Which type of research is a collection of objective data that can be tested through statistical analysis?
Published on April 12, 2019 by Raimo Streefkerk. Revised on October 10, 2022. When collecting and analyzing data, quantitative research deals with numbers and statistics, while qualitative research deals with words and meanings. Both are important for gaining different kinds of knowledge. Common quantitative methods include experiments, observations recorded as numbers, and surveys with closed-ended questions. Common qualitative methods include interviews with open-ended questions, observations described in words, and literature reviews that explore concepts and theories. Quantitative and qualitative research use different research methods to collect and analyze data, and they allow you to answer
different kinds of research questions. Quantitative and qualitative data can be collected using various methods. It is important to use a data collection method that will help answer your research question(s). Many data collection methods can be either qualitative or quantitative. For example, in surveys, observations or
case studies, your data can be represented as numbers (e.g. using rating scales or counting frequencies) or as words (e.g. with open-ended questions or descriptions of what you observe). However, some methods are more commonly used in one type or the other. Quantitative data collection methods
Qualitative data collection methods
When to use qualitative vs. quantitative researchA rule of thumb for deciding whether to use qualitative or quantitative data is:
For most research topics you can choose a qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods approach. Which type you choose depends on, among other things, whether you’re taking an inductive vs. deductive research approach; your research question(s); whether you’re doing experimental, correlational, or descriptive research; and practical considerations such as time, money, availability of data, and access to respondents. Research questionHow satisfied are students with their studies?Quantitative research approachYou survey 300 students at your university and ask them questions such as: “on a scale from 1-5, how satisfied are your with your professors?” You can perform statistical analysis on the data and draw conclusions such as: “on average students rated their professors 4.4”. Qualitative research approachYou conduct in-depth interviews with 15 students and ask them open-ended questions such as: “How satisfied are you with your studies?”, “What is the most positive aspect of your study program?” and “What can be done to improve the study program?” Based on the answers you get you can ask follow-up questions to clarify things. You transcribe all interviews using transcription software and try to find commonalities and patterns. Mixed methods approachYou conduct interviews to find out how satisfied students are with their studies. Through open-ended questions you learn things you never thought about before and gain new insights. Later, you use a survey to test these insights on a larger scale. It’s also possible to start with a survey to find out the overall trends, followed by interviews to better understand the reasons behind the trends. How to analyze qualitative and quantitative dataQualitative or quantitative data by itself can’t prove or demonstrate anything, but has to be analyzed to show its meaning in relation to the research questions. The method of analysis differs for each type of data. Analyzing quantitative dataQuantitative data is based on numbers. Simple math or more advanced statistical analysis is used to discover commonalities or patterns in the data. The results are often reported in graphs and tables. Applications such as Excel, SPSS, or R can be used to calculate things like:
Analyzing qualitative dataQualitative data is more difficult to analyze than quantitative data. It consists of text, images or videos instead of numbers. Some common approaches to analyzing qualitative data include:
Frequently asked questions about qualitative and quantitative researchWhat is data collection? Data collection is the systematic process by which observations or measurements are gathered in research. It is used in many different contexts by academics, governments, businesses, and other organizations. Sources in this articleWe strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below. This Scribbr article
Is this article helpful?You have already voted. Thanks :-) Your vote is saved :-) Processing your vote... Which type of research uses data that is analyzed with statistics?When collecting and analyzing data, quantitative research deals with numbers and statistics, while qualitative research deals with words and meanings. Both are important for gaining different kinds of knowledge. Quantitative research Quantitative research is expressed in numbers and graphs.
What is a statistical analysis in research?Statistical analysis is the collection and interpretation of data in order to uncover patterns and trends. It is a component of data analytics. Statistical analysis can be used in situations like gathering research interpretations, statistical modeling or designing surveys and studies.
What is statistical analysis in quantitative research?Statistical analysis means investigating trends, patterns, and relationships using quantitative data. It is an important research tool used by scientists, governments, businesses, and other organizations.
Which type of research objectively measures the research topic?In Quantitative Research, researchers tend to remain objectively separated from the subject matter. This is because Quantitative Research is objective in approach in the sense that it only seeks precise measurements and analysis of target concepts to answer his inquiry.
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