authentic and valid documents from various sources. Further, the information is used as data. The findings of this research method are considered valid and impactful.

Ethnographic Study

Under the ethnographic study, the researchers act as an active participant or observer to study participants in their natural settings. This allows them to understand their social context, culture, and behavior in a much better way.

Observation Method

The observation methods involve the researcher’s subjective interpretation to observe and analyze the attributes and characteristics of a phenomenon. The data collection relies heavily on the researcher’s keen senses of taste, smell, sight, and hearing. He conducts thorough data collection and carefully analyses the entire event.

Result Analysis

Here are the two methods that researchers often employ for the result analysis of the qualitative research:

Deductive Analysis

Deductive analysis is often used to test existing theories, ideas, or beliefs. In qualitative research, deductive analysis is the process of applying predetermined codes to the data. The codes are often generated from literature, theory, or propositions that the researcher has developed. Furthermore, this is a structured method because it applies already decided research design.

Inductive Analysis

Inductive analysis builds up new theories based on specific observations or patterns. The basis of these theories is what has been seen and how it has been seen. Furthermore, it is a flexible analysis that is open to new information.

Some people claim that surveys can only be used in quantitative research. But this is not true. You can conduct surveys in qualitative research as well to make informed decisions.

Check out the following pointers to learn what you should keep in mind while constructing surveys:

• Use appropriate language
• Avoid unnecessary capitalization in words or phrases
• Use the correct format of the questions
• Make sure that multiple-answer questions do not have conflicting answer choices.

Why Is Qualitative Research Important to Marketing?

Qualitative research is ideal for marketing because it helps organizations acquire trustworthy information regarding their consumers’ changing demands, preferences, or tastes. Go over the following pointers to understand why qualitative research is important in today’s marketing scenario. Take a look…

Build Strategies

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In this era of cut-throat competition, knowing about your customers is crucial. This is because based on that information only you can make right marketing decisions. Qualitative research helps organizations understand customers’ preferences and needs. Information gathered using qualitative research methods help businesses build new strategies to enhance customer’s experience. Strategies that businesses design using research data help them attract their target customers and improve their bottom lines.

Rebrand Products and Services

Often, researchers find this method very helpful. The information gathered using qualitative research helps businesses rebrand their products and services. Based on the results of the research, they come to know what their products and services lack. Also, they can determine what they can do to improve their products and services to attract their target customers.

Prevents the Risk of Customer Churning

Customer churning happens when a customer stops using a company’s products or services. However, qualitative research findings help companies understand their customer’s experience with their products and know what consumers want from their products or services. This reduces the risk of customer churning to a great extent.

Get Feedback from Customers

This method helps organizations get feedback on their products or services from customers. The feedback analysis makes a lot of sense in accelerating the organization’s growth.

The Bottom Line

So, this is all about the strengths and weaknesses of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods showcase unique strengths, making them ideal for collecting data for different sectors. However, both methods do exhibit some weaknesses as well. Quantitative research excels in providing precise, measurable, and generalizable data through statistical analysis, while qualitative research offers rich, detailed insights into participants’ experiences, emotions, and social interactions. Quantitative research is considered best for testing hypotheses and identifying patterns across large populations.

At the same time, qualitative research is considered ideal for gaining a deeper understanding of underlying motivations and meanings. Quantitative research methodologies have a structured approach; however, they often avoid the complexities of human behavior and context. Well, that’s not the case with qualitative research methods. You can choose to use any of the research methods to write my essay for me online based on the industry you are serving. However, you can even combine both approaches to enjoy the benefits of both methods.

Thanks for reading!

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Quantitative research: Definition, characteristics, benefits, limitations, and best practices

Quantitative research characteristics

Benefits and limitations, best practices for quantitative research.

Researchers use different research methods as research is carried out for various purposes. Two main forms of research, qualitative and quantitative, are widely used in different fields. While qualitative research involves using non-numeric data, quantitative research is the opposite and utilizes non-numeric data. Although quantitative research data may not offer deeper insights into the issue, it is the best practice in some instances, especially if you need to collect data from a large sample group. Quantitative research is used in various fields, including sociology, politics, psychology, healthcare, education, economics, and marketing.

Earl R. Babbie notes: "Quantitative methods emphasize objective measurements and the statistical, mathematical, or numerical analysis of data collected through polls, questionnaires, and surveys, or by manipulating pre-existing statistical data using computational techniques. Quantitative research focuses on gathering numerical data and generalizing it across groups of people or to explain a particular phenomenon."

Below are some of the characteristics of quantitative research.

Large sample size

The ability to use larger sample sizes is undoubtedly one of the biggest perks of quantitative research.

