Differences in the methods of data collection in quantitative and qualitative research

Most methods of data collection can be used in both qualitative and quantitative research. The distinction is mainly due to the restrictions imposed on flexibility, structure, sequential order, depth and freedom that a researcher has in their use during the research process. Quantitative methods favour these restrictions whereas qualitative ones advocate against them. The classi­fication of a method into the quantitative or qualitative category depends upon your answers to the following questions:

• What philosophical epistemology is underpinning your approach to research enquiry?
• How was the information collected? Was it through a structured or unstructured/flexible format of data collection?
• Were the questions or issues discussed during data collection predetermined or developed during data collection?
• How was the information you gathered recorded? Was it in a descriptive, narrative, categorical, quantitative form or on a scale?
• How was the information analysed? Was it a descriptive, categorical or numerical analysis?
• How do you propose to communicate the findings? Do you want to write in a descriptive or analytical manner?

For example, if an observation is recorded in a narrative or descriptive format, it becomes qualitative information, but if it is recorded in categorical form or on a scale, it will be classi­fied as quantitative information. Similarly for data collected through interviews. An unstruc­tured interview, recorded in a descriptive or narrative form, becomes a qualitative method, but in a structured interview, if the information is recorded in response categories or if the cat­egories are developed and quantified out of descriptive responses, it is a quantitative method. Descriptive responses obtained in reply to open-ended questions are all qualitative but if the responses are in numerals they will be considered quantitative. If you develop categories and quantify the categorisation as a part of the analysis of descriptive responses to an open-ended question, it becomes a quantitative analysis. Data generated by focus groups, oral histories, narratives, group interviews is always qualitative in nature.

Source: Kumar Ranjit (2012), Research methodology: a step-by-step guide for beginners, SAGE Publications Ltd; Third edition.