Fact Sheet

A brief overview of the difference between qual vs. quant.

Image Transcription

The Difference Between Qualitative vs. Quantitative

WHAT
  • Qualitative: Uses words and imagery to subjectively describe qualities, feelings, opinions, or behaviors.
  • Quantitative: Uses numerical data and statistical analysis to validate how many, how much, or how often.
WHY
  • Qualitative: Gain a deep understanding of a topic or experience (e.g., underlying reasons or motivations).
  • Quantitative: Draw final conclusions to tested hypotheses or specific research questions.
HOW
  • Qualitative: Ethnography; Focus group; In-depth interview; Observation.
  • Quantitative: Online survey; Phone survey; Mobile or SMS text survey; Mail survey.
WATCHOUTS
  • Qualitative: Usually a small number of non-representative cases.
  • Quantitative: Sampling bias; Bots.