Qualitative & Quantitative Design

QUANTITATIVE

Advantages

• Observations are used throughout studies

• Formulating hypotheses allows for speculation about outcomes; applicable instrument

• Safeguards used to minimize or eliminate bias

• Predicts correlation between objects

• Systematic data collection and analysis

• Generalizable to other institutions for further research

• Recognized criteria for assessment and validity

• More research conducted by this method

Disadvantages

• Should only be used if data can be measured by numbers, results quantified

• Instrument or method chosen is subjective and research is dependent upon tool chosen

• Lack of independent thought by researcher when dependent on instrument or mathematics used to extract or evaluate data

• Individuals’ decisions not evaluated based on their culture or social interactions

• Decisions made without regard to individual human thought or choice to predict behavior

• All individuals are measured same way– Experiences– Backgrounds– Intelligence– Ability to change decisions at any

given point in time– Independent though

Qualitative

Advantages

• Helps explain relationships in detail; individualistic

• Can help validate quantitative findings by further investigation

• Can help close gap between research and practice– Needs of individuals in

institutions– Study problems more relevant

to policy makers

• Less dependent on instrument

• Can bring change in institutions and society– In-depth– Personalized– Examines specific issues

Disadvantages

• Strong dependency on sample population– Access– Honest and valid

information• Time and resources needed

for collection and analysis is intensive

• Lack of objectivity and bias by researcher– Inferences made– Incorrect conclusions

• Convenience sampling• Lack of training or

knowledge about methodology

• Lack of ability to produce and comprehend research

• Not recognized

Thank you…

“not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted.”

Albert Einstein