Qualitative Methods |
Quantitative Methods |
|---|---|
| Methods typically include in-depth interviews, focus groups, review of documents for theme | Methods typically include surveys, structured observations and interviews, reviews of documents for numeric, quantifiable information |
| Process of taking in information to formulate a theory or hypothesis | Process of deducting to test pre-specified concepts, hypothesis and constructs that make up a theory |
| Text-based | Number-based |
| In-depth information on a few cases | Breadth of information across a large number of cases |
| Open-ended response options for participants | Fixed response options such as multiple choice questions on a survey |
| No statistical tests | Statistical tests used for analysis |
| Less generalizable because they tend to focus on smaller groups and their attitudes and experiences. | More generalizable because they often incorporate aggregate data from large studies. |
When searching for qualitative studies, try adding these search terms.
Research methods: Observation, interview, grounded theory, experience
Study Types: Ethnography, phenomenology, biography
Data Analysis: Interrelationship, thematic
Quantitative Research MethodsWhen searching for quantitative studies, try adding these search terms.
Research Methods: Validity, hypothesis, variable, intervention
Study Types: Clinical trial, experimental research, randomized control trial
Data Analysis: Descriptive statistics, e-test, ANOVA.
