A. INTRODUCTION
In education world, we often hear or see or do a research. Teachers or lecturers also often have research about teaching learning, about science, or about student activities. Because, the characteristic of professional teacher is who continually improves the quality of teaching and learning. There are two kinds of research such experiment and class action research. The characteristics of class action research are research in a certain place, no need control class/comparison class, certain topics, certain class, there are phases, there are improvement/reparation in every phase, and the result can’t be generalized. On the other hand, experiment can be generalized. Research can be done by two methods/approaches such as quantitative approach and qualitative approach.
B. THE COMPARISON OF QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE APPROACH
In a research there are two kinds of methods/approaches such as quantitative approach and qualitative approach. Besides that, there are also quantitative and qualitative data. We need data to do a research. Then, we will examine the differences between qualitative and quantitative data. Quantitative data usually deals with numbers. The characteristic of quantitative data is data which can be measured. Example: length, height, area, volume, weight, speed, time, temperature, humidity, sound levels, cost, members, ages, etc. On the other hand, qualitative data usually deals with description. The characteristic of qualitative data is data can be observed but not measured, such as colors, textures, smells, tastes, appearance, beauty, etc. For example if we want to observe an oil painting, we get quantitative data like the length of oil painting is 20 inch x 14 inch, with frame 3 inch, the weight of oil painting is 8 pounds, surface area of oil painting is 280 square inch, and the cost is Rp 500.000,00. We get qualitative data such as the colors are red, green, blue, yellow, orange, purple; the frame is brown, texture shows brush strokes of oil paint, peaceful scene of the country, smells old and musty. Other example, if we want to observe teaching learning of mathematics in class VII, we get quantitative data such there are 32 students, 20 girls, 12 boys, 70% students get score more than 7 in mathematics, average mathematics scores of students is 8,5. We get qualitative data like many students enjoy learn mathematics, there are interesting discussion among students, facilities in the class is complete, there are good environment, etc.
Before we compare quantitative and qualitative approach, we should know the meaning of quantitative and qualitative research. Qualitative research is a method of inquiry employed 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, and when. Hence, smaller but focused samples are more often needed than large samples. Quantitative research refers to the systematic empirical investigation of social phenomena via statistical, mathematical or computational techniques. The objective of quantitative research is 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. Quantitative data is any data that is in numerical form such as statistics, percentages, etc.
Qualitative research is used to explore and understand people's beliefs, experiences, attitudes, behavior and interactions. Forms of the data collected can include interviews and group discussions, observation and reflection field notes, various texts, pictures, and other materials. Qualitative research often categorizes data into patterns as the primary basis for organizing and reporting results. In the academic social sciences the most frequently used qualitative research approaches include the following:
1. Ethnographic Research, used for investigating cultures by collecting and describing data that is intended to help in the development of a theory. This method is also called “ethnomethodology” or "methodology of the people". An example of applied ethnographic research is the study of a particular culture and their understanding of the role of a particular disease in their cultural framework.
2. Critical Social Research, used by a researcher to understand how people communicate and develop symbolic meanings.
3. Ethical Inquiry, an intellectual analysis of ethical problems. It includes the study of ethics as related to obligation, rights, duty, right and wrong, choice etc.
4. Foundational Research, examines the foundations for a science, analyzes the beliefs, and develops ways to specify how a knowledge base should change in light of new information.
5. Historical Research allows one to discuss past and present events in the context of the present condition, and allows one to reflect and provide possible answers to current issues and problems. Historical research helps us in answering questions such as: Where have we come from, where are we, who are we now and where are we going?
6. Grounded Theory is an inductive type of research, based or “grounded” in the observations or data from which it was developed; it uses a variety of data sources, including quantitative data, review of records, interviews, observation and surveys.
7. Phenomenology describes the “subjective reality” of an event, as perceived by the study population; it is the study of a phenomenon.
8. Philosophical Research is conducted by field experts within the boundaries of a specific field of study or profession, the best qualified individual in any field of study to use an intellectual analysis, in order to clarify definitions, identify ethics, or make a value judgment concerning an issue in their field of study.
Data analysis in qualitative research can be done by coding, recursive abstraction, and mechanical technique.