Measurability

Due to its quantitative nature, the data gathered through quantitative data collection methods is easily measurable.

Close-ended questions

Quantitative research utilizes close-ended questions, which can be both beneficial and disadvantageous.

Reusability

Since it doesn't involve open-ended questions, quantitative research results can be used in other similar research projects.

Reliability

Quantitative data is considered more reliable since it is usually free of researcher bias.

Generalization

Quantitative research uses larger sample sizes, so it is assumed that it can be generalized easily.

Since quantitative research relies on data that can be measured, there are a lot of benefits offered by quantitative methods.

Quantitative research benefits

• Easier to analyze

Analyzing numeric data is easier; in that context, quantitative research can bring large amounts of data in a short period. There is numerous quantitative data analysis software that lets the researcher analyze the data fast.

• Allows using large sample sizes

Quantitative research involves using close-ended questions or simple "yes and no" questions. Therefore, it is easier to analyze quantitative data. In that sense, it can be distributed to practically as many people as you can. A large sample size usually means more accurate research results.

• More engaging

As quantitative research questions don't feature open-ended questions, participants are more eager to respond to questions. With open-ended qualitative questions, participants sometimes need to write a wall of text, and that is undesirable for many of them. It is easier to choose "yes or no" as it doesn't require much effort. A more engaging research survey means more feedback.  

• Less biased and more accurate

Qualitative research uses open-ended questions, and since the feedback is often open to interpretation, researchers might be biased when analyzing the data. That is not the case with quantitative research, as it involves answers to preset questions. Less biased data means more accurate data.

• Needs less time and effort

In all stages of research, quantitative research requires much less time and effort when compared with qualitative research. With different software, it is possible to create, send and analyze a huge volume of quantitative data in just a few clicks. Unlike qualitative in-depth interviews that usually require participants to be in a specific office, quantitative research isn't geographically bound to any location and can be carried out online.

Quantitative research limitations

• Limited information on the subject - 

Using close-ended questions means there isn't much to interpret. It doesn't allow the researcher to get answers to "why" questions. If you want to get in-depth information on the subject, you need to carry out qualitative research.

• Can be costly

Although it allows the researcher to reach a higher sample size, finding a large number of participants is expensive, considering you have to pay each participant.

• Difficulty in confirming the feedback

Quantitative research doesn't usually involve observing participants or talking with them about their answers; therefore, it is difficult to guess if the data gathered from them is accurate all the time. With qualitative methods, you get a chance to observe participants and ask follow-up questions to confirm their answers.

What kind of research do you need?

It may sound too obvious, but you may want to think about the type of research you need to carry out before you start with one. Sometimes quantitative research is not the best practice for a given subject, and you may need to go with qualitative research.  

Clear research goals

Setting a research goal is the first thing every researcher does before setting out to carry out actual research. The success of the research hugely depends on the clearly defined research goals. In other words, it's a make or break point for most research projects. Having confusing research goals is what usually fails the entire project and results in a loss of time and money.

Use user-friendly structure

When creating your surveys and questionnaires, use a user-friendly layout and keep it simple, so it's more engaging for the users. A lot of software offers simple survey templates that you can use effectively.

Choose the right sample

Although quantitative research allows the research to use large sample sizes, it is essential to choose the right sample group. The sample group you're trying to get feedback from may not represent your target audience. Therefore, think twice before allocating resources to gathering data from them.

Pay attention to questions

Quantitative research uses closed-ended questions, which means you need to be very careful with the questions you choose. One of the benefits of quantitative research is that it gives you the ability to predetermine the questions, so you need to use this chance and think about the best possible questions you may use for a better result. With quantitative research questions, you usually don't get a chance to ask follow-up questions.

Let your bias out of the research

We already mentioned that quantitative research is less biased than qualitative research, but it doesn't mean that it's completely free of bias. In this form of research, bias comes with specifically designed questions. The researcher may frame the questions in a way that the feedback may reflect what the researcher wants. In that sense, it is important to leave all the biased questions out you feel can alter the end result of the research.

Qualitative vs Quantitative Research Methods & Data Analysis

Saul McLeod, PhD

Editor-in-Chief for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester

Saul McLeod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

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Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc

Associate Editor for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education

Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.

The main difference between quantitative and qualitative research is the type of data they collect and analyze.

Quantitative data is information about quantities, and therefore numbers, and qualitative data is descriptive, and regards phenomenon which can be observed but not measured, such as language.

• Quantitative research collects numerical data and analyzes it using statistical methods. The aim is to produce objective, empirical data that can be measured and expressed numerically. Quantitative research is often used to test hypotheses, identify patterns, and make predictions.
• Qualitative research gathers non-numerical data (words, images, sounds) to explore subjective experiences and attitudes, often via observation and interviews. It aims to produce detailed descriptions and uncover new insights about the studied phenomenon.

