Can a Survey Be Both Quantitative and Qualitative?

In the dynamic landscape of the nonprofit sector, organizations face increasing pressure to demonstrate their impact effectively. With over 1.5 million nonprofits in the United States alone, standing out to donors and stakeholders requires more than just surface-level metrics. This is where the power of mixed-method surveys comes into play, especially when seeking to understand the 'why' behind perception rankings such as Net Promoter Score (NPS) or Customer Satisfaction (CSAT).

The Nonprofit Challenge

Traditionally, nonprofits like Girls Code have relied on simple metrics such as "number of participants" or "number of workshops held" to showcase their impact. However, these numbers fail to capture the full story of an organization's influence. As the sector becomes more competitive and donors more discerning, there's a growing need for nonprofits to present compelling, evidence-based narratives of their impact.

To understand how both quantitative and qualitative survey wizard. Let's look a  potential of your STEM education program with Sopact Sense's integrated impact analysis. This powerful tool seamlessly combines quantitative metrics and qualitative insights, providing a comprehensive view of your program's effectiveness and actionable strategies for improvement.

The Solution: Mixed-Method Surveys

By integrating both quantitative and qualitative elements in a single survey, nonprofits can harness the strengths of both approaches, providing a comprehensive view of their impact. This mixed-method approach should be considered the new norm, especially for understanding stakeholder perceptions and program effectiveness. Here's why:

1. Deeper Insights: Combining quantitative metrics with qualitative feedback allows for a more nuanced understanding of program outcomes.
2. Efficient Resource Use: For resource-constrained nonprofits, mixed-method surveys offer a way to gather comprehensive data without the need for separate, time-consuming studies.
3. Improved Storytelling: The rich data from mixed-method surveys enables nonprofits to craft compelling narratives that resonate with donors and stakeholders.
4. Enhanced Decision Making: With both numerical data and detailed explanations, organizations can make more informed decisions about program improvements.

Let's delve deeper into the components of mixed-method surveys:

Quantitative Survey

Quantitative surveys in the nonprofit context focus on collecting numerical data that can be statistically analyzed. They are crucial for measuring impact on a broader scale and providing concrete metrics to stakeholders and donors.

Key Features:

• Structured questions with predefined answer options
• Large sample sizes for statistical significance
• Numerical data that can be analyzed mathematically
• Ideal for measuring the "what" and "how many" of impact

Benefits for Nonprofits:

• Provides clear, measurable outcomes (e.g., "70% of participants improved their coding skills")
• Allows for easy comparison across time periods or programs
• Generates data that can be visualized in charts and graphs, which is appealing to donors
• Facilitates benchmarking against industry standards or organizational goals

Quantitative Survey Examples

Quantitative surveys are essential tools for gathering numerical data that can be statistically analyzed to draw conclusions about a population. These surveys use structured questions with predefined response options to collect data that can be easily quantified and compared. Quantitative surveys are particularly useful in measuring attitudes, behaviors, and opinions across large groups.

The following visual guide illustrates four common types of quantitative survey questions:

1. Likert Scale Questions: Measure agreement or disagreement with a statement on a fixed scale.
2. Multiple Choice Questions: Offer a set of predefined options for respondents to choose from.
3. Rating Scale Questions: Ask respondents to rate an item or experience on a numerical scale.
4. Dichotomous Questions: Provide two mutually exclusive options for clear-cut issues.

Each example includes a brief description of the question type, a specific example relevant to training or professional development contexts, and the typical response options provided. These examples demonstrate how quantitative survey questions can be designed to gather precise, measurable data for evaluating training effectiveness, participant satisfaction, and skill application.

Quantitative Survey Questions

Quantitative survey questions for nonprofits are designed to elicit responses that can be counted and statistically analyzed. These form the backbone of impact measurement, providing hard numbers to demonstrate program effectiveness.

Types of Quantitative Questions:

1. Close-ended Questions:
   • Multiple choice: "Which of the following skills did you improve most during the program? a) Coding b) Problem-solving c) Teamwork d) Communication"
   • Dichotomous: "Did you complete the entire program? Yes/No"
   • Rating scales: "On a scale of 1-5, how confident do you feel in your coding abilities after the program?"
2. Numerical Input Questions:
   • "How many hours per week did you spend practicing coding outside of the workshops?"
3. Likert Scale Questions:
   • "Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statement: 'This program has significantly improved my job prospects.' (Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree)"

Example from Girls Code:"The average score on the coding test increased from 52.77 before the program to 71.87 after the program."

Qualitative Survey

Qualitative surveys in nonprofit impact measurement are designed to gather in-depth, descriptive information about experiences, opinions, and motivations. They provide the context and depth needed to truly understand the significance of program outcomes.

Key Features:

• Open-ended questions that allow for free-form responses
• Smaller sample sizes, but with more detailed information from each respondent
• Data in the form of text, which requires interpretation and analysis
• Ideal for exploring complex issues and uncovering unexpected insights

Benefits for Nonprofits:

• Provides rich, contextual information about program impact
• Allows participants to express their experiences in their own words
• Uncovers unexpected outcomes or areas for improvement
• Generates powerful testimonials and stories for donor engagement

Qualitative Survey Examples Across Disciplines

Qualitative surveys are invaluable tools for gathering in-depth, nuanced data across various fields of study. Unlike quantitative surveys, which focus on numerical data, qualitative surveys aim to capture rich, descriptive information about experiences, perceptions, and behaviors. These surveys are particularly useful for understanding complex social phenomena and exploring the "why" and "how" behind observed trends.

