Quantitative Research

1. CHAPTER 3

3. • Research Design
• Research Locale
• Sampling Procedure
• Data Gathering Procedure
• Research Instrument
• Validity and Reliability
• Scoring Procedure
• Statistical Treatment
• Research Ethics
CHAPTER III

4. Cochran’s formula. This formula is commonly used for larger sample
sizes, or unknown population size. What this does is give you an
optimum sample size. However, if the population size is determined or
is realized to be small than what was expected, then you can correct
the sample size using the second formula. Here are the formulae:
Use this formula if you the population size is unknown but you know
it’s a big population.
Where:
e is the margin of error,
p is the (estimated) proportion of the population which has the
attribute in question,
q is 1 – p.
The z-value is found in a Z table.
Computing for the Sample Size

5. Computing for the Sample Size

6. Computing for the Sample Size

7. Computing for the Sample Size

8. Computing for the Sample Size

9. Research
Instrument
Adapt A
Adopt O

10. Creating your
Questionnaire
The survey instruments are your tools to gather data, and there are two
common types, namely: the questionnaire, and the interview. However,
let us focus first on the QUESTIONNAIRE.
The ADVANTAGES of administering a questionnaire instead of conducting
an interview are:
• • lower costs
• • better samples (responses are authentic, and are not second hand
information)
• • standardization
• • respondent privacy (anonymity)

11. Creating your
Questionnaire
and the DISADVANTAGES would be:
• Non returns (esp. when respondents can no longer be contacted and
they fail to return their responses)
• Misinterpretations
• Validity problems (esp. when the items were not pilot tested)

12. The Question
Types
Creating your
Questionnaire
Close-ended questions:
• multiple choice & allows respondents to select his
or her answer from a number of options
• use to measure opinions, attitudes, etc.

14. Open-ended questions
• allow for more individualized responses but
sometimes more difficult to interpret
The Question
Types
Creating your
Questionnaire

16. HERE ARE SOME TIPS YOU CAN USE DURING THE
GENERATION OF YOUR QUESTIONS!
#1 Keep the language simple. Focus on single &
specific issue or topic.
Who are your audience? What is their level? If you are
surveying among grade 6 students, can they
understand the words in your questionnaire?

17. POOR: Do you spend a lot of time studying?
BETTER: How much time do you spend each day studying?
a. More than 2 hours.
b. One to 2 hours.
c. Thirty minutes to 2 hours.
d. Less than 30 minutes.
e. Others (pls specify)
POOR: Should the constitution be amended?
BETTER: Please indicate how much you agree or disagree on
changing the constitution.

18. #2 Keep the focus as simple as possible.
Some questions may be too loaded to comprehend.
Examples:
POOR: Who do you think are more satisfied with teaching in
elementary and secondary schools, men or women?
a. Men are more satisfied.
b. Women are more satisfied.
c. Men and women are about equally satisfied.
d. Don’t know

19. BETTER: Who do you think are more satisfied
with teaching in elementary schools, men or
women?
a. Men are more satisfied.
b. Women are more satisfied.
c. Men and women are about equally satisfied.
d. Don’t know

20. #3 Keep the questions short.
Long questions may become ambiguous & confusing.
Examples:
POOR: What part of the district’s English curriculum, in your opinion,
is of most importance in terms of the overall development of the
students in the program?
BETTER: What part of the district’s English curriculum is the most
important?

21. #4 Include a few questions that can serve as checks
on the accuracy and consistency of the answers as a
whole. Usually, they are in a form of a follow-up
question.

22. #5 Use common language. Not jargons.
Examples:
POOR: What do you think is the principal reason schools
are experiencing increased student absenteeism today?
a. Problems at home.
b. Lack of interest in school.
c. Illness.
d. Don’t know.

23. BETTER: What do you think is the main reason students
are absent more this year than previously?
a. Problems at home.
b. Lack of interest in school.
c. Illness.
d. Don’t know.

24. #6 Avoid the use of terms that might bias responses.
Examples:
POOR: Do you support the Superintendent’s “no
smoking” policy on campus grounds while school is in
session?
a. I support the policy.
b. I am opposed to the policy.
c. I don’t care one way or the other about the policy.
d. I am undecided about the policy.

25. BETTER: Do you support the “no smoking”
policy on campus grounds while school is in
session?
a. I support the policy.
b. I am opposed to the policy.
c. I don’t care one way or the other about the
policy.
d. I am undecided about the policy.

26. #7 Limit each question to one idea or concept.
Avoid loaded questions. Avoid double-barreled
questions.
Examples:
POOR: Do you believe that it is necessary to have a
Masters’ degree and a wide range of training as well as
experience for Elementary teachers?

27. BETTER: How important is the Graduate degree for
an Elementary teacher?

28. #8 Do not ask leading questions.
Examples:
POOR: Don’t you see some danger in the new
House Bill?

29. BETTER: Do you see some danger in the new
House Bill?

30. #10 Avoid emotional or morally charged
questions-- maybe a bit personal.
Example:
Agree or Disagree?
Abortion should be made legal.
Death penalty helps deter crime.

31. 11 Formulate your questions and answers to
obtain exact information and to minimize
confusion.
Examples:
POOR: Can you tell me how many children you
have, whether they’re girls or boys, and how old
they are?

32. BETTER: What’s the age and gender of each
of your children?

33. #12 Avoid the use of negatives and double
negatives.
Examples:
POOR: Would you not be opposed to the
move on locking down the whole country due
to COVID-19 threats?

34. BETTER: Would you support to the lockdown of
the whole country due to COVID-19 threats?

35. #13 Keep the number of questions to a minimum.
Questions will only lead to questions like so what?
Who cares? Then what?
Are only questions that would gather “nice to
know” responses, and they should be discarded.

36. USING SCALES
Why use scales?
Answers to questions are typically a choice of position, either within some
category or along some continuous spectrum. A response scale is merely a
representation of categories or continuum along which respondents will
arrange themselves. The positions of various individuals or groups can then
be compared with one another.
Moreover, using scales…
• can capture answers to many questions quickly and very little space
• is efficient
• Is practical

37. USING SCALES

41. WHAT DO WE HAVE TO REMEMBER WHEN CREATING
QUESTIONNAIRES WITH SCALES?
Organize the pattern of the questions:
• Place demographic questions at the end of the questionnaire.
• Have your opening questions arouse interest.
• Ask easier questions first.
• To minimize conditioning, have general questions precede
specific ones.
• Group similar questions together.
• If you must use personal or emotional questions, place them at
the end of the questionnaire.

42. SHOULD WE DO PRETESTING?
It is advised that you do pretesting. You can try this out to a small
sample similar to the potential respondents.
Pretesting will actually reveal these issues or problems from your
questionnaire which you may edit or improve before formally
conducting the survey to your actual respondents:
• Ambiguities
• Poorly worded questions
• Questions that are misunderstood
• Unclear choices
• Indicates whether instructions are clear to respondents
Checking for Validity and Reliability of the Instrument