Quantitative or Qualitative Approaches | Children, Youth, and Families at Risk

There are many ways to collect data to answer evaluation questions. A data collection technique may produce numerical information (quantitative data), more illustrative information (qualitative data), or a combination of the two (mixed methods data). Determining what type of data will answer evaluation questions is an important step in figuring out the data collection technique to use.

Quick Facts	Examples
Quantitative Data	Counted or expressed numerically Variables can be identified and relationships measured Requires use of statistical analysis Often perceived as a more objective method of data analysis Typically collected with surveys or questionnaires Often represented visually using graphs or charts
Qualitative Data	Nonnumerical data examined for patterns and meanings Often described as being more “rich” than quantitative data Is gathered and analyzed by an individual; can be more subjective Can be collected through observation techniques, focus groups, interviews, case studies, etc.
Mixed Methods Data	Collecting both quantitative and qualitative data from the same population May explain unexpected results obtained using only one approach (quantitative or qualitative) Helps capture both process and outcome results May strengthen analysis

< Previous

Next >