Characteristics, Strengths, Weaknesses, kinds of Quantitative Research

1. Characteristics,
Strengths, Weaknesses,
Kinds of Quantitative
Research
BY: MS. JESSA MAE E. GASTAR

2. INTRODUCTION
 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. '
 These 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 the bases for generalization about phenomena.

3. Characteristics of Quantitative 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 and validity of data.
 Figures, tables or graphs showcase summarized data collected in
order to show trends, relationships or differences among variables.
In sum, the charts and tables allow you to see the evidence
collected.

4. Characteristics of Quantitative 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.

5. Strengths and
Weaknesses of
Quantitative Research

6. Research 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.
Quantitative experiments are useful for testing the results gained by a
series of qualitative experiments, leading to a final answer, and a
narrowing down of possible directions to follow. (https://explorable.com/
quantitative research-design)

7. Weaknesses
 Quantitative research can be costly, difficult and time-consuming- difficult because
most researchers are non-mathematicians. '
 Quantitative studies require 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.
(https://explorable.com/quantitative-research-design.)

8. Kinds of Quantitative
Research Designs

9. Research design
 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.
 Quantitative methods emphasize objective measurements and the statistical,
mathematical, or numerical analysis of data collected through polls,
questionnaires, and surveys, or by manipulating pre-existing statistical data
using computational techniques.
 Quantitative research designs are generally classified experimental and non-
experimental as the following matrix shows:

11. Experimental research design
 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?"
 This kind of research also allows the researcher to identify cause and
effect relationships between variables and to distinguish placebo effects
from treatment effects.
 Further, this research design supports the ability to limit alternative
explanations and to infer direct causal relationships in the study; the
approach provides the highest level of evidence for single studies.

12. Pre-experimental
 Pre-experimental types of research apply to experimental designs with the least
internal validity.
 One type of pre-experiment, the single group, pre-test-post-test design,
measures the group two times, before and after the intervention.
 Instead of comparing the pretest with the posttest within one group, the
posttest of the treated groups is compared with that of an untreated group.
 Measuring the effect as the difference between groups marks this as between-
subjects design. Assuming both groups experienced the same time-related
influences, the comparison group feature should protect this design from the
rival explanations that threaten the within-subject design.

13. Two classes of experimental designs
 Two classes of experimental designs can provide better internal validity than-pre-experimental
designs: quasi-experimental and true experimental (Dooly, 1999).
1. QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
In a quasi-experimental design, the researcher can collect more data, either by scheduling more
observations or finding more existing measures.
2. TRUE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
 A 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.
 True experimental design employs both treated and control groups to deal with time-related
rival explanations.

14. TRUE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
 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.
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.

15. 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.
2. Interrupted Time Series Design- employs multiple measures
before and after the experimental intervention. It differs from the
single-group pre-experiment that has only one pretest and one
posttest. Users of this design assume that the time threats such as
history or maturation appear as regular changes in the measures
prior to the intervention.

16. Non-experimental Research
Design

17. 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.
 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 (www.drjayeshpatidar. blogspot.com).

18. 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). For example, universities
regularly float 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.

19. 2. Correlational - Correlational Research has three types:
 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 co-efficient 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.
Types of Descriptive Research Designs

20.  Ex-Post Facto Research Design - These are non-experimental designs
that are used to investigate causal relationships. They examine
one or more pre- existing conditions could possibly have caused
subsequent differences in groups of subjects. Researchers attempt to
discover whether differences between groups have results in an
observed difference in the independent variables.
Example: What is the effect of home schooling on the social skills of adolescents?
(www.genesep.edu/esham/educ.604/research.pdf).
Types of Descriptive Research Designs

21. 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. For example, a comparative
study on the health problems among rural and urban older people from
district Mehsana, Gujarat.
(www.dryayeshpatidat.blogspot.com)
Types of Descriptive Research Designs

22. 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. (changingminds.org/explanations/research/design/evaluativeresearch.htm).
 Evaluation research is conducted to elicit useful feedback from a variety of respondents from
various fields to aid in decision making or policy formulation.
 There are various types of evaluation depending on the purpose of the study. Formative and
summative evaluation types are most commonly used in research.
 Formative evaluation is used to determine the quality of implementation of a project, the
efficiency and effectiveness of a program, assessment of organizational processes like
procedures, policies, guidelines, human resource development and the like.
Types of Descriptive Research Designs

23. 6. Methodological - in this approach, the
implementation of a variety of methodologies
forms a critical part of achieving the goal of
developing a scale-matched approach, where
data from different disciplines can be
integrated.
Types of Descriptive Research Designs