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What Is Qualitative Research?

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.

Qualitative data is 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.

Qualitative research is multimethod in focus, involving an interpretive, naturalistic approach to its subject matter. This means that qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of, or interpret, phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them. Denzin and Lincoln (1994, p. 2)

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 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 being human.  Exploring participants’ experiences is known as a phenomenological approach (re: Humanism ).

Qualitative research is primarily concerned with meaning, subjectivity, and lived experience. The goal is to understand the quality and texture of people’s experiences, how they make sense of them, and the implications for their lives.

Qualitative research aims to understand the social reality of individuals, groups, and cultures as nearly as possible as participants feel or live it. Thus, people and groups are studied in their natural setting.

Some examples of qualitative research questions are provided, such as what an experience feels like, how people talk about something, how they make sense of an experience, and how events unfold for people.

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 theories from the data.

Qualitative Methods

There are different types of qualitative research methods, including diary accounts, in-depth interviews , documents, focus groups , case study research , and ethnography .

The results of qualitative methods provide a deep understanding of how people perceive their social realities and in consequence, how they act within the social world.

The researcher has several methods for collecting empirical materials, ranging from the interview to direct observation, to the analysis of artifacts, documents, and cultural records, to the use of visual materials or personal experience. Denzin and Lincoln (1994, p. 14)

Here are some examples of qualitative data:

Interview transcripts : Verbatim records of what participants said during an interview or focus group. They allow researchers to identify common themes and patterns, and draw conclusions based on the data. Interview transcripts can also be useful in providing direct quotes and examples to support research findings.

Observations : The researcher typically takes detailed notes on what they observe, including any contextual information, nonverbal cues, or other relevant details. The resulting observational data can be analyzed to gain insights into social phenomena, such as human behavior, social interactions, and cultural practices.

Unstructured interviews : 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.

Diaries or journals : Written accounts of personal experiences or reflections.

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. Visual data can be used to understand behaviors, environments, and social interactions.

Qualitative Data Analysis

Qualitative 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 .

Key Features

• Events can be understood adequately only if they are seen in context. Therefore, a qualitative researcher immerses her/himself in the field, in natural surroundings. The contexts of inquiry are not contrived; they are natural. Nothing is predefined or taken for granted.
• Qualitative researchers want those who are studied to speak for themselves, to provide their perspectives in words and other actions. Therefore, qualitative research is an interactive process in which the persons studied teach the researcher about their lives.
• The qualitative researcher is an integral part of the data; without the active participation of the researcher, no data exists.
• The study’s design evolves during the research and can be adjusted or changed as it progresses. For the qualitative researcher, there is no single reality. It is subjective and exists only in reference to the observer.
• The theory is data-driven and emerges as part of the research process, evolving from the data as they are collected.

Limitations of Qualitative Research

• Because of the time and costs involved, qualitative designs do not generally draw samples from large-scale data sets.
• The problem of adequate validity or reliability is a major criticism. Because of the subjective nature of qualitative data and its origin in single contexts, it is difficult to apply conventional standards of reliability and validity. For example, because of the central role played by the researcher in the generation of data, it is not possible to replicate qualitative studies.
• Also, contexts, situations, events, conditions, and interactions cannot be replicated to any extent, nor can generalizations be made to a wider context than the one studied with confidence.
• The time required for data collection, analysis, and interpretation is lengthy. Analysis of qualitative data is difficult, and expert knowledge of an area is necessary to interpret qualitative data. Great care must be taken when doing so, for example, looking for mental illness symptoms.

Advantages of Qualitative Research

• Because of close researcher involvement, the researcher gains an insider’s view of the field. This allows the researcher to find issues that are often missed (such as subtleties and complexities) by the scientific, more positivistic inquiries.
• Qualitative descriptions can be important in suggesting possible relationships, causes, effects, and dynamic processes.
• Qualitative analysis allows for ambiguities/contradictions in the data, which reflect social reality (Denscombe, 2010).
• Qualitative research uses a descriptive, narrative style; this research might be of particular benefit to the practitioner as she or he could turn to qualitative reports to examine forms of knowledge that might otherwise be unavailable, thereby gaining new insight.

What Is Quantitative Research?

Quantitative research involves the process of objectively collecting and analyzing numerical data to describe, predict, or control variables of interest.

The goals of quantitative research are to test causal relationships between variables , make predictions, and generalize results to wider populations.

Quantitative researchers aim to establish general laws of behavior and phenomenon across different settings/contexts. Research is used to test a theory and ultimately support or reject it.

