What type of research uses descriptive data rather than quantitative data?
Coding: Qualitative Data AnalysisCoding has nothing to do with computer programming. It’s a technique for organizing substantial amounts of qualitative data into bite-sized chunks. Show
There are two ways to start coding: 1) Make a list of what ideas you’re interested in and searching for them in the data set 2) Let the data guide you towards what is important When it comes to coding, you are looking for repeated themes, concepts, words, and challenges. Once you have a list of umbrella topics, they become your code label. Go through the data—transcriptions from focus groups and interviews, notes from your observations—and mark it each time it occurs. Group the responses under their respective umbrella topics and assess what the data is telling you. Frequencies & Proportions: Quantitative Data Analysis Quantitative data analysis involves turning raw numbers into meaningful information. It can involve presenting data models such as graphs, charts, tables, probabilities, and more. Frequency tables are an excellent way to present categorical data. For example, you can demonstrate how many purchases are made from different countries. These numerical representations can also be divided into averages and medians. Proportions, or percentages, demonstrate the relative importance of a certain category. For example, 500 sales come from Spain, but they only make up 10% of your total sales volume. Any quantitative data analysis should answer your questions regarding what and how many. Final ThoughtsCongrats—you’ve learned all about the differences. Now, the key to successful qualitative and quantitative research is iteration. That doesn’t mean doing the same thing again and again. It means continually returning to your questions, methods, and data to spark new ideas and insights that will transform your approach to your research—and your business. Descriptive research aims to accurately and systematically describe a population, situation or phenomenon. It can answer what, where, when, and how questions, but not why questions. A descriptive research design can use a wide variety of research methods to investigate one or more variables. Unlike in experimental research, the researcher does not control or manipulate any of the variables, but only observes and measures them. Table of contents
When to use a descriptive research designDescriptive research is an appropriate choice when the research aim is to identify characteristics, frequencies, trends, and categories. It is useful when not much is known yet about the topic or problem. Before you can research why something happens, you need to understand how, when, and where it happens.
Descriptive research methodsDescriptive research is usually defined as a type of quantitative research, though qualitative research can also be used for descriptive purposes. The research design should be carefully developed to ensure that the results are valid and reliable. SurveysSurvey research allows you to gather large volumes of data that can be analysed for frequencies, averages, and patterns. Common uses of surveys include:
ObservationsObservations allow you to gather data on behaviours and phenomena without having to rely on the honesty and accuracy of respondents. This method is often used by psychological, social, and market researchers to understand how people act in real-life situations. Observation of physical entities and phenomena is also an important part of research in the natural sciences. Before you can develop testable hypotheses, models, or theories, it’s necessary to observe and systematically describe the subject under investigation. Case studiesA case study can be used to describe the characteristics of a specific subject (such as a person, group, event, or organisation). Instead of gathering a large volume of data to identify patterns across time or location, case studies gather detailed data to identify the characteristics of a narrowly defined subject. Rather than aiming to describe generalisable facts, case studies often focus on unusual or interesting cases that challenge assumptions, add complexity, or reveal something new about a research problem. Cite this Scribbr articleIf you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.
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