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Quantitative

Are primarily concerned with gathering and working with data that is structured and can be represented numerically.

Quantitative date is typically gathered when a positivist epistemological approach is taken and data is collected that can be statiscally analysed

Qualitative

Are primarily concerned with stories and accounts including subjective undestandings, feelings, opinions and beliefs.

Are primarily concerned with stories and accounts including subjective undestandings, feelings, opinions and beliefs.

Mixed methods

Can be thought of as combining qualitative and quantitative methods for a specific research problem.

A mixed-methods approach should come from the research Questions and show that the research question can be answered using both types of data.

Sometimes a research question demands quantitative data while another requires qualitative data, in other cases both data may be required to answer one research question.

Qualitative approaches enable the researcher to explore concepts in more depth with the research participants and to hear them.

Taking a Qualitative approach can help the researcher to identify and check out which aspects of a topic are most important and meaningful to the reseacrh.

Qualitative approaches may be used after Quantitative ones to enable the research to explore some of the issues raised in the quantitative data.

Quantitative data may be gathered that helps the researcher to identify small groups of people.

Qualitative approaches may be used to explore perceptions in more depth with a small groups of people or in a focus group.

Quantitative approaches gather and work qith data that is:

- Structured - categorised or coded so that it can be counted.

- Structured by the researcger - the researcher decides on both the questions that are asked and the types of answer that can be given.

Qualitative approaches gather and work with data that is:

- Constructed by the research participant in their own way.

- Interoreted and structured by the researcher as part of the analytical process.

Quantitative approaches uses data collection to test hypothesis based on numerical measurement and statistical analysis, to establish behavioral patterns and test theories.

Quantitative approach must be objective. Also, the Quantitative approach occurs in the reality external to the individual and aims to identify universal and causal laws.

Qualitative approach can develop questions and hypotheses before, during or after data collection and analysis.

Qualitative approach uses data collection without numerical measurement to discover or refine research questions.

Differences between Quantitative and Qualitative approaches

Qualitative approach seeks dispersion or expansion of data and information.

Quantitative approach aims to narrow down the information and accurately measure the study variables.