Qualitative vs Quantitative Research: Similarities and Differences

This article explores the similarities and differences between qualitative and quantitative research methods. It discusses how these methods are used in academic research and the importance of gaining accurate results. The article also highlights the factors, characteristics, and tools used in qualitative and quantitative research.

Running head: RESEARCH
RESEARCH
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author’s note

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Section A:
Question 1:
A researcher desires to explore people’s experiences of under conducting qualitative
study for medication adherence. Qualitative research is referred to the research method which is
used for gaining the understanding thoughts, opinion, and values of the individuals (Probst
2015). On the other hand, the quantitative method is referred as the method that focuses on
objective measurement as well as numerical analysis of the collected data (Probst 2015). While
qualitative research deals with the more abstract description, the quantitative research deals with
the numbers and numerical data. The similarities between qualitative and quantitative would
be the following:
Similarities:
Despite many differences between the qualitative and quantitative research method, the
two methods exhibit a variety of similarities in numerous aspect. The first aspect is that in both
research method limited particular variable is being measured, indicating that different method
only used for measuring very specific variables (Probst 2015). The same phenomenon can be
measured with both approaches. The preference of the researchers for any specific research
method plays a significant role in gaining an accurate result. The second aspect is that both used
in most of the academic research (Abay et al. 2016). In both of the approach, participants are
necessary and in both cases, inclusion and exclusion criteria are required to incorporate the
participants. In both approaches, the raw data is required to analyze in order to gain an accurate
result. Moreover, one method can be the foundation of another approach (Probst 2015). For

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example, if one researcher is unaware of a certain opinion, theories or values of the participants
they cannot conduct the experimental study. Hence, to gain an understanding of the opinion and
values, the researchers are required to conduct qualitative research.
Factor Qualitative research Quantitative research
Type This research is more
conceptual
This research is based
numerical analysis
aim The aim is to gain the
understanding of detailed
description
to classify characteristics,
count them, and construct
statistical models
Research question The researchers have roughly
idea of what they are looking
for
The researchers have clear
idea regarding what they are
looking for (Probst 2015)
Time Recommended to conduct in
initial phase of project
(Petrova, Dewing and
Camilleri 2016).
Recommended to conduct in
later phase of project
Data Data is a form of words Data is a form of numbers
Tool of data collection Instruments in-depth interviews
Crucial differences Time consuming , bias and
less generalized
More time , less bias and
more generalized
Type of data interpretation The data interpretation is
subjective in nature. In this
case, the interpretation of the
The data interpretation is
objective where the data
interpretation is depending on

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researchers are crucial in this
case to gather the idea of the
research.
the software used for the data
analysis.
Hypothesis No hypothesis has been tested
but focuses on the details of
the concepts
Hypothesis has been tasted
in this approach but this
approach miss out the
conceptual details of the
research.
Question 2:
A cohort study is a specific form of longitude study where the sample is a cohort such as
people who share major characteristics like experiencing the common incident in a selected
period of time and perform a cross-section at intervals of time (Petrova, Dewing and Camilleri
2016). In this research approach, the incidence of the disease in the exposed group is compared
with the incidence of disease in the unexposed group. As discussed by Goodkin et al. (2017), in
the cohort study, the relative risk (incidence risk) is used for assessing the linkage between the
exposed group and disease such as whether the exposure and disease are casually linked or not.
Hence, it is one of the most suitable approach for evaluating any medical phenomenon.
The features of the cohort study are the following:
• The study can be retrospective or prospective. Petrova, Dewing and Camilleri (2016)
suggested that while the prospective study is used for gathering the outcome such as the

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development of a disease, the retrospective study is used for gathering data from the past
events.
• The aim of a cohort study is to choice participants who are equal with the exception of
their exposed status. Probst (2015), suggested that all study members must have the
capabilities of developing the outcome.
• Multiple outcomes can be measured in one exposure. Probst (2015) suggested that it will
assist to gain the understanding of the outcome within a shorter period of time and
assists to design the accurate intervention of it. However, the outcome can be similar for
both exposed and unexposed in many cases.
• The cohort study is the best suitable study for investigating rare disease. Dzeng et al.
(2016) suggested that in this case, the incidence of research in the exposed group as
compared with the incidence of disease in the exposed group which will provide the idea
of the rare disease. However, a large number of population is required to consider in this
case to gather the idea of rare disease.
• It is the most suitable method for measuring prevalence and incidents.
• The study has major potential bias in the cohort studies is the degree of accuracy. The
potential biases observed in the cohort studies in the degree of accuracy with the subject
with respect to their exposure. Another potential bias is the selection which has been
introduced while recruiting the participants for the follow up of the research.

