It is impossible to state whether this approach is correct, as many of these assumptions are one side of a theoretical debate that is never likely to be resolved.
To gain an insight into social problems, qualitative approaches would research the problem within the context of its society. "Thick description" as coined by Geertz in 1973, would be used as the unit of analysis to include all of the information available to the researcher (quoted in Denscombe, 1998: p. 175). Possible methods suited to this approach could be case studies or observational studies. In analysing the data, the researcher would break it down into units and then categorise these units in order to identify any relationships or themes within the data. Generalisations about the data may be developed and added to existing theories in the form of support or criticism. At any point in this process, the researcher may return to the field to check the validity of the inferences being made on the data, with reality (Denscombe, 1998).
The most obvious difference between the two approaches is that, where qualitative research uses words as its basic unit of analysis, quantitative research uses numbers. Within this type of research there is an emphasis on scientific respectability and this implies a much more analytical approach. Statistical manipulation is well suited to quantitative data, as numbers are needed as the unit of analysis. We can also say that statistical results are more reliable with large amounts of data and the leads to quantitative research being well suited to large-scale projects (Denscombe, 1998).
As there is an emphasis on scientific respectability, quantitative research often has a predetermined research design. The focus is very specific and the variables are isolated for validity as opposed to qualitative research where the whole context would be studied. The researcher is seen to be able to be completely objective in this type of research and is detached from the study in order for the study to exist independently from the researcher (Alasuutari, 1998).
