Qualitative vs Quantitative
Published January 25, 2023. Updated January 25, 2023.
Qualitative and quantitative are two words that are often mixed up due to their similar spellings, but they are quite different and almost antonyms in some ways. They are both adjectives. They are also types of research strategies in academia.
Here are some definitions and examples to help make the use of these words clearer.
Qualitative (adjective)
1) Used to describe a noun or its differences in terms of quality. Comes from the word quality + the suffix -ative.
Examples:
Fast food and homecooked meals have a qualitative difference in taste to me.
The group has made qualitative changes to the education system.
2) Of research and analysis, methodologies like interviews, journals, etc. that are more descriptive in nature and tend to, though not always, focus on smaller amounts of participants.
Examples:
Ethnographies are usually qualitative studies in the field of anthropology.
I am using both qualitative and quantitative methods for my dissertation.
Quantitative (adjective)
1) Used to refer to the measuring of a noun or group of nouns based on amount. Comes from the word quantity + the suffix -ative.
Examples:
Don’t remind me of the quantitative difference in our paychecks.
Statisticians love dealing with quantitative data.
2) Of research and analysis, methodologies that measure data in an empirical way utilizing numbers, often involving statistical analysis. Usually deals with much larger numbers of participants than qualitative research.
Examples:
This professor prefers to have her students write quantitative studies.
Quantitative studies are difficult for me to read, because I slept through stats class.
Main Points
- Both words are used as adjectives. They can be used in a general way or to refer to research strategies.
- Qualitative has to do with the qualities of something. It’s also a type of research that focuses more on description and experience than numerical analysis.
- Quantitative has to do with quantities or amounts. It’s also a type of research that focuses more on empirically measurable, numerical data.