Q: Which is easier to conduct, qualitative research or quantitative research?

Ideally, you should choose your research method based on the goal of your research rather than how easy it is to conduct the experiments. As you would know, quantitative research examines numerical data and qualitative research looks at non-numerical data. Quantitative research is better suited for certain types of fields and research questions and qualitative research for others. In some cases, you may even choose to have a mixed methodology, which incorporates elements of both quantitative and qualitative research.

Also, both may have their own challenges. For instance, a particular quantitative experiment may involve gathering and analyzing large datasets, which can take time to obtain. On the other hand, it may not always be easy to accurately study, analyze, and interpret non-numerical data. Based on the problem you are studying, you may also need ethical approvals for the experiments, which too can take considerable time to get.

Related reading:

• What kind of research method should I use for my thesis: qualitative or quantitative?
• When to use a qualitative research paradigm?
• How can I create research paradigm for quantitative research?