Qualitative Research : Quantitative Research

Quantitative research is an approach that uses theory, variables, measurements and statistical analyses to test theories (Creswell, 2013). Qualitative research is an approach that does not rely on proving a theory, a set of variables, or running an experiment. Rather, a qualitative research approach allows for exploring and understanding meaning individuals or groups ascribe to a social or human problem. A qualitative approach allows for meaning and explanations to develop through, interviews, review of artifacts, and observations (Neuman, 2002).

Qualitative research key characteristics are the researcher immerse her/himself in the setting, contexts of inquiry are not contrived they are natural, want the subjects to speak for themselves, attend to the experience as a what not as separate variables, these is no one general method, the process entail appraisal about what was studied and it implies a direct concern with expertise as it is lived or felt or undergone (Hughes, 2006)

Overall, qualitative research design can help give researches options of conducting researching depending on the research topic in question. Further understand the types of qualitative research design can further narrow research method options. Ultimately, qualitative research should continue to be a notable research method since it enables researchers from all fields to examine concepts that are abstract and try to comprehend different

The researcher must set a clear hypothesis, showing the relationship between independent and dependent variables. In quantitative research tools are used to collect numerical data. The information can be gathered using questionnaires or some type of equipment. Quantitative data is efficient at testing a hypothesis, but can miss contextual detail. In quantitative research, the researcher is often objectively separated from the subject matter. One of the ways quantitative research is different from qualitative research is that quantitative research requires extraction of large amounts of statistical data. Qualitative research is focused in on personal viewpoints and opinions of a smaller number of subjects (typically). Qualitative research can take more time than quantitative research (McCusker & Gunaydin,

According to Schneider, Elliot, LoBiondo-Wood & Haber (2004), qualitative research methods, search for the meaning and understanding of human experiences in a naturalistic setting. A researcher obtains subjective facts in order to explore the experiences of each participant (Schneider, Elliot, LoBiondo-Wood & Haber 2004). As a result, qualitative research is a means in which a researcher gains an insight into the participant's point of view concerning their personal experiences; in order gain an understanding of the information given. Therefore this allows a researcher to collect subjective information to create a description of the phenomenon (Vishnevsky & Beanlands 2004).

Quantitative research deals with numbers and is measurable. Some examples of quantitative data are cost, number of participants and time. This type of research is systematic and uses the more traditional scientific method of data collection and presentation. Qualitative research has data that is nonnumeric in nature and it is difficult to measure. As the root of the same suggests, it gives a quality description of the data being viewed. It can include descriptions or verbal responses. Qualitative data is subjective in the sense that the answer can be different amongst various people.

The method of qualitative research become key method in the human and social science and also in the education and health science. The definition of qualitative research is a research using methods such as participant observation or case studies which result in a narrative, descriptive account of a setting or practice. Sociologists using these methods typically reject positivism and adopt a form of interpretive sociology (Parkinson & Drislane,2011). It involves the research using data that do not indicate ordinal values. Furthermore, qualitative research includes the different kinds of data collection, techniques of analysis and diversity of theoretical frameworks (Guest; Namey & Mitchell, 2013). According to Creswell(2013) ‘’the final written report or presentation includes the voices of participants, the reflexivity of the researcher, a complex description and interpretation of the problem, and its contribution to the literature or a call for change.

The study was interpretive a form of qualitative methodology allowed the researcher's made comments on interpretive relies upon the human subject as the instruments to measure some phenomena, and typically involves

Qualitative research is conducted in a natural setting and attempts to understand a human problem by developing a holistic narrative and reporting detailed views of informants about the culture of a problem. It forms a report with pictures and words. One of the most important distinctions that sets qualitative research apart from more traditional types of research is that qualitative research is holistic in that researchers study phenomena in their entirety rather than narrowing the focus to specific defined variables” (p. 93). Similarly, Cresswell (1984) indicated that qualitative research “is defined as an inquiry process of understanding a social or human problem, based on building a holistic picture, formed with words, reporting detailed views of informants, and conducted in a natural setting” (p. 2). Cresswell’s definition clearly delineates the major characteristics of qualitative research. Pg. 50 (Smith & Davis, 2010).

Qualitative research describes the research that can produce observations and descriptions. If you were observing or interviewing someone, you would want to use qualitative research to ask questions such as "how" or "why".

Qualitative research generates information that is very detailed and or originality. It is done in a normal social setting and gets to a better understanding of participants. The method used to collect data is by observation from interviews. Qualitative research is usually criticized for lacking scientific demands.

Qualitative research is a type of research that involves word rather than numbers. This involves looking at feelings, opinions and emotions. Qualitative research is concerned with trying to explain why rather than what or how many.

The qualitative design is an inductive, interpretive and naturalistic approach use in studying people, cases, phenomena, social situations and processes in their natural settings to describe in descriptive terms the meanings that people attach to their lived experiences (Yilmaz, 2013; Cozby & Bates, 2012). According to Yilmaz (2013)

Qualitative research involves the studied use and collection of variety of empirical materials-case study; personal experience; introspection; life story; interview; artifacts; cultural texts and productions; observational, historical, interactional, and visual text - that describe routine and problematic moments and meaning in individuals’ life.

Qualitative research methods are utilized to study the social and cultural phenomena. So it includes observation, participant observation (field work), interview sessions, documents and texts and finally the researcher’s imitations and feedback. [Myers, 2009]