There are two main types of social work research: qualitative research and quantitative research.
Qualitative research is the study of social phenomena through non-numerical data, such as interviews, observations, and documents. Qualitative researchers are interested in understanding the meaning that people attach to their experiences, and in developing a deep understanding of the social world.
Quantitative research is the study of social phenomena through numerical data, such as surveys, experiments, and statistics. Quantitative researchers are interested in measuring and analyzing the relationships between variables, and in generalizing their findings to a wider population.
Qualitative and quantitative research are often used in conjunction with each other to provide a more complete understanding of social phenomena. For example, a researcher might conduct a qualitative study to understand the experiences of homeless people, and then follow up with a quantitative study to measure the effectiveness of a housing program for homeless people.
Here is a table that summarizes the key differences between qualitative and quantitative research:
| Feature | Qualitative Research | Quantitative Research |
|---|---|---|
| Data type | Non-numerical | Numerical |
| Focus | Meaning and understanding | Measurement and analysis |
| Generalizability | Limited | Generalizable to a wider population |
| Use | Often used in conjunction with quantitative research | Often used in conjunction with qualitative research |