Differentiating Quantitative From Qualitative Research
Differentiating Quantitative From Qualitative Research
Differentiating Quantitative
from Qualitative Research
Content: Nature of Inquiry and Research
Content Standard: The learner demonstrates understanding of:
1. The importance of research in daily life
2. The characteristics, processes, and ethics of research
3. Quantitative and qualitative research
4. The kinds of research across fields
Performance Standard: The learner is able to use appropriate kinds of research in
making decisions.
Learning Competencies: The learner:
Nazarene Madapin-Pihet
Nazarene M. P. Developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills through qualitative research (Practical Research 1) Page 1
Lesson 4 – Quantitative research vs. Qualitative research
Introduction
Understanding the framework of research will guide you in choosing your research design,
research method, and data treatment. If the framework is clear to you, you will not be confused in doing
research. As of today, there are only two frameworks of research: qualitative approach or quantitative
approach.
This lesson will provide you an overview of the research approaches and help you:
CS_RS11-IIIa-4 differentiates quantitative from qualitative research
Objective Subjective
1. Quality-
2. Quantity-
3. Numerical data-
4. Descriptive data-
Nazarene M. P. Developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills through qualitative research (Practical Research 1) Page 2
Lesson 4.1 Differences between Qualitative and Quantitative
Qualitative Quantitative
Feature
READ AND DISCOVER Descriptive/ subjective Objective
Data Textual/ record symbols Numerical/ statistical
Point of View First person Third person
Environment Natural setting/ field library
work
Research designs Ethnography, Survey – descriptive/
ethnolinguistic, ethno experimental/ pure
history, experimental research
Process Inductive/ scientific Statistical
Approach Describing and analyses/ Measuring through
naturalistic statistics
Instruments/tools Focus group discussion, Questionnaires, testing,
unstructured scoring, and rating scale
questionnaire, face to
face interview,
participant observation
Methods Ethnographic, Pure research/
autoethnography, experimental/
grounded theory,
thematic, case study,
phenomenology
Quantitative Qualitative
Nazarene M. P. Developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills through qualitative research (Practical Research 1) Page 3
Lesson 4.2 Advantages or Strengths of Qualitative Research (Baraceros 2017)
1. It adopts a naturalistic approach to its subject matter.
2. It promotes a full understanding of the human behavior or personality traits in
their natural setting.
3. It is instrumental for positive societal change.
4. It engenders respect for people’s individuality as it demands the researcher’s
careful and attentive stand toward people’s world views.
5. It is a way of understanding and interpreting social interctions.
6. It offers multiple ways of cquiring and examining knowledge about something.
Activity 4. Directions: Reflect on the question below. Feel free to elaborate your answer.
Quantitative Qualitative
Nazarene M. P. Developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills through qualitative research (Practical Research 1) Page 4