Title: Qualitative vs Quantitative Research | Simply Psychology
Headings: What’s the difference between qualitative and quantitative research?
What’s the difference between qualitative and quantitative research?
There exists a fundamental distinction between two types of data:
Qualitative Research
Methods (used to obtain qualitative data)
Data Analysis
Key Features
Limitations
Strengths
Quantitative Research
Methods (used to obtain quantitative data)
Data Analysis
Key Features
Limitations
Strengths
How to reference this article:
APA Style References
How to reference this article:

Content: Limitations
Because of the time and costs involved, qualitative designs do not generally draw samples from large-scale data sets. The problem of adequate validity or reliability is a major criticism. Because of the subjective nature of qualitative data and its origin in single contexts, it is difficult to apply conventional standards of reliability and validity. For example, because of the central role played by the researcher in the generation of data, it is not possible to replicate qualitative studies. Also, contexts, situations, events, conditions, and interactions cannot be replicated to any extent nor can generalizations be made to a wider context than the one studied with any confidence
The time required for data collection, analysis and interpretation are lengthy. Analysis of qualitative data is difficult and expert knowledge of an area is necessary to try to interpret qualitative data, and great care must be taken when doing so, for example, if looking for symptoms of mental illness. Strengths
Because of close researcher involvement, the researcher gains an insider's view of the field. This allows the researcher to find issues that are often missed (such as subtleties and complexities) by the scientific, more positivistic inquiries. Qualitative descriptions can play the important role of suggesting possible relationships, causes, effects and dynamic processes. Qualitative analysis allows for ambiguities/contradictions in the data, which are a reflection of social reality (Denscombe, 2010).