RESEARCH

APPROACHES

General
 Types of Research
Approaches

Qualitative Mixed
methods
Quantitative

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General
 Quantitative
Research
 Used to quantify the problem, generated through a set of
predetermined questions & the responses are recorded
 Quantitative data collection methods are much more structured
 Online surveys (email, websites and mobile phones)
 Paper surveys, mobile surveys and kiosk surveys
 Face-to-face interviews, telephone interviews
 Longitudinal studies, website interceptors, online polls, and systematic
observations
 Interview Completed or Self-Completed Questionnaire

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General
 ADVANTAGES
1. Objectivity:
• typically free from the researcher's biases
• it relies on numerical data and statistical analysis to draw conclusions.
2. Ability to Generalize:
• large sample sizes allows for broader generalizations of findings to the
wider population, provided the sample is representative.
3. Precision and Accuracy
• Data collected are often precise and can be measured accurately
• reducing the likelihood of errors and ensuring the validity of results.
4. Replicability
• easier to replicate due to their structured and standardized methods
• allowing other researchers to validate or challenge the findings by
repeating the study.
General
 ADVANTAGES
5. Large-Scale Data Analysis
• allows the analysis of large datasets
• easier to identify patterns, trends, or relationships
6. Statistical Validation
• enhances the rigor of the research,
• enabling the testing of hypotheses and determination of relationships,
correlations, or causalities
7. Clear Measurement
• provides a clear basis for measuring specific attributes
• enhancing the clarity of the research outcomes.
8. Comparative Analysis
• allows comparisons between groups or over time to see the impact of
certain variables.
General
 ADVANTAGES

9. Efficient Data Collection

• Data collection can be automated (e.g., online surveys,
questionnaires),
• time-efficient and cost-effective process
10. Ability to Identify Trends
• Can identify trends over time,
• Can observe shifts, changes, or developments in behavior, attitudes,
or other measurable factors.
11. Quantifying Opinions, Behaviors, and Attitudes
• enables the measurement of people's attitudes, opinions, and
behaviors in numerical terms

General
 Qualitative Research
 The required information generated through series of questions
which are not predetermined and pre-worded
 Study design less specific and precise
 Using three main methods of data collection
 Unstructured interview (in-depth interview, focus group,
narratives, oral histories)
 Observation
 Secondary sources

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General
 ADVANTAGES
1. In-depth Understanding:
• provides detailed insights into people's thoughts, experiences, emotions, and
motivations,
• offering a deeper understanding
2. Contextual Richness:
• captures the complexity of real-world situations
• Can understand phenomena within their natural contexts
3. Flexibility:
• allows for adjustments during the research process.
• When new insights emerge can refine their methods, questions, or focus
4. Exploration of New Areas:
• can help explore new topics and generate hypotheses for further study.
• useful in the exploratory phase of research.
5. Holistic View:
• looks at the whole context of a situation or issue
• helps in understanding complex social phenomena.
General
 ADVANTAGES

6. Human Experience Focus:

• focusing on subjective experiences
• can give voice to individuals and groups,
• especially those marginalized or not easily captured by quantitative methods.
7. Rich Data:
• produce rich, detailed data
• can provide a more nuanced understanding of a research problem
8. Cultural Sensitivity:
• more culturally sensitive
• rely on interactions and observations within the participants' own settings.
9. Adaptability:
• small sample sizes,
• beneficial when working with niche populations or conducting pilot studies..

General
 Mixed methods approach
 Can be structured, unstructured or both (in several
disciplines)
 Sample size & Focus of Enquiry can be narrow, broad
or both depending on methods used
 Analysis of data can be qualitative, quantitative or
both depending upon objectives

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General
 ADVANTAGES
 Comprehensive Understanding:
• gain a fuller, more complete understanding of the research problem.
• quantitative data provides the breadth of analysis,
• qualitative data offers depth and context.
 Triangulation:
• allow for the validation of results
• cross-verification from multiple sources.
• enhances the reliability and credibility of the findings
• comparing and contrasting results from different methods.
 Offsetting Weaknesses:
• the weaknesses of one method (e.g., the lack of context in quantitative data or the
lack of generalizability in qualitative data) can be offset by the strengths of the
other.

