1QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH 
QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS AND THEIR SIMILARITIES.
In the world of health and science, there are two general approaches to gathering and reporting information (Jean, 2013); qualitative and quantitative research approach. In moving forward in this essay, the importance and relevance of research to modern day healthcare will be described. Scientific research is an investigation which is done in an attempt to find solution to scientific and social problems through systematic and objective analysis. Research has an incredible impact on existing and forthcoming professional nursing practice, thus, it has rendered necessary elements to educational process (Tingen et al, 2009). Rivera (2009) explains the importance of research as a supremacy of the nursing profession as its evidence determines the nursing interventions that will be practiced in addition to developing knowledge that will help the nurse to be efficient, effective and excellent in their nursing practice. Accountability and the quest for professional status has contributed to the acknowledgement that nursing needs to be knowledge centered. Exploring sources of knowledge and their contribution should be a question the profession addresses. Nurses use a diverse range of knowledge, including that from research, to make their clinical decisions and to plan care with patients (Nursing times, 2006)
Qualitative research is a natural, interpretative approach aimed at understanding the meanings which people attach to actions, decisions, beliefs, values (Ritchie & Lewis, 2003) and the data are not in form of numbers (Blaxter et al, 2006), it is also known as ‘soft science’. While quantitative research, as a ‘hard science’, refers to the step by step investigation of social hypothesis pertaining to phenomenon through statistical, mathematical or numerical data or computational techniques (Lisa, 2008). Jean (2013) noted that, qualitative research focuses on understanding a phenomenon from a closer
In the world of health and science, there are two general approaches to gathering and reporting information (Jean, 2013); qualitative and quantitative research approach. In moving forward in this essay, the importance and relevance of research to modern day healthcare will be described. Scientific research is an investigation which is done in an attempt to find solution to scientific and social problems through systematic and objective analysis. Research has an incredible impact on existing and forthcoming professional nursing practice, thus, it has rendered necessary elements to educational process (Tingen et al, 2009). Rivera (2009) explains the importance of research as a supremacy of the nursing profession as its evidence determines the nursing interventions that will be practiced in addition to developing knowledge that will help the nurse to be efficient, effective and excellent in their nursing practice. Accountability and the quest for professional status has contributed to the acknowledgement that nursing needs to be knowledge centered. Exploring sources of knowledge and their contribution should be a question the profession addresses. Nurses use a diverse range of knowledge, including that from research, to make their clinical decisions and to plan care with patients (Nursing times, 2006)
Qualitative research is a natural, interpretative approach aimed at understanding the meanings which people attach to actions, decisions, beliefs, values (Ritchie & Lewis, 2003) and the data are not in form of numbers (Blaxter et al, 2006), it is also known as ‘soft science’. While quantitative research, as a ‘hard science’, refers to the step by step investigation of social hypothesis pertaining to phenomenon through statistical, mathematical or numerical data or computational techniques (Lisa, 2008). Jean (2013) noted that, qualitative research focuses on understanding a phenomenon from a closer
References: http://www.snapsurveys.com/qualitative-quantitative-research/