Quantitative methods are those which focus on numbers and frequencies rather than on meaning and experience. Quantitative researcher asks a specific, narrow question and collects numerical data from participants to answer the question. The researcher analyzes the data with the help of statistics. The researcher is hoping the numbers will yield an unbiased result that can be generalized to some larger population. Qualitative research, on the other hand, asks broad questions and collects word data from participants. The researcher looks for themes and describes the information in themes and patterns exclusive to that set of participants. Quantitative research is used widely in social sciences such as psychology, economics, sociology, and political science, and less frequently in anthropology and history. Research in mathematical sciences such as physics is also 'quantitative' by definition, though this use of the term differs in context. In the social sciences, the term relates to empirical methods, originating in both philosophical positivism and the history of statistics, which contrast qualitative research methods. Qualitative methods produce information only on the particular cases studied, and any more general conclusions are only hypotheses. Quantitative methods can be used to verify, which of such hypotheses are true. Quantitative research is generally made using scientific methods, which can include:
- The generation of models, theories and hypotheses
- The development of instruments and methods for measurement
- Experimental control and manipulation of variables
- Collection of empirical data
- Modeling and analysis of data
Data analysis in quantitative research can be done by using statistics and measurement.
The comparison of quantitative and qualitative approach:
| Quantitative approach | Qualitative approach |
| 1.The method is standard. | 1.The method is flexible. |
| 2.Emphasize in formal method. | 2.Emphasize in both formal and informal. |
| 3.Using sample in the research | 3.using population in the research |
| 4.Using large scale in research | 4.using small scale in research |
| 5.use to examine theories. | 5.use to find and to build theories. |
| 6.there are inferential statistics. | 6.there are describe statistics. |
| 7.this is about experiment. | 7.this is about hermeneutics (to translate and to be translated) |
| 8.assessment using score in national examination. | 8.assessment using class room based evaluation (portfolio). |
| 9.shown in traditional learning | 9.shown in innovative learning. |
| 10.use quantity of data. | 10.use quality of data. |
| 11. there are manipulation data. | 11. the data is contextual. |
| 12.the research is impersonal. | 12.the research is personal |
| etc | etc |
Not only that, in the qualitative approach, there are originality, creativity, value/culture, dynamic, flowing, communication/expectation/assumption, relationship, process, life, update, experience, intuitive, improvisation, psychology, philosophy, humanism, ethnography, class room based research, explanation, language, honestly, and so on. In the quantitative approach, there are abstracted, symbol, rigid, perfectly prepare, model, formula, probability, representative, survey, and others.
In the social sciences particularly, quantitative research is often contrasted with qualitative research which is the examination, analysis and interpretation of observations for the purpose of discovering underlying meanings and patterns of relationships, including classifications of types of phenomena and entities, in a manner that does not involve mathematical models.
In most physical and biological sciences, the use of either quantitative or qualitative methods is uncontroversial, and each is used when appropriate. In the social sciences, particularly in sociology, social anthropology and psychology, the use of one or other type of method can be a matter of controversy and even ideology. Qualitative methods might be used to understand the meaning of the conclusions produced by quantitative methods. Using quantitative methods, it is possible to give precise and testable expression to qualitative ideas. This combination of quantitative and qualitative data gathering is often referred to as mixed-methods research. Quantitative methods have come under considerable criticism. In modern research, most psychologists tend to adopt a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches, which allow statistically reliable information obtained from numerical measurement to be backed up by and enriched by information about the research participants' explanations.
C. CONCLUSION
In a research there are two kinds of methods/approaches such as quantitative approach and qualitative approach. Besides that, there are also quantitative and qualitative data. Quantitative data usually deals with numbers and can be measured. Qualitative data usually deals with description and can be observed but not measured. Qualitative research is a method of inquiry employed in many different academic disciplines, traditionally in the social sciences, but also in market research and further contexts. Quantitative research refers to the systematic empirical investigation of social phenomena via statistical, mathematical or computational techniques. The comparison of quantitative and qualitative approach: in the quantitative approach, the method is standard, emphasize in formal method, using sample in the research, using large scale, examine theories, there are inferential statistics, experiment, shown in traditional learning, use quantity of data, there are manipulation data, the research is impersonal, etc. In the qualitative approach, The method is flexible, Emphasize in both formal and informal, using population in the research, using small scale in research, to find and to build theories, there are describe statistics, hermeneutics, shown in innovative learning, use quality of data, the data is contextual, the research is personal, etc. In modern research, most psychologists tend to adopt a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches, which allow statistically reliable information obtained from numerical measurement to be backed up by and enriched by information about the research participants' explanations.
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