• Assessment: Qualitative research assesses the qualities of a research subject, and quantitative research can provide quality assessment by rating performances on a numerical scale. These different means of interpretation both aim to assign value to their subject or the variables in it.
• Identification. Both styles of research can identify trends in a community. A qualitative approach uses community conversations that ask specific questions, while a quantitative approach examines changes in observed data.
• Application: Quantitative research and qualitative research are both versatile methods of assessing information. Researchers can apply them in a range of industries and job positions.

Differences between quantitative and qualitative research

• Research: How you gather information for each method often varies. Quantitative research features direct prompts to generate numerically quantifiable data, while qualitative is more likely to feature open-ended options to allow respondents to express opinions in their words.
• Response: Quantitative research uses numerical values for all assessments to generate exact responses. Qualitative research, such as open-ended interviews, often relies on imprecise measurements, like descriptive words or phrases.
• Process: Data from qualitative assessments can be useful in creating theories. Quantitative assessments then test those theories by seeing whether data supports them.