Question

Discuss the major advantages and disadvantages of survey research methods over qualitative methods.

Answer 1

ADVANTAGES OF SURVEY RESEARCH METHODDS OVER QUALITATIVE METHODS.

1) Low Cost - Surveys,particularly online surveys have a very small cost per participant. When conducting surveys, you only need to pay for the production of survey questionnaires. On the other hand, other data gathering methods such as focus groups and personal interviews require researchers to pay more.
2) Convenient Data Collection.The questionnaires can simply be sent via e-mail or fax, or can be administered through the Internet. Data collection is much easier with surveys, which tend to use easy to read data sources that can be compiled and analyzed as needed for your market research needs. The qualitative research techniques of other market research methods may yield some interesting answers, but the ability to analyze themes becomes a much more difficult (and possibly inaccurate) process.
3) High Representativeness - Surveys provide a high level of general capability in representing a large population. Due to the usual huge number of people who answers survey, the data being gathered possess a better description of the relative characteristics of the general populationinvolved in the study. As compared to other methods of data gathering, surveys are able to extract data that are near to the exact attributes of the larger population.
4) Good Statistical Significance - Because of the high representativeness brought about by the survey method, it is often easier to find statistically significant results than other data gathering methods. Multiple variables can also be effectively analyzed using surveys.
5) Sample Size - Sample size is one of the most underrated aspects of all types of research, including market research. Surveys allow you to reach thousands of possible participants if necessary, which ensures a more accurate sample in which to draw conclusions.
6) Candid Responses - The anonymity of surveys allows people to feel more candid with their responses.
7) Precise Results - As questions in the survey should undergo careful scrutiny and standardization, they provide uniform definitions to all the subjects who are to answer the questionnaires. Thus, there is a greater precision in terms of measuring the data gathered.

DISADVANTAGES OF SURVEY RESEARCH METHOD OVER QUALITATIVE METHOD

1)Limited open-end questions or time constraints due to more limited survey length.
2)Limited sampling and respondent availability.
3) The survey that was used by the researcher from the very beginning, as well as the method of administering it, cannot be changed all throughout the process of data gathering.
4) Survey research is prone to researcher error, where assumptions are made about the sample that may not be accurate.