In a previous blog, we suggested starting by determining if your topic can be studied quantitatively. If you can’t find suitable instruments for a quantitative approach, a qualitative study may be better. However, finding that your topic can be studied quantitatively doesn’t automatically mean it’s the best choice. Here we discuss some additional issues to consider as you decide on a methodological approach.
Perhaps the most important issue to consider is: what are you specifically trying to learn about your topic? Are you looking to test specific hypotheses or predictions? Do you want to explore how the concepts or variables in your topic are related? Are you interested in identifying differences between specific groups on the variables of interest? These are the kinds of aims that a quantitative study can address. On the other hand, you might be more interested in finding out how or why a particular phenomenon happens. Or perhaps you want to know what thoughts, feelings, and experiences people have in regards to your topic. These aims are more in-line with a qualitative study.
Another issue to consider is: what kind of study is most feasible to conduct? In general, quantitative studies are easier to conduct, but require more participants than qualitative studies. Quantitative studies typically require participants to commit less time for data collection, and researchers can conduct data analysis relatively quickly. Quantitative studies often require 50 to several hundred participants, depending on the analysis, making it a good option if you have access to a large pool of participants.
In contrast, qualitative studies require more intensive and time-consuming data collection and analysis, but involve far fewer participants.A typical qualitative study requires researchers to conduct in-depth interviews with participants, which they must then transcribe, review, and code. Unlike quantitative studies, where computer programs automate statistical analyses, researchers perform qualitative analysis manually. Computer programs such as NVivo can help facilitate qualitative analysis, but ultimately the analysis comes from the researcher. However, a key advantage of qualitative studies is that they typically require only 10 to 20 participants. Thus, a qualitative study may be best for you if you will not have access to a large number of participants.