Quantitative versus Qualitative Research

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Recommended: Differentiate between qualitative research and quantitative research

Quantitative and qualitative research are two methods to gather and synthesize data. When discussing these two research methods, one might ask what are the differences? If so, this paper answers the questions surrounding the differences including what the research involves. The purpose of the research can dictate which method would be the most beneficial. Qualitative research is open-ended whereas; quantitative research is more structured. The purpose of this paper is to describe the characteristics of quantitative and qualitative research and the application within an article. What is qualitative and quantitative research? Quantitative Research Description Studies using quantitative research analyze phenomena by trends and frequencies (Al-Busaidi, 2008). The sample size is important. A small sample could change the outcome. It could be an overrepresentation of a small subgroup within the specific population. The risk of sampling errors decrease as the sample size becomes larger. How the sample size is determined and the way participants are invited into the research is included within the write up. The data collected can be from a multitude of methods including interviews, questionnaires, attitude scales, or observational tools. When asking questions, the choices are typically closed-ended with fixed answers. The data analysis for quantitative studies includes complex language and statistical tests. The researcher identifies what statistical method was used and the results. It is commonly understood that if the research descriptive in design use descriptive statistics; while correlational studies, quasi-experimental and experimental studies use inferential statistics. Tables, charts, and graphs are displayed within the resu... ... middle of paper ... ...plore phenomena. Works Cited Al-Busaidi, Z. Q. (2008). Qualitative research and its uses in health care. Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal, 8(1), 11-19. Anderson, C. (2010). Presenting and evaluating qualitative research. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 74(8). 141. Coughlan, M., Cronin, P., & Ryan, F. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.olemiss.edu/celi/Files/step-by-step-guide-to-criti-research-part-1- quantitative-reseawrch.pdf Flanagan, J. M., Carroll, D.L., & Hamilton, G. A. (2010). The long-term lived experience of patients with implantable cardioverter defibrillators. MEDSURG Nursing, 19(2), 113-119. Pipe, T. B., Kelly, A., LeBrun, G., Schmidt, D., Atherton, P., & Robinson, C. (2008). A prospective descriptive study exploring hope, spiritual well-being, and quality of life in hospitalized patients. MEDSURG Nursing, 17(4), 247-253.

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