When planning a research project there are many things that must be considered. Of course, you must decide what you want to prove or disprove; but you also need to decide who, or what, your subjects will be, how you will control the variables, how large your sample will be, how long the study will take, and many other factors. One of the most important decisions to make will be what kind of research you want to conduct. Will you conduct a quantitative research project, a qualitative research project, or a combined research project? This choice will often occur after most of the other questions have been answered. This paper looks at the benefits of both quantitative and qualitative research methods and how they can work together.
Quantitative research was the primary method of research for many years, until the mid-twentieth century. Creswell describes quantitative research as an approach for testing theories by looking at relationships among variables . One important aspect of quantitative research is that it uses verifiable accurate tools to measure variables. The data obtained by these measurements is then processed using formulas. The benefit of quantitative research is the verifiability of the data collected, as long as the methods of collecting data are consistent and valid. The quantitative method also provides researchers a standard format for reporting the results, making publication of research easier.
Qualitative research is best for situations that cannot be accurately measured and recorded. A qualitative research project is used for issues that relate to social or human problems (Cresswell, 2014). The research is usually conducted in the field, or at the location of the participants in the research. Unlike quantitative research, which is rather rigid in its approach and processes, there is more flexibility with qualitative research. Qualitative researchers often do not start with a specific hypothesis, but use inductive methods to reach conclusions based on their observations . This method of research offers more flexibility in the research design and in the reporting procedures.
Both methods of research offer researchers freedom to develop a research project that is best suited to explore their theories. It is important to realize that one method is not necessarily better than the other, it may just be better suited for a particular case. Sometimes, it is appropriate to use both methods on a research project in order to better explore the subject.
The field of education is one discipline where a combined research method works well. As an example, imagine a research project aimed at proving that adjusting teaching methods to better accommodate different learning styles of the students in the classroom will improve the overall learning of the classroom. A qualitative approach would be utilized in the subject classrooms to monitor student learning behaviors as different teaching approaches are used. Observers would be in the classroom making notes on prepared forms and making observations. These observations would then be discussed and evaluated based on the stated criteria of the project. At the same time, comprehensive tests would be given to the students in the test group and the control group at the beginning of the project, and then again at the end. The results of these tests would provide a quantitative analysis of educational advancement of the two groups to validate the theory of the project.
Researchers should be familiar with the concepts of both quantitative and qualitative research, and be ready to use whichever method is best suited for the type of research to be conducted. They should also be prepared to use both methods, a combined methodology, if that would produce a more comprehensive study. There is a lot of leeway for the researcher as long as the subjects, participants, and research methods are all valid and verifiable.
References
Anderman, E. (2009, December 23). Research Methods: An Overview. Retrieved from Education.com: http://www.education.com/reference/article/research-methods-an-overview/
Creswell, J. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, California: Sage Publications.
