Practical Research
2
Quantitative Research
Quantitative Research
• Definition
• Expressions like numerical forms, objective
thinking, statistical methods and measurement
signal the existence of quantitative research.
• Numerical is the word that best describes
quantitative research.
• It is a descriptive word pertaining or denotes a
number or symbol to express how many, how
much or what rank things are or have in this
world.
•Expressing meaning through
numerals or a set of symbols indicates
specificity, particularity or exactness
of something.
•Quantitative research makes you
focus your mind on specific things by
means of statistics that involve
collection and study of numerical data.
Characteristics
• Since it uses numbers and figures, you
tend to exclude your own thoughts and
feelings about the subject or object.
• It is described as objective research, in
which only the real or factual matters
greatly.
• You theorize, hypothesize, analyze, infer
and create as well.
*infer-to form an opinion from evidence
Classification
• 1. Experimental
• a. true experimental
• b. quasi-experimental
• b.1. matched comparative group
• b.2. time series
• b.3. counterbalanced quasi-
experimental
• c. single subject
• d. pre-experimental
• 2. Non-experimental
• a. survey
• b. historical
• c. observational
• d. correlational
• e. descriptive
• f. comparative
Importance
• 1. It lies greatly in the production of
results that should reflect precise
measurement and in-depth analysis
of data.
• 2. It is also useful in obtaining an
objective understanding of people,
things, places and events in this
world.
• 3. Requiring the use of reliable
measurement instruments or
statistical methods, a quantitative
study enables people to study their
surroundings as objective as they can.
• 4. An effective method to obtain
information about specified
personality traits of a group member
or of the group as a whole.
(Muijs, 2011; Gray, 2012)
STANDARDS QUALITATIVE QUANTITATIVE
1. Mental survey of reality Results from social Exists in the physical world
interactions
2. Cause-effect relationships Explained by people’s Revealed by automatic
objective desires descriptions of
circumstances or conditions
3. Researcher’s involvement Subjective; sometimes Objective; least involvement
with the object/subject of personally engaged by the researcher
the study
4. Expression of data, data Verbal language (words, Numerals, statistics
analysis and findings visuals, objects)
5. Research plan Takes place as the research Plans all research aspects
proceeds gradually before collecting data
6. Behavior toward research Desires to preserve the Control or manipulation of
aspects/conditions natural setting of research research conditions by the
features researcher
STANDARDS QUALITATIVE QUANTITATIVE
7. Obtaining knowledge Multiple methods Scientific method
8. Purpose Makes social intentions Evaluates objectives and
understandable examines cause-effect
relationships
9. Data-analysis Thematic codal ways, Mathematically based
technique competence-based methods
10. Style of expression Personal, lacks formality Impersonal, scientific or
systematic
11. Sampling technique More inclined to Random sampling as the
purposive sampling or most preferred
use of chosen samples
based on some criteria
