Methods of Data Collection in Research

There are different kinds of methods which can be applied for collecting valuable data from the participants, including data analysis dissertation help. Before conducting any research, the researcher needs to select the target population for gathering valid information about the research topic. The researchers may be conducted by following either qualitative or quantitative methods. Statistical data is used for the following quantitative methods. On the other hand, no statistical data is required to conduct qualitative analysis. For conducting quantitative analysis, the researcher needs to prepare a set of questions which will be asked to the selected participants. Online service can be prepared by the researcher for the following quantitative type of research. Questionnaires need to be prepared by following proper methods. Systematic investigation can be possible by using mathematical data in any kind of research program. On the other hand, interviews can be taken in a qualitative research program.

Apart from this observation is another way of qualitative research. Thematic analysis can also be done for conducting qualitative research programs. There is no calculation needed for doing qualitative researchers (Almessiere et al. 2018). However, in quantitative research, the researcher needs to collect mathematical data and do some statistical tests such as correlation, descriptive, ANOVA test, chi-square test, t-test and many others. For doing these tests, the researcher needs to select some variables. These variables help to fulfil the objectives of the research, and they can also answer the research questions. Apart from this hypothesis, were established by the researcher, then quantitative analysis helps to test the hypothesis. So it can be stated that truthfulness of the hypothesis of any research can be found by doing quantitative research (Lorenz et al. 2017). Primary data needs to be collected by the researcher for doing quantitative analysis. For example, a paper survey, online survey, face to face interviews, mobile service, website interceptors can be used for quantitative research. Apart from these longitudinal studies and online polls also help to gather valuable information related to the consent topic of the research. On the other hand, structured and semi-structured interviews help to collect valuable information from the participants by following qualitative research programs.

Practical observation also helps to collect crucial information about the topic of the research. Observation helps to gather the proper amount of data about any topic. It can be lengthy sometimes as the observer needs to record all the detailed information in a personal diary or any recording machine (Kuckartz, 2016). The participants sometimes feel very comfortable during semi-structured interviews as it helps to share their own experience. Moreover, the researcher needs to understand the ethics related to the research. Confidentiality needs to be maintained by the researcher while gathering information about any sensitive topic. Both qualitative and quantitative types of research include some disadvantages. It is the duty of the researcher to encourage their participants to take part in the research program and share their true opinion.

The principles of the research can be strongly delivered to the participant by conducting qualitative research.

Some open-ended questions are asked by the researcher during the interview session. It helps to do sociological studies as well as historical reviews. Unlike qualitative research, the quantitative research program is done by collecting numerical data. The researcher needs to perform a mathematical test for interpreting the results of the study. An inductive approach is used by the researcher when doing qualitative research. On the other hand, a deductive approach is used for performing quantitative research (Doshi et al. 2016). A detailed description and comprehensive information can be found in qualitative research. The small sample size is used for qualitative research where quantitative research is done on a large population. The goal of qualitative research is to understand the sincerity of the study and find out related issues regarding the concerned topic. On the other hand, the aim of doing quantitative research is to taste the hypothesis and predict the outcomes. Observation or ethnography prosody is used by the researcher for performing qualitative analysis (Manowska and Mazurek, 2018). On the other side, different kinds of experiments are done for gathering quantitative data. Qualitative research is done by following phenomenology philosophy, whereas positivism philosophy is used for performing quantitative research. The focus of qualitative research is to identify the features or quality of the concerned topic, whereas the focus of quantitative research is to identify the numbers or quantity details.

The researcher needs to understand human attitude and behaviour for collecting qualitative data. Interviews are conducted by the researcher for negotiating the reality of any topic. After that, the researcher makes some themes for doing thematic analysis. However, during quantitative analysis, we collect valuable information by measuring things. Statistical inferences and numerical comparisons are made for using quantitative research. Social phenomena and different facts are discovered through quantitative research. Exploratory type of research design is used for doing qualitative research where explanatory design is followed by the researcher for quantitative analysis. Objectives of the research are focused by doing qualitative analysis, but in qualitative analysis, the researcher mainly gives answers to the research questions (Rutberg and Bouikidis, 2018). So it can be stated that hypotheses are prepared for quantitative research, whereas research questions are prepared for qualitative researchers. Qualitative research is more generalized than quantitative research is less generalized. Qualitative research is text-based, but quantitative is number based. Apart from this, less time is required for doing quantitative research, but qualitative research requires more time.

Preparation of questionnaires is not necessary for doing qualitative research. Moreover, some demographic questions are prepared by the researcher for doing qualitative research as it helps to understand the detailed information about the participants of the research. It is very important to add some demographic questions as well as some Likert scale questions for preparing questionnaires for quantitative research. Moreover, it can be stated that both of these two methods are helpful to provide sufficient information about any research topic. Valuable information regarding the topic can be found by the correct application of these two approaches. So it can be concluded that research needs to identify the objectives of the research and carefully choose the correct method for doing any research program.

Reference List

Rutberg, S. and Bouikidis, C.D., 2018. Focusing on the fundamentals: A simplistic differentiation between qualitative and quantitative research. Nephrology Nursing Journal, 45(2), pp.209-213. Available at:

Manowska, A. and Mazurek, M., 2018. Analysis of Influence of Different Types of Separators on Fine Grain Coal Class Enrichment Process in Respect with Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Separation Products. Inżynieria Mineralna, 19. Available at:

Doshi, A.M., Ream, J.M., Kierans, A.S., Bilbily, M., Rusinek, H., Huang, W.C. and Chandarana, H., 2016. Use of MRI in differentiation of papillary renal cell carcinoma subtypes: qualitative and quantitative analysis. American Journal of Roentgenology, 206(3), pp.566-572. Available at:

Kuckartz, U., 2016. Qualitative text analysis. A guide to methods, practice and using software. Available at:

Almessiere, M.A., Altuwiriqi, R., Gondal, M.A., AlDakheel, R.K. and Alotaibi, H.F., 2018. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of human nails to find correlation between nutrients and vitamin D deficiency using LIBS and ICP-AES. Talanta, 185, pp.61-70. Available at:

Lorenz, K., Keller, T., Noack, B., Freitag, A., Netuschil, L. and Hoffmann, T., 2017. Evaluation of a novel point‐of‐care test for active matrix metalloproteinase‐8: agreement between qualitative and quantitative measurements and relation to periodontal inflammation. Journal of periodontal research, 52(2), pp.277-284. Available at:

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