What is one disadvantage of using qualitative methods?

Using qualitative methods can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, which is a notable disadvantage. Qualitative research often involves intricate processes such as conducting in-depth interviews, focus groups, or ethnographies that require significant amounts of time for planning, conducting, and analyzing data. Researchers may need to engage deeply with a smaller number of participants to gain a wealth of insights, which can result in longer study durations compared to quantitative methods that can gather data from larger samples more quickly and easily.

This characteristic can also lead to higher resource allocation, including financial costs associated with recruiting participants, conducting interviews, and transcribing and analyzing rich qualitative data. Consequently, while qualitative methods allow for an in-depth exploration of participants' experiences and perspectives, the commitment of time and resources can pose challenges, particularly for researchers with limited funding or time constraints.