Research is basically classified as Qualitative
and Quantitative
. Qualitative research is a method of inquiry appropriated in many different academic disciplines, traditionally in the social sciences, but also in market research and further contexts. Qualitative researchers aim to gather an in-depth understanding of human behavior and the reasons that govern such behavior. The qualitative method investigates the why and how of decision making, not just what, where, when. Hence, smaller but focused samples are more often needed, rather than large samples.Qualitative research methods produce information only on the particular cases studied, and any more general conclusions are only hypotheses (informative guesses).
and Quantitative. Qualitative research is a method of inquiry appropriated in many different academic disciplines, traditionally in the social sciences, but also in market research and further contexts. Qualitative researchers aim to gather an in-depth understanding of human behavior and the reasons that govern such behavior. The qualitative method investigates the why and how of decision making, not just what, where, when. Hence, smaller but focused samples are more often needed, rather than large samples.Qualitative research methods produce information only on the particular cases studied, and any more general conclusions are only hypotheses (informative guesses).Quantitative research is the systematic empirical investigation of quantitative properties and phenomena and their relationships. The quantitative research aims to develop and employ mathematical models, theories and/or hypotheses pertaining to phenomena. The process of measurement is central to quantitative research because it provides the fundamental connection between empirical observation and mathematical expression of quantitative relationships.