QUANTITATIVE, QUALITATIVE, AND MIXED METHODS APPROACHES IN SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH: CONCEPTUAL FOUNDATIONS, DIFFERENCES, AND APPLICATIONS

Abstract

The findings presented allow for an understanding of the relevance of research approaches as guiding axes of the scientific process. Each approach quantitative, qualitative, and mixed responds to distinct epistemological assumptions that shape how reality is observed, analyzed, and interpreted. While the quantitative approach prioritizes objective measurement, control, and hypothesis testing through numerical data, the qualitative approach focuses on the deep interpretation of meanings, experiences, and sociocultural contexts. The mixed approach, in turn, integrates both perspectives, recognizing the complexity of social phenomena and enabling broader and complementary analyses. Thus, the selection of an approach depends directly on the research problem, the type of question, and the required epistemological coherence. Understanding these foundations allows researchers to make coherent methodological decisions and construct consistent, rigorous knowledge aligned with the nature of the phenomenon studied.