LESSON 1

INQUIRY and RESEARCH

Characteristics, Strengths, Weaknesses, Kinds of Quantitative Research

Quantitative research designs use numbers in stating

generalizations about a given problem or inquiry in contrast to
qualitative research that hardly uses statistical treatment in stating
generalizations.
Those numbers are the results of objective scales of measurements of the
units of analysis called variables.
Research findings are subjected to statistical treatment to determine
significant relationships or differences between variables, the results of which are
bases for generalization about phenomena
Characteristics of Research
Methods or procedures of data gathering include items like age, gender,
educational status, among others, that call for measurable characteristics of the
population.
Standardized instruments guide data collection, thus ensuring the accuracy,
reliability & validity.
Figures, tables, graphs showcase summarized data collected in order to show
trends, relationships or differences among variables.
Characteristics of Research
A large population yields more reliable data, but principles of random sampling
must be strictly followed to prevent researcher's bias.

Quantitative methods can be repeated to verify findings in another setting,

thus, reinforcing validity of findings.
Quantitative research puts emphasis on proof, rather than discovery.
Just like qualitative research, quantitative research has its own set of strengths,
as well as weaknesses.
Strengths
Quantitative research design is the most reliable and valid way of concluding
results, giving way to a new hypothesis or to disproving it.
Because of a bigger number of the sample of a population, the results or
generalizations are more reliable and valid.
Quantitative experiments filter out external factors, if properly designed, and so
the results gained can be seen, as real and unbiased.

Weaknesses
It can be costly, difficult and time-consuming difficult because most researchers
are nonmathematicians.'
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 It requires extensive statistical treatment, requiring stringent
standards, more so with confirmation of results. When ambiguities in
some findings surface, retesting and refinement of the design call for
another investment in time and resources to polish the results.
Quantitative methods also tend to turn out only proved or
unproven results, leaving little room for uncertainty, or grey areas. For
the social sciences, education, anthropology and psychology, human nature is a lot
more complex than just a simple yes or no response.
Kinds of Quantitative Research Designs
• Research design refers to the overall strategy that you choose in order to
integrate the different components of the study in a coherent and logical way,
thereby ensuring you will effectively address the research problem.
Furthermore, a research design constitutes the blueprint for the selection,
measurement and analysis of data. The research problem determines the
research design you should use.
Kinds of Quantitative Research Designs

Quantitative methods emphasize objective measurements and the statistical,

mathematical, or numerical analysis of data collected through polls, questionnaires, and
surveys, or by manipulating preexisting statistical data using computational techniques.

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• Experimental research design allows the researcher to control the situation. In
so doing, it allows the researcher to answer the question, "What causes
something to occur?" It allows the researcher to identify cause and effect
relationships between variables and to distinguish placebo effects from treatment
effects.
• Non-experimental Research
Design. In this kind of design, the researcher observes the phenomena as they
occur naturally and no external variables are introduced. In this research design, the
variables are not deliberately manipulated nor is the setting controlled. Researchers
collect data without making changes or introducing treatments.

Experimental
1. True experimental design controls for both time-related and group-related
threats. Two features mark true experiments- two or more differently treated
groups and random assignment to these groups. These features require that
the researchers have control over the experimental treatment and the power to
place subjects in groups.

Experimental
True experimental design employs both treated and control groups to deal with
time-related rival explanations.
A control group reflects changes other than those due to the treatment that
occur during the time of the study. Such changes include effects of outside events,
maturation by the subjects, changes in measures and impact of any pre-tests.
True experimental design offers the highest internal validity of all the designs.

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 TRUE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Example: Effectiveness of massage on the selected physiological

variables of low birth weights infants

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 TRUE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Example: A study to assess effectiveness of structured teaching

program regarding nature & prevention of accidents among mothers
of toddlers in selected areas of Cebu

2. Quasi experimental design differs from true experimental design by the absence of
random assignment of subjects to different conditions. What quasi-experiments have in
common with true experiments is that some subjects receive an intervention and provide
data likely to reflect its impact.

• Two classes of experimental designs can provide better internal validity thanpre-
experimental designs: quasi experimental and true experimental (Dooly, 1999).

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 Types of Quasi-Experimental Design
1. Non-equivalent control group design-refers to the chance failure
of random assignment to equalize the conditions by converting a
true experiment into this kind of design, for purposes of analysis.
• Example: A study to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice towards physical
well being of Gr. 7 & 8 students in two different schools

2. Interrupted Time Series Designemploys multiple measures before and after

the experimental intervention. It differs from the single-group preexperiment
that has only one pretest and one posttest.
Example: A researcher might assess the pain levels of a group of patients with low
back pain.
After 3 weeks of pain assessment, intervention will be introduces. The result will
help the researcher to determine if a specific exercise is effective in reducing
low back pain

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 3. Pre-experimental types of research apply to experimental designs with the
least internal validity. One type of preexperiment, the single group, pre-
testpost-test design, measures the group two times, before and after the
intervention.

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 Non-experimental Research Design

The Descriptive research design's main purpose is to observe, describe and document
aspects of a situation as it naturally occurs and sometimes to serve as a starting point for
hypothesis generation or theory development.

Types of Descriptive Research Designs

1. Survey - a research design used when the researcher intends to provide a

quantitative or numeric description of trends, attitudes or opinions of a population by
studying a sample of that population (Creswell, 2003).

Example: Surveys to determine customer satisfaction, that is, the students' attitudes
toward or opinions regarding student services like the canteen, clinic, security, the
guidance and counseling services, and the like.

2. Correlational - examine if variables relate to each other

• Bivariate correlational studies-

obtain scores from two variables for each subject, then use them to calculate a correlation
coefficient. The term bivariate implies that the two variables are correlated (variables are
selected because they are believed to be related).

Examples: Children of wealthier (variable #1), better educated (variable #2) parents earn
higher salaries as adults.

Prediction studies-use correlation coefficient to show how one variable (the predictor
variable) predicts another (the criterion variable).

Examples: Which high school applicants should be admitted to college?

Multiple Regression Prediction Studies- suppose the high school GPA is not the sole
predictor of college GPA, what might be other good predictors? All of these variables can
contribute to the over-all prediction in an equation that adds together the predictive power
of each identified variable.

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 3. Ex-Post Facto Research
Design –Literally means “from after the fact”.
Data are collected after the fact. It is used to investigate causal relationships. They
examine whether one or more pre- existing conditions could possibly have caused
subsequent differences in groups of subjects.
Examples: Examine the effect & look back in time to determine the cause (Dietary
habits & Hypertension)

4. Comparative design - involves comparing and contrasting two or more samples

of study subjects on one or more variables, often at a single point of time.
Specifically, this design is used to compare two distinct 'groups on the basis of
selected attributes such as knowledge level, perceptions, and attitudes, physical or
psychological symptoms. Example: a comparative study on the health problems
among rural and urban older people from district Mehsana,
Gujarat.

5. Evaluative Research - seeks to assess or judge in some way providing

information about something other than might be gleaned in mere observation
or investigation of relationships.
For example, where a test of children in school is used to assess the effectiveness
of teaching or the deployment of a curriculum.

6. Methodological - in this approach, the implementation of a variety of

methodologies forms a critical part of achieving the goal of developing a
scalematched approach, where data from different disciplines can be integrated.
It is concerned with the development, testing & evaluation of research
instrument and method.
Example: Development of a tool to assess the quality of life of patients with pain
due to advanced cancer and evaluate the outcome of palliative care in terms of
quality of life”

CONCLUSION
Quantitative research approach is the commonest

Replication is possible

Data analysis is easy

Researcher’s subjectivity is minimal

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