General
 ADVANTAGES
 Flexible and Adaptable:
• flexible and adaptable
• allows researchers to shift focus or methods based on what they discover
 Multiple Perspectives:
• captures both
• numerical trends (through quantitative methods)
• personal experiences or motivations (through qualitative methods),
• Can explore a research question from multiple angles.
 Improved Accuracy:
• can reduce biases and improve the accuracy of the results.
• quantitative data helps confirm general trends
• qualitative data provides insight into the reasons behind those trends.
 Better Instrument Development:
• Insights from qualitative research can inform and improve the design of quantitative
instruments (e.g., surveys),
• more relevant and comprehensive.
General
 ADVANTAGES
 Generalization with Context:
• Quantitative methods offer generalizability by analyzing large sample sizes
• qualitative methods provide contextual depth.
• helps ensure that the results are both broadly applicable and contextually
meaningful.
 Enhanced Decision-Making:
 useful for applied research in fields like education, health care, business, and social
sciences,
 provides comprehensive data that can inform better decision-making and policy
recommendations.
 Better Understanding of Complex Phenomena:
• Many real-world issues are complex and multifaceted
• Can explore both
• the numerical extent of a phenomenon and
• the intricate, qualitative details behind it.
General
COMPARISONS BETWEEN QUANTITATIVE,
QUALITATIVE AND MIXED METHOD
APPROACHES

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General
 1. Nature of Data
QUANTITATIVE QUALITATIVE MIXED METHOD

involves the collection and analysis involves the collection and analysis combines both quantitative and
of numerical data. of non-numerical data, such as qualitative data.
text, images, audio, and
observations.

It focuses on quantifiable It seeks to understand the Researchers collect numerical data

variables, such as measurements, meanings, experiences, and to quantify aspects of a
counts, and statistics. perspectives of participants. phenomenon and non-numerical
data to provide a deeper
understanding of context,
meaning, or participants'
experiences.

Researchers use structured Data is typically collected through

instruments like surveys or open-ended interviews,
experiments to gather data. observations, or content analysis.
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General
 2. Research Objectives
Quantitative Qualitative Mixed method
is primarily concerned with testing aims to explore and understand combines the objectives of both
hypotheses, establishing cause- complex phenomena in depth. quantitative and qualitative
and-effect relationships, and research.
making generalizations about
populations.

It aims to provide objective and It seeks to uncover the meanings, It allows researchers to address
numerical descriptions of perspectives, and experiences of research questions from multiple
phenomena. individuals or groups angles, including both numerical
relationships and rich contextual
understanding.

It is often used to generate theories

or hypotheses.

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General
 3. Data collection method
QUANTITATIVE QUALITATIVE MIXED METHOD

is typically collected collected through methods is primarily concerned with

through structured surveys, such as open-ended testing hypotheses,
experiments, or interviews, participant establishing cause-and-
standardized assessments. observations, focus groups, effect relationships, and
and content analysis. making generalizations
about populations.

Data collection is systematic Data collection is flexible It aims to provide objective

and relies on predefined and responsive to emerging and numerical descriptions
measures. themes of phenomena.

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General
 4. Data analysis
QUANTITATIVE QUALITATIVE MIXED METHOD
Data is analyzed using Qualitative data analysis In mixed methods
statistical techniques. involves coding and research, both
Researchers use statistical categorizing textual or quantitative and
tests to examine relationships, visual data to identify qualitative data are
test hypotheses, and make themes, patterns, and analyzed separately and
numerical summaries of the meanings. It is often then integrated.
data. more interpretive and Integration can occur at
subjective than different stages, such as
quantitative analysis. during data collection,
data analysis, or
interpretation.

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General
 5. Research Design
Quantitative Research: Qualitative Research: Mixed Methods Research:
 often employs  uses flexible and  requires careful planning
experimental or survey exploratory designs that to integrate quantitative
designs with large allow researchers to and qualitative
samples to ensure adapt to the evolving components.
statistical power. understanding of the  Researchers need to
 Randomization and phenomenon. consider the timing,
control over variables are  Smaller, purposeful sequence, and priority of
common features. samples are often used data collection and
to gain in-depth insights. analysis.

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General