Quantitative Methods

Experiments typically yield quantitative data, as they are concerned with measuring things.  However, other research methods, such as controlled observations and questionnaires , can produce both quantitative information.

For example, a rating scale or closed questions on a questionnaire would generate quantitative data as these produce either numerical data or data that can be put into categories (e.g., “yes,” “no” answers).

Experimental methods limit how research participants react to and express appropriate social behavior.

Findings are, therefore, likely to be context-bound and simply a reflection of the assumptions that the researcher brings to the investigation.

There are numerous examples of quantitative data in psychological research, including mental health. Here are a few examples:

Another example is the Experience in Close Relationships Scale (ECR), a self-report questionnaire widely used to assess adult attachment styles .

The ECR provides quantitative data that can be used to assess attachment styles and predict relationship outcomes.

Neuroimaging data : Neuroimaging techniques, such as MRI and fMRI, provide quantitative data on brain structure and function.

This data can be analyzed to identify brain regions involved in specific mental processes or disorders.

For example, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is a clinician-administered questionnaire widely used to assess the severity of depressive symptoms in individuals.

The BDI consists of 21 questions, each scored on a scale of 0 to 3, with higher scores indicating more severe depressive symptoms. 

Quantitative Data Analysis

Statistics help us turn quantitative data into useful information to help with decision-making. We can use statistics to summarize our data, describing patterns, relationships, and connections. Statistics can be descriptive or inferential.

Descriptive statistics help us to summarize our data. In contrast, inferential statistics are used to identify statistically significant differences between groups of data (such as intervention and control groups in a randomized control study).

• Quantitative researchers try to control extraneous variables by conducting their studies in the lab.
• The research aims for objectivity (i.e., without bias) and is separated from the data.
• The design of the study is determined before it begins.
• For the quantitative researcher, the reality is objective, exists separately from the researcher, and can be seen by anyone.
• Research is used to test a theory and ultimately support or reject it.

Limitations of Quantitative Research

• Context: Quantitative experiments do not take place in natural settings. In addition, they do not allow participants to explain their choices or the meaning of the questions they may have for those participants (Carr, 1994).
• Researcher expertise: Poor knowledge of the application of statistical analysis may negatively affect analysis and subsequent interpretation (Black, 1999).
• Variability of data quantity: Large sample sizes are needed for more accurate analysis. Small-scale quantitative studies may be less reliable because of the low quantity of data (Denscombe, 2010). This also affects the ability to generalize study findings to wider populations.
• Confirmation bias: The researcher might miss observing phenomena because of focus on theory or hypothesis testing rather than on the theory of hypothesis generation.

Advantages of Quantitative Research

• Scientific objectivity: Quantitative data can be interpreted with statistical analysis, and since statistics are based on the principles of mathematics, the quantitative approach is viewed as scientifically objective and rational (Carr, 1994; Denscombe, 2010).
• Useful for testing and validating already constructed theories.
• Rapid analysis: Sophisticated software removes much of the need for prolonged data analysis, especially with large volumes of data involved (Antonius, 2003).
• Replication: Quantitative data is based on measured values and can be checked by others because numerical data is less open to ambiguities of interpretation.
• Hypotheses can also be tested because of statistical analysis (Antonius, 2003).

Antonius, R. (2003). Interpreting quantitative data with SPSS . Sage.

Black, T. R. (1999). Doing quantitative research in the social sciences: An integrated approach to research design, measurement and statistics . Sage.

Braun, V. & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology . Qualitative Research in Psychology , 3, 77–101.

Carr, L. T. (1994). The strengths and weaknesses of quantitative and qualitative research : what method for nursing? Journal of advanced nursing, 20(4) , 716-721.

Denscombe, M. (2010). The Good Research Guide: for small-scale social research. McGraw Hill.

Denzin, N., & Lincoln. Y. (1994). Handbook of Qualitative Research. Thousand Oaks, CA, US: Sage Publications Inc.

Glaser, B. G., Strauss, A. L., & Strutzel, E. (1968). The discovery of grounded theory; strategies for qualitative research. Nursing research, 17(4) , 364.

Minichiello, V. (1990). In-Depth Interviewing: Researching People. Longman Cheshire.

Punch, K. (1998). Introduction to Social Research: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches. London: Sage

Further Information

• Mixed methods research
• Designing qualitative research
• Methods of data collection and analysis
• Introduction to quantitative and qualitative research
• Checklists for improving rigour in qualitative research: a case of the tail wagging the dog?
• Qualitative research in health care: Analysing qualitative data
• Qualitative data analysis: the framework approach
• Using the framework method for the analysis of
• Qualitative data in multi-disciplinary health research
• Content Analysis
• Grounded Theory
• Thematic Analysis