In this video, we are going to explore qualitative, quantitative and
mixed methods research methodologies. We will also explain how to choose the right
methodological approach for your dissertation, thesis or research project step by step.
So, grab a cup of coffee, grab a cup of tea whatever works for you and let us jump into it.
Hey, welcome to Grad Coach TV where we demystify and simplify the oftentimes intimidating world of
academic research. My name is Emma, and today we are going to have a look at the three types
of research. Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods and how to choose the right approach. We
will look at things from a fairly high level and will not go into the weeds in terms of specific
data analysis methods. If you want to learn about particular analysis methods, we have got separate
videos covering both qualitative and quantitative methods. I will include the links to those below.
If you are new to Grad Coach TV, be sure to hit that subscribe button for more videos covering
all things research related. Also, if you are looking for hands-on help with your research
check out our one-on-one coaching services where we help you craft your research project
step by step. It is like having a friendly professor in your pocket whenever you need
it. If that sounds interesting to you, you can learn more and book a free consultation
at www.gradcoach.com. Alright, with that out of the way let us get into it.
If you are new to the wonderful world of research some of the first lingoes you will likely
hear thrown around are the terms qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods research. But what
exactly are these? Well simply put qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods reflect the three
types of research that you can undertake. These are not specific data collection or
analysis techniques but instead, they reflect the broader research strategies that will influence
which data collection and analysis techniques you can adopt. For example, if you undertake
quantitative research, you will oftentimes use surveys as your data collection method
and statistical analysis as your data analysis technique. In other words qual, quant and mixed
methods are overarching strategies, not specific techniques or methods. Anyhow, I am getting ahead
of myself. Let us take a step back and unpack each of the three types of research piece by piece.
First up let us look at qualitative and quantitative research. At the most basic level,
qualitative research utilizes data that is not numbers based. In other words, qualitative
research focuses on words, concepts, perceptions or ideas. In contrast with this quantitative
research makes use of numbers and statistics. That is a very simplistic explanation though as
it is just considering the type of data each one uses. So, let us dig a little deeper. Qualitative
research is used to investigate the softer side of things. For example, to explore and understand
people's perceptions, ideas or feelings. Therefore it is more subjective in nature. Qualitative
research is often used to gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of a situation to
draw a rich picture of what is going on especially what is going on under the hood. Therefore
qualitative data can be used to develop hypotheses and theories from the ground up. In other words,
an inductive approach. For example, you could use a qualitative approach to explore what factors
or product attribute customers consider when deciding which laundry detergent to purchase.
This could involve undertaking interviews and focus group sessions to get people talking
about their ideas, perceptions and feelings regarding laundry detergent. Contrasted to this
quantitative research focuses on the hard numbers. Typically quantitative research is used to measure
differences between groups and or relationships between variables, as well as to test hypotheses.
Therefore it is more objective in nature and takes a deductive approach.
For example, you could use a quantitative approach to measure what percentage of people prioritize
price or any other variable when choosing a laundry detergent. You could also assess
how this percentage varies between neighbourhoods, cities or different demographic groups. So, as you
can see, qualitative and quantitative approaches can both be used to research different aspects
of the same topic or area of interest. Right, moving on to mixed methods. Mixed methods-based
research as you would expect attempts to bring these two types of research together drawing on
both qualitative and quantitative data. Quite often mixed methods-based studies will use
qualitative research to explore a situation and develop a set of hypotheses. Then
once those hypotheses are established, they will use quantitative methods to test them. It can also
work the other way around. For example, they could use a quantitative approach to get a view of the
bigger picture, the what, and then use qualitative methods to explore the underlying reasons,
the why, for a specific trend or observation in the quantitative data. So, as you can see
while qualitative and quantitative research are distinctly different, they are not at
odds with each other. It is not a competition of qualitative versus quantitative where one is
better than the other. On the contrary, they can be used together, in other words, mixed methods
to develop a high-quality piece of research. Of course, this is easier said than done so we
usually recommend that first-time researchers stick to a mono method approach, either qual
or quant unless the nature of their study genuinely warrants a mixed methods approach.
The key takeaway here is that it is important to understand that each research type has a different
purpose. For example, to explore and understand situations qualitative, to test and measure
quantitative or to do both mixed methods. They are not simply interchangeable tools for the
same job. Each approach has its purpose. Right, with that out of the way let us look
at how you can go about choosing the right methodological approach for your research.
If you are undertaking a dissertation, thesis or research project chances are you will need
to craft a comprehensive research design and methodology. This is not a task to be
taken lightly as you will need to clearly and strongly justify every design choice you make.
To choose the right approach you will need to consider three important factors. Based on these
factors you can select your overarching approach. Qualitative, quantitative or mixed methods. Once
you have made that decision you can flesh out the finer details of your research methodology
such as the sampling strategy, data collection methods and analysis techniques. We will not
cover the latter in this video but you can find loads of information over on the Grad Coach blog.
I will include the link below. The three factors you need to carefully consider are one, the nature
of your research aims and research questions. Two, the methodological approaches taken in the
existing literature and three, practicalities and constraints. Let us take a look at each of these.
Factor number one, the nature of your research. As I mentioned earlier each type of research whether
qualitative, quantitative or mixed has a different purpose and helps address a different type of
question. So, it is logical that the key deciding factor in terms of which approach you adopt is
the nature of your research aims and research questions. But what types of research aims exist?
