3. TECHNIQUES FOR ADMINISTERING QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE SURVEY INSTRUMENTS
Data; It is obtained by data collection techniques such as measurement, counting, experimentation and observation. Since the data collected by techniques such as measurement and counting are expressed in numbers, quantitative data, data obtained through experiments and observations and not specifying numbers are also called qualitative data. Both research methods are monitoring and evaluation tools that we frequently refer to.
Quantitative research is based on the positivist approach, which argues that the social and physical worlds can be studied with the same method, and therefore social phenomena should be examined with the method used in natural sciences.
Qualitative research is based on the interpretative approach. Qualitative research is research in which qualitative data collection techniques such as unstructured observation, unstructured interview and document review are used, and a qualitative process is followed to reveal facts and events in their natural environment in a realistic and holistic way.
When we speak about a qualitative research study, it’s easy to think there is one kind. But just as with quantitative methods, there are actually many varieties of qualitative methods. Similar to the way you can group usability testing methods, there are also a number of ways to segment qualitative methods.
A popular and helpful categorization separate qualitative method into five groups: ethnography, narrative, phenomenological, grounded theory, and case study. John Creswell outlines these five methods in Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design.
Both methods are important, seeing as quantitative methods produce quantitative data, whilst qualitative methods result in qualitative data. There have however been fierce debates within the evaluation and research communities revolving around which methods; whether quantitative or qualitative, are the most appropriate for assessing change, and under which conditions. Some people value quantitative data most, whilst recognizing qualitative data as a useful and important supplement. Others prefer qualitative data, whilst in agreement that numbers also play a role while another group, and now by far the largest, see both methods as complementary. This group acknowledges that to build on the strengths of both methods and minimize their relative weaknesses, quantitative and qualitative methods should be combined.
The debate around quantitative and qualitative methods has now been replaced by a growing consensus acknowledging the importance of both and the strengths that can be drawn from combining them. This has created a greater interest in mixed methods of evaluation, which can be defined as the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods in a single evaluation. If carrying out a quantitative evaluation, the appropriate quantitative standards should be followed and standardized statistical rules used. In the case of a qualitative evaluation, the best practice guidelines should be used and if it is a mixed methods evaluation, it should be done in accordance with the appropriate standards and the best practices of both methods. To learn more with regard to MEAL data collection, register for a Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability & Learning (MEAL) programme today.
Quantitative research measures attitudes, behaviours, opinions and other variables to support or reject a premise. This is done by collecting numerical data, which is easily quantifiable to identify “statistical significance”.
“Numerical data” is collected using close ended questions, such as Likert scales or multiple-choice question types. Once you’ve shared your survey with your target audience, the responses for each answer option is easily quantified.
The questions you ask must be objective in order to collect and analyze respondent data.
Before designing a survey, you must determine your research goal. I.e. what you want the data you collect to help you achieve.
In academic research, this may be to prove or disprove a hypothesis. Whereas, in market research you might be gauging the popularity of product concepts.
After defining a research goal, you must ask yourself; “what are the expected results from my survey?”
If you’re expecting in-depth feedback or experiential data, you should consider running a qualitative survey instead.
If you’re looking to draw conclusions from a representative data set, then a quantitative survey is for you.
It’s important to determine your research goal and method before writing survey questions. This way, you ensure everything you ask contributes to your aims, rather than collecting data for the sake of it.
Typically, quantitative research requires a large respondent population. This is because the results of your research will be representative of a larger population.
There are several methods by which you can collect quantitative data, which include:
Experiments
Surveys: paper, kiosk, mobile, questionnaires
Longitudinal studies
Polls
Telephone interviews
Face-to-face interviews
The method by which you collect quantitative data can impact your participant’s responses. For example, participants taking part in an experiment are unlikely to make the same choices as they would in a social context.
How participants respond to stimuli is context-bound, meaning they may respond differently to each of these methods.
If you plan to conduct your research using more than one of these methods, we’d recommend doing this in stages.
Firstly, analyze the data for each individual method to identify any contextual trends. Then, when you take a look at your collated data, you’ll have more information to explain any inconsistencies.