On continuum of researcher’s control, true experiments would fall at the high end and qualitative research at the low end.
In true experiments, researchers assign subjects to groups that receive different experiences chosen by the researcher. In contrast, the qualitative researcher can only visit the subjects in their natural habitat (with their permission) and observe them. Such researchers must constantly adapt their strategy to the rhythm, style and preference of the subjects.
The most obvious difference between quantitative and qualitative research appears in the system used to report the findings. Tables, figures, and statistics appear in the results sections of quantitative studies. In contrast, qualitative research reads like a story written in everyday language.