Broadly speaking research aims can fall into one of three categories. Exploratory,
in other words getting a better understanding of an issue and potentially developing a theory
or set of hypotheses regarding it. Confirmatory, in other words
confirming a potential theory or hypothesis by testing it empirically. A mix of both,
for example, developing a set of hypotheses and then testing them. So, what does this mean
for you? Well, as a rule of thumb exploratory research tends to adopt a qualitative approach
whereas confirmatory research tends to use a quantitative approach. This is not set in stone
but it is a reliable heuristic. Naturally then research that combines a mix of both or
seeking to develop a theory from the ground up and then test that theory, would utilize
a mixed methods approach. Let us take a look at an example in action. If your research aims
were to understand the perspectives of war veterans regarding certain political matters
you would likely adopt a qualitative methodology, making use of interviews to collect data and
one or more qualitative analysis methods to make sense of the data. If on the other hand,
your research aims to assess the distribution of left versus right-leaning veterans per state
or compare the political leanings between vets and non-vets, you would adopt a quantitative
methodology using numbers-based data from a survey to address your research aims. So, the first
and most important thing you need to consider when deciding which methodological approach to use,
is the nature of your research aims and research questions. Specifically, you need to assess
whether your research is exploratory or confirmatory in nature or involves a mix of
both. The importance of achieving solid alignment between these three factors and your methodology
cannot be overstated. If they are misaligned you are going to be forcing a square peg into a round
hole. You will be using the wrong tool for the job and your research will become a disjointed mess.
A quick tip, if your research involves a mix of both exploratory and confirmatory aims but you
have a tight word count limit, you may want to consider trimming down the scope a little
and focusing on one or the other. A mono method approach executed well has a far better chance of
earning marks than a poorly executed mixed methods approach. So, do not try to be a hero unless
there are strong reasons to take a mixed method approach. Right, let us look at the next factor.
Factor number two, the disciplinary norms. Choosing the right approach for your research also
involves looking at the approaches used by other researchers in the field and studies with similar
research aims and objectives to yours. Oftentimes within a discipline, there is a commonly accepted
methodological approach or set of approaches used in studies. While this does not mean you should
just follow the herd simply because, you should at least consider these approaches and evaluate
their merit within your context. A major benefit of reviewing the research methodologies used by
similar studies in your field is that you can often piggyback on the data collection
techniques that other more experienced researchers have developed. For example,
if you are undertaking a quantitative study, you can often find tried and tested survey scales with
high Cronbach's alphas. These are usually included in the appendices of journal articles so you do
not even have to contact the original authors. By using these scales you will save a lot of time
and ensure that your study stands on the proverbial shoulders of giants by using
high-quality measurement instruments. Of course, when reviewing existing literature
keep point number one front of mind. In other words, your methodology needs to align with
your research aims and research questions. Do not fall into the trap of adopting the methodological
norm of other studies just because it is popular. Alright, now let us look at the last factor.
Factor number three, practicalities. When choosing a research methodology there will always be a
tension between doing what is theoretically best, in other words, the most scientifically rigorous
research design and doing what is practical given your constraints. This is the nature of research
and there are always trade-offs as with anything else. But what constraints you ask? Well,
there are a few when you evaluate your methodological options you will need to consider
the following constraints and ask yourself some important questions. Number one, data access.
What data will you need to access to pull off your analysis and how likely is it that you will get
this access. Also, are there any ethical clearance requirements you will need from your university?
Number two, time. How much time will you need to undertake interviews or focus groups in the
case of qualitative or collect a sufficient number of survey responses in the quantitative or both?
If you are wanting to undertake longitudinal research, what sort of timeline will you need
and will your university allow this. Number three, money. What financial resources will you need to
execute your research design? Will you need to spend money on participation incentives,
travel costs, snacks and drinks, meeting facilities or other services? Number four,
equipment and software. What equipment might you need for collecting data? For example,
lab equipment or recording equipment. What software will you need to analyse the data
and how will you get access to this. And lastly number five, your knowledge and skills.
What is your current level of competence and experience in terms of the data collection
and analysis methods you plan to use, and what will you still need to learn? How long
will this take and how confident are you in your ability to acquire the necessary skills?
What will your backup plan be if you cannot develop the necessary skills? As you can see there
is a wide range of practicalities and constraints that you need to think about when you are deciding
on your research design and methodology. As I mentioned these practicalities create a
tension between the ideal methodology and the methodology that you can realistically pull off.
This is perfectly normal and it is your job to find the option that presents the best set
of trade-offs. If you carefully consider these three factors and design your methodology in a
way that strikes a good balance between research rigour and practicality or viability, you will be
headed in a good direction. Remember you can learn more about the various research design choices
including data collection and analysis methods over on the Grad Coach blog at gradcoach.com/blog.
Alright, so that wraps it up for today. If you enjoyed the video hit the like button and leave
a comment if you have any questions. Also, be sure to subscribe to the Grad Coach channel
for more research-related content. If you need a helping hand with your research,
remember to check out our private coaching service where we work with you on a one-on-one basis,
chapter by chapter to help you craft a winning dissertation or thesis. If
that sounds interesting to you book a free consultation with a friendly coach
at gradcoach.com. That is all for this episode of Grad Coach TV. Until next time, good luck.