See this table to understand the differences between Qualitative and Quantitative articles.
| Qualitative Methods |
Quantitative Methods |
| Methods include focus groups, in-depth interviews, and reviews of documents for types of themes |
Surveys, structured interviews & observations, and reviews of records or documents for numeric information |
| Primarily inductive process used to formulate theory or hypotheses |
Primarily deductive process used to test pre-specified concepts, constructs, and hypotheses that make up a theory |
| More subjective: describes a problem or condition from the point of view of those experiencing it |
More objective: provides observed effects (interpreted by researchers) of a program on a problem or condition |
| Text-based |
Number-based |
| More in-depth information on a few cases |
Less in-depth but more breadth of information across a large number of cases |
| Unstructured or semi-structured response options |
Fixed response options |
| No statistical tests |
Statistical tests are used for analysis |
| Can be valid and reliable: largely depends on skill and rigor of the researcher |
Can be valid and reliable: largely depends on the measurement device or instrument used |
| Time expenditure lighter on the planning end and heavier during the analysis phase |
Time expenditure heavier on the planning phase and lighter on the analysis phase |
| Less generalizable |
More generalizable |
For specific searching tips in PubMed, CINAHL, ERIC, or APA PsycInfo, see the Evidence-Based Practice Guide.
