Critically Discuss the Difference Between Qualitative and Quantitative Work. Your Answer Should Include Some Indication of the Benefits and Disadvantages of Both Approaches and Indicate the Circumstances in Which You

The aim of any science is to gain knowledge and choosing the appropriate method to get to know the reality is therefore fundamental. Social research methods can be divided into two main empirical research divisions known as quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative research involves measuring quantity of things, usually numerical quantities. On the other hand, qualitative research involves assessing the quality of things.

Both methods have their limitations and differences; quantitative research method is mostly designed for statistical analysis. Whereas qualitative research methods enable researchers to study social and cultural aspects. All research whether quantitative or qualitative are based on assumptions about what can be considered as ‘valid’ research, and what research methods are considered to be appropriate.

Quantitative methods are mostly used as social service such as when wanting to find out about, how people may vote. On the other hand when studying for instance people’s everyday behaviour qualitative methods are favoured. Less practical questions arise when choosing between quantitative and qualitative methods. The researcher has to remember that they are evaluated differently. Qualitative methods can be described as being ‘soft’, speculative, flexible and subjective. However quantitative methods are ‘hard’, hypothesis testing, fixed, value-free and objective.

"All research ultimately has a qualitative grounding"

- Donald Campbell

It has also been brought to attention to a large number of researchers that quantitative methods are superior because they are value free in the sense it reports reality. Qualitative research is influenced by the researchers’ political values. The argument which supported such a conclusion came that from being that such freedom in social science is either undesirable or impossible.

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