The following visual guide illustrates qualitative survey examples from six different disciplines:

1. Healthcare Studies: Exploring the long-term impacts of chronic diseases on patients' lives.
2. Educational Research: Investigating students' evolving experiences with learning throughout their academic journey.
3. Psychological Studies: Examining personal development and relationship dynamics from childhood to adulthood.
4. Economic Research: Understanding how income changes affect individuals' financial behaviors over time.
5. Sociological Research: Investigating the changing roles and experiences of aging populations in communities.
6. Environmental Studies: Documenting local perceptions of climate change impacts over extended periods.

Each example includes the research focus, a sample open-ended question, and the typical methods used to collect data. These examples demonstrate how qualitative surveys can be designed to gather rich, contextual information in longitudinal studies across diverse fields, providing insights that quantitative methods alone might miss.

Qualitative Survey Questions

Qualitative survey questions for nonprofits are designed to elicit detailed, open-ended responses that provide depth and context to impact assessment. These questions allow respondents to share their experiences, thoughts, and feelings in their own words.

Types of Qualitative Questions:

1. Open-ended Questions:
   • "In what ways has this program impacted your life?"
   • "What challenges did you face during the program, and how did you overcome them?"
2. Probing Questions:
   • "Can you tell me more about that experience?"
   • "How did that make you feel?"
3. Reflective Questions:
   • "Looking back, what do you think was the most valuable aspect of the program?"
   • "How has your perspective changed since participating in our workshops?"

Example from Girls Code:"Please describe how your confidence in your coding abilities has changed since participating in our program."

Survey Qualitative or Quantitative

Two primary methods of gathering this vital information are qualitative and quantitative surveys. Each approach offers unique insights and serves different purposes in the realm of impact measurement.

Quantitative surveys focus on collecting numerical data that can be statistically analyzed, providing clear, measurable outcomes. They're ideal for answering questions about "what" and "how many." On the other hand, qualitative surveys gather in-depth, descriptive information about experiences and motivations, helping to understand the "why" and "how" behind the numbers.

Understanding the strengths and applications of each survey type is essential for nonprofits aiming to effectively measure and communicate their impact. By mastering these tools, organizations can better serve their communities, improve their programs, and make a stronger case for support.

Are you ready to test your knowledge about these survey methods? Take our quiz below to see how well you understand the differences between qualitative and quantitative surveys in nonprofit impact measurement!

Qualitative and Quantitative Survey Question Examples

Survey questions can be broadly categorized into two types: qualitative and quantitative. Each type serves a different purpose and yields different kinds of data, both valuable for comprehensive research and analysis.

Qualitative questions are open-ended, allowing respondents to provide detailed, descriptive answers in their own words. These questions are excellent for exploring complex topics, understanding motivations, and uncovering unexpected insights. They provide rich, contextual data but can be more time-consuming to analyze.

Quantitative questions, on the other hand, are structured with predefined response options, often numerical or categorical. These questions generate data that can be easily quantified and statistically analyzed, making them ideal for identifying trends, making comparisons, and drawing generalizable conclusions.

The following visual guide illustrates examples of qualitative and quantitative survey questions across five common research areas:

1. Customer Satisfaction
2. Product Usage
3. Employee Engagement
4. Training Effectiveness
5. Market Research

Each example shows how the same topic can be approached using both qualitative and quantitative questions, highlighting the different types of insights each method can provide. By understanding and utilizing both types of questions, researchers can gain a more comprehensive understanding of their subject matter, combining the depth of qualitative insights with the measurable trends of quantitative data.

The Sopact Advantage

This is where tools like Sopact Sense come into play. By leveraging advanced AI and automation, Sopact transforms the usually cumbersome data collection and analysis process. What traditionally took months can now be achieved in minutes, allowing nonprofits to focus on actionable insights rather than being bogged down by lengthy evaluations.

Consider the enhanced pitch from Girls Code using Sopact insights:

"Girls Code has significantly boosted the confidence and skills of young women in STEM. Before our program, 70% of participants lacked confidence in their coding abilities. After our workshops, this number dropped to 23%, and the average coding test scores increased from 53 to 72. Additionally, 70% of our participants had never built a web application before attending our workshop, but only 26% remained in that category post-program. These insights demonstrate the profound impact of our work, ensuring our girls are not just participants but future leaders in tech."

This pitch combines quantitative data with qualitative insights, providing a compelling narrative of impact that goes beyond simple metrics.

Conclusion

In an era where nonprofit impact can make or break funding opportunities, the question isn't whether a survey can be both quantitative and qualitative – it's whether organizations can afford not to embrace this holistic approach to understanding their impact. By adopting mixed-method surveys as the norm, nonprofits can move beyond surface-level understanding to truly grasp the complexities and depth of their impact, ultimately leading to more effective programs and more compelling cases for support.