Apples or oranges? Quantitative versus qualitative

I like facts, especially those that are backed up by statistics. A news piece that says, “62% of Americans surveyed prefer ______” gets my heart pumping. Who doesn’t like a nice, meaty statistic to give credence to whatever information they’re consuming? I could easily spend an afternoon poring over stats in articles from Pew Research.

On the other hand, I am not a math geek. And sometimes statistics get too much in the weeds for me. So when researchers start explaining their statistical methodology, my eyes glaze over a bit. And there’s a lot to be said for a well-executed interview or a focus group that flows nicely.

So, I reviewed two journal articles – one quantitative and one qualitative – to see what contributions each makes to the field of mass communications. With my interest in digital marketing, I chose two articles from the International Journal of Communication.

See a brief review of quantitative versus qualitative data here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69qP8kFJp_k

Source: youtube.com

The Influence of Social TV Multitasking Behavior on the Effectiveness of Cross-Media Advertising (Quantitative)

Researchers in Taiwan conducted an experiment on 240 participants to determine which type of ads had the most penetration for “multiscreening” viewers. The experiment's premise is interesting since our devices play such a large part in our lives, with no signs of slowing down. By exposing participants to product placements in television shows with QR codes in the upper right corner of the screen, the researchers tested which type of ads broke through the best.

Who doesn't do this? Source: techcrunch.com

This study, and the further research required, could have massive implications on advertising for viewers using primary and secondary screens. The research could affect how television ads and digital advertising are made. I don’t think viewers want to see a QR code on the screen in the middle of their program, so technology will have to find another way to serve the audience relevant advertising. The Washington Post describes QR advertising as a “gamble.”

Social Media and Work: A Framework of Eight Intersections (Qualitative)

Who among us has not at least glanced at their social media accounts while working? Those pesky little notifications begging to be tapped. The researcher here took a more socio-linguistic approach, reviewing 45 existing research articles to examine the intersection of social media and work.

Source: memecentral.org

This study has relevance now and moving forward as we have already seen numerous people lose their jobs because of their activities posted on social media. And the author argues that the lines will become more blurred as social media becomes more of a work activity that spills over into our personal lives. This is perhaps true of some professions, but certainly not all.

So which method is clearer?

That depends on how you like to digest your information. I enjoyed the qualitative study more because of its readability. However, some of the statistical details in the quantitative research were not my cup of tea. Perhaps a refresher in statistics would leave me feeling differently. But for now, I’ll stick with primarily words with a side of numbers.