Qualitative methodology includes a variety and diversity of methods, procedures, and research designs. All kinds of qualitative methods have in common that their main research aim is a deeper understanding of the research object. Therefore, they are nonstandardized tools that can be adapted flexibly to every kind of research object, which can better be called
The results of polls tell us how many people intend to vote for a certain political party, watch TV more than four hours a day, or favor a certain TV program. We call methods of collecting and analyzing such data “quantitative methodology” because individuals’ attributes are counted in large numbers. One can count not only
Mixed methodology research incorporates both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Qualitative research methods provide detailed descriptions about phenomena and may include interviews, observations, and analyses of documents, records, artifacts, photos, and film. Researchers choose this methodology when they are interested in a rich narrative description with an abundance of deep detail. Quantitative research methods, on