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The cohort study is a research, especially used in the medical field in order to examine
the causes of the disease and investigate the link between risk factors and health outcomes.
Hence, in case new medical phenomenon, the incidence of the disease in the exposed group can
be compared with the unexposed group with similar characteristics in order to come up with
better intervention for the medical phenomenon. Hence, for testing any hypothesis for the
medical phenomenon, it would be the most suitable research method.
Question 3:
In the case study, a researcher is conducting a study about patients’ experiences of
being nursed in mixed-sex wards and decides to use focus groups as the data collection method.
A focus group is small but demographically diverse group of individuals who are resembles in
their experiences an recruited for studying the responses which will guide the further research
(Denzin and Giardina 2016) suggested that focus group study is mainly conducted in the
qualitative research design where the opinion, values, and beliefs of a group of people with
similar experiences are gathered with a data collection method such as interview or survey.
Hanson et al. (2015) stated that the advantage of the focus group is that it provides the idea that
how two participants have two different perspectives on the same topic (Petrova, Dewing and
Camilleri 2016). Researchers suggested that the focus group study offers the opportunity to seek
clarification and it provides the idea of change in behavior, suggest the potential solutions of the
identified problem (Petrova, Dewing and Camilleri 2016). Moreover, the focus group study adds
a human dimension to the impersonal data. However, the disadvantages of the focus group are
that high information biases are present in the study. The prime reason behind it that the
responses provided by the participants may not honest opinion as they may be uncomfortable
while expressing their feeling. Moreover, focus group studies can be hard to control and manage

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while conducting the research. However, while conducting research with the participants,
maintaining ethics is a crucial part in order to conduct the research successfully and achieve the
desired outcome. The first ethical issue is confidentiality issue. Abay et al. (2016) suggested that
while working with the focus group, the breaching the confidentiality may result in high
psychological distress for the patients. Due to the leaking of data, the population may
experience social isolation, high psychological distress, and uninvited threats. Hence, in this
case, it is very important in studies to main the ethics which involve very personal data. The
second ethical issue is that while working with population in the research process without proper
informed consent (Sutton and Austin 2015). Consequently, it may increase the probability of
the accidents since during research, focus group may be subjected to the various harmful effect
(McKeown et al. 2019). Hence, in this case, involving the population with proper informed
consent is crucial to avoid risk.
It is the most suitable data collection method because it assists to gather the information
of broader population by recruiting a few participants since the small number of individuals in
the population represents the whole population. Moreover, it provided the opportunity to
analyze the thoughts, opinion, and attitude of others which can be used as the intervention for the
problem identified (Petrova, Dewing and Camilleri 2016). Moreover, the research is cost-
effective and it has greater anonymity which makes it a suitable data collection method.

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Section B
Day Mon Tue Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun
MEAN
Patein
t A 45 45 46 42 43 40 40 43
Patein
t B 40 41 42 35 45 40 40 40.42857143
Patein
t C 50 50 48 45 50 60 50.5
Patein
t D 70 75 65 70 80 78 73
Patein
t E 53 56 53 53 64 53 85 59.57142857
Patein
t F 82 56 45 45 54 65 54 57.28571429
Patein
t G 80 45 45 45 35 45 50 49.28571429
Patein
t H 70 68 75 75 73 74 75 72.85714286
a)
b)
Day Monday Tuesday Wedday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday Median
Pateint
A 45 45 46 42 43 40 40 43
Pateint
B 40 41 42 35 45 40 40 40
Pateint
C 50 50 48 45 50 60 50
Pateint
D 70 75 65 70 80 78 72.5
Pateint
E 53 56 53 53 64 53 85 53
Pateint
F 82 56 45 45 54 65 54 54
Pateint
G 80 45 45 45 35 45 50 45
Pateint
H 70 68 75 75 73 74 75 74

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c) Standard deviation is the measure of quantifying the amount of variation or deviation of a
set of data values present in a set of data. A low amount of standard deviation indicates
that the data points are very slightly deviating from the mean value of the data set.
Moreover expressing the variability of a population, the standard deviation is mostly used
to quantify the confidence in the statistical conclusion. For explaining this fact, it can be
said that the margin of errors in polling data is concluded by calculating the standard
deviation in the results in case of conducting the same polls for multiple times. In various
scientific experiments, it is reported that the standard deviation of a scientific data can
affect the result of the data and it is also reported that , the standard deviation of a
particular data is also associated with the statistical significance of a data set as well.
From the data set of the Table 1, the SD indicates that the doses of patient A, B and H is
slightly deviating from the mean value of the patient’s insulin dose. On the other hand,
the dose of patient C and Patient D is moderately deviating from the mean value of the
data set. The rest of the patient’s insulin dose (Patient E,F,G) is highly deviating from the
mean value.
d) In order to, check any significant differences between the patients and in the total amount
of quick acting insulin per mmol of blood glucose, ANOVA test can be performed. In
order to perform this test, the data set must be grouped in a proper manner. In the SPSS
software the Analysis of Variance test or ANOVA can be easily performed. In order to
perform the ANOVA test, sums of square tests in between the two groups of data should

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be performed. After that, the degrees of freedom must be calculated as well to perform
the tests. The degrees of freedom while performing the ANOVA test will be N-1 where
N denotes the total numbers of observation or the overall sample size of that particular
tests. The next step of performing the ANOVA is to calculate the mean squares of the
data.

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