RESEARCH

QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE

 Most of what we do in our daily lives are based on common sense, what we have
learnt from others or what we have learnt through personal experience or
observation. But sometimes common sense is not the best approach and unavoidably
there are conflicting theories about what is best or what works and what does not in
a particular situation. For instance, what effective in one situation or condition might
be ineffective, or even dangerous in another. or when combined with other measures.
We need to do research so that we will have basis to make informed decisions.
Why is research important? Well, the main purpose of research is to inform
action, to prove a theory, and contribute to developing knowledge in a field or
study. Research is required not just for students and academics, but for all
professionals and nonprofessionals alike.
What is “Research?” Research can be defined as “a systematic and scientific
procedure of data collection, compilation, analysis, interpretation, and implication
pertaining to any problem.” It involves the quest for answers to unsolved problems.
Moreover, research methods may be defined as “a systematic and scientific procedure
of data collection, compilation, analysis, interpretation, and implication pertaining to
any problem (Bajpai, 2011, p.4).”
 The words above are terms used in research. These are terminologies found in writing
research studies. Let us learn more on what these terms are. Research is collecting data
and information, learning and finding new things. It is also an advanced knowledge which
follows a systematic process of collecting and analyzing information in order to
understand more the phenomena under study. Action research, thesis, dissertation, and
case study are examples of research. Being familiar with the following terms is helpful in
understanding research more:
Concept is a term that abstractly describes and names an object, a phenomenon, or
an idea.
Examples of concepts include common demographic measures: - Income –
P5,000 – P8,000
- Age – 18 y/o – 20 y/o
- Education Level – High School Graduate, College Graduate, Post Graduate
- Number of Siblings – 3 siblings in the family, 4 or more siblings in the family
Theory is an organized body of concepts and principles intended to explain a
particular phenomenon.
Examples include the theory of relativity, atomic theory, theory of evolution, and quantum
theory
 Sampling it is the process of selecting participants who are representatives of a
larger population – gain an understanding of a larger population. For example, a
random sample may include choosing the names of 25 employees out of a hat in a
company of 250 employees. The population is all 250 employees, and the sample is
random because each employee has an equal chance of being chosen.

Writing a successful research paper is not easy work. There are no shortcuts to
be taken as one sits down to choose a topic, conduct research, determine
methodology, organize (and outline) thoughts, form arguments or interpretations, cite
sources, write the first draft, and, finally, apply the necessary revisions.
But there is no need to be anxious with a research paper assignment! With a
good understanding of the elements of a successful research paper, the process can
be made a whole lot easier and simpler.
A successful research paper fulfills the objective of increasing readers' knowledge of a given
subject. It also accurately, concisely, and comprehensively relays unbiased information on
that subject: information that, of course, must include valid evidence to support the
premise.
The two major types of research methods can be broadly divided into quantitative and
qualitative categories. Quantitative research “describes, infers, and resolves problems
using numbers. Emphasis is placed on the collection of numerical data, the summary of
those data and the drawing of inferences from the data.” Qualitative research, on the other
hand, is based on words, feelings, emotions, sounds and other non-numerical and
unquantifiable elements. It has been noted that “information is considered qualitative in
nature if it cannot be analyzed by means of mathematical techniques (Picknell, 2021). “

Quantitative Method This is a method that focuses on numbers, objective hard

data. It proves hypotheses by statistical analysis and scientific method. It is called a
formal, objective, systematic process in which numerical data is used to obtain
information about the world. It is used to describe variables. It examines
relationships among variables.
Example is a drug abuser telling you how many pills they consume per
week.
Qualitative Method It uses words instead of numbers to display data. It focuses
on feelings not numerical data. Small amount of participants involved in a qualitative
research study. This kind of research method utilizes interviews, archived written
information, and observations to measure the significance of a relationship between
variables.
 Quantitative Research Qualitative Research

Focuses on testing theories and hypotheses Focuses on exploring ideas and formulating a
theory or hypothesis

Is analyzed through math Is analyzed by summarizing,

and statistical analysis categorizing and interpreting

Mainly expressed in numbers, Mainly expressed in words

graphs and tables

Requires many respondents Requires few respondents

Closed (multiple choice) questions Open-ended questions

Key terms are: testing, Key terms are: understanding,

measurement, objectivity, context, complexity, subjectivity
replicability
 QUANTITATIVE ADVANTAGES
You may be very familiar with quantitative research from your science classes where you learned and
practiced using the scientific method. A problem or question is examined by deductively forming a
hypothesis derived from theory. Controlled, objective testing and experimentation ultimately supports or
rejects your hypotheses. Each step is standardized to reduce bias when collecting and analyzing data. A big
advantage of this approach is that the results are valid, reliable and generalizable to a larger population.
Quantitative research is advantageous for studies that involve numbers, such as measuring achievement
gaps between different groups of students or assessing the effectiveness of a new blood pressure medication.

QUANTITATIVE DISADVANTAGES
While quantitative research methods work well in the laboratory under tightly controlled conditions,
measuring phenomena like human behavior in natural settings is trickier. Survey instruments are
vulnerable to errors such as mistakes in measurement and flawed sampling techniques. Another
disadvantage is that quantitative research involves numbers, but some topics are too difficult to quantify in
numbers. For example, constructing an effective survey with closed-ended questions about how people fall in
love would be difficult.

QUALITATIVE ADVANTAGES
Qualitative research is often used to conduct social and behavioral studies because human interactions are
more complex than molecular reactions in a beaker. Subjectivity, nonrandom sampling and small sample
size distinguishes qualitative research from quantitative research. A big advantage of qualitative research is
the ability to deeply probe and obtain rich descriptive data about social phenomena through structured
interviews, cultural immersion, case studies and observation, for instance. Examples include ethnography,
narratives and grounded theory.

QUALITATIVE DISADVANTAGES
Qualitative studies often take more time to complete due to the painstaking nature of gathering and
analyzing field notes, transcribing interviews, identifying themes and studying photographs, for instance.
Studies are not easily replicable or generalizable to the general population. Conscious or unconscious bias
can influence the researcher’s conclusions. Lacking rigorous scientific controls and numerical data,
qualitative findings may be dismissed by some researchers as anecdotal information.
 Terminology plays an important role in the understanding of contexts and specialized texts.
Understanding the intricate terminological details of the technical and scientific contexts helps students
comprehend what the main message of the document is, and it helps specialists to transmit the content
more effectively.

Many times those that undertake a research project often find they are not aware of the differences
between Qualitative Research and Quantitative Research methods. Many mistakenly think the two terms
can be used interchangeably.

Quantitative methods are ideally suited for finding out who, what, when and where. Likewise with
qualitative methods, it also seeks out the who, what, however, it does not focus on the when and where.
Additionally, it includes the question how. In relation to this information, research gives statements with
proofs through careful observations and calculations.

The main purpose of research is to inform action, to prove a theory, and contribute to developing
knowledge in a field or study. Below are 7 significance of research (Zarah 2019).

1. A Tool for Building Knowledge and for Facilitating Learning 2. Means to Understand Various
Issues and Increase Public Awareness 3. An Aid to Business Success
4. A Way to Prove Lies and to Support Truths
5. Means to Find, Gauge, and Seize Opportunities
6. A Seed to Love Reading, Writing, Analyzing, and Sharing Valuable Information
7. Nourishment and Exercise for the Mind
Finding reasons why research is important seems like a no -brainer, but many people avoid getting involved in
research. The lazy (if not mentally-drained) student is probably thinking - "Oh, no. Not again," while a disinterested
academic could just be doing it to secure job tenure and/or a promotion. Yet, for those who like to learn, whether they
are members of a learning institution or not, doing research is not just an imperative, but a need.
Activity: QUALITATIVE VS. QUANTITATIVE

All of the observations in this activity were qualitative; that is, you observed a quality
about an object (it smelled good, it was green, etc.). Another type of observation is
quantitative, meaning that it can be described or measured in concrete numerical terms.

The following observations are quantitative: There are 30 students in my class. I

weigh 98 pounds. 1 ate a pound of potatoes. Determine which of the following statements
is quantitative and which is qualitative. Write QUANTI if it is quantitative, and QUALI if it
is qualitative.

1. _____________ The cup had a mass of 454 grams.

2. _____________ The temperature outside is 250 C.
3. _____________ It is warm outside.
4. _____________ The tree is 30 feet tall.
5. _____________ The building has 25 stories.
6. _____________ The building is taller than the tree.
7. _____________ The sidewalk is long.
8. _____________ The sidewalk is 100 meters long.
9. _____________ The race was over quickly.
10. _____________ The race was over in 10 minutes.
 SMART is a good way to remember the fundamentals of research paper writing, and to
help prepare an author in writing a successful research paper. ▪ Specific: A research paper
should be specific. It should maintain its focus on the given subject of research -
answering a specific research question - and not be inconsistent or aimless as to convey
information or make claims on other, unrelated topics or subjects.
▪ Measurable: A research paper must contain specific, proven research, and cites all
research sources and related literature.

▪ Attainable: A research paper must provide a thesis statement, one that answers the
research question and contributes to the knowledge of the given subject. It can't
propose to answer a question that doesn't relate to real life or isn't based on an existing
body of knowledge.
▪ Realistic: A research paper is objective and realistic. Should it be made to present
interpretations, arguments, or evaluations, then it should do so based on valid evidence
from reliable sources.

▪ Time: A research paper cannot be written without the researcher knowing the limits,
timeframes, and focus of the required work. Without the writer / researcher stating the
scope and limitations of the research paper, it is likely that the thesis statement will be
hampered by an inability to answer the given
research question or focus on the given research subject.
 Once you have chosen a research topic, you will need to narrow it down into a research statement or
question. The sooner you do this in your research process, the more time you'll save because you can
conduct more focused searches. Here are some common ways you can narrow down a research topic:

By demographic characteristics
Narrow it down by age group, occupation, ethnic group, gender, etc. e.g. challenges faced by
international college graduates entering the workforce By relevant issues
Try to identify key issues related to your topic, especially ones that you have an opinion on. You
can turn your opinion into your thesis statement or research question.
e.g. challenges faced by college graduates who are unable to find meaningful or relevant work
By location
Focus on a specific country, province, city, or type of environment (rural vs. urban).
e.g. challenges faced by college graduates entering the workforce in rural Ontario
By timeframe
Decide whether you want to study recent events or a historical time period. This will also help you
decide how current the information you use must be. e.g. challenges faced by college graduates
entering the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic
By causes
You can take the perspective of looking for causes of an issue you are researching.
e.g. Why do employers hire fewer college graduates?
Activity: Filling in those blanks
To check your understanding of the lesson, put into correct order the following steps
in writing the research paper. Arrange them by numbering them from 1-11.
____ A. limiting your subject to specific
____ B. finding an angle and writing a statement of controlling purpose
____ C. choosing your subject
____ D. doing preliminary research
____ E. preparing a list of possible sources, a working bibliography ____ F.
writing the final draft
____ G. taking notes and developing a rough, or working, outline
____ H. writing your first draft
____ I. writing your Works Cited page, a complete list of sources used in the
paper
____ J. revising your first draft
____ K. organizing notes and making a final outline