Quantitative Research Design - Module 1 provides a basic understanding of quantitative research.

Curriculum Designed by
Dorothy Kropf

Instructor: Dorothy Kropf, M.A.
Doctoral Student of Education at Walden University
Specialization: Educational Technology
Area of Interest: Research and Higher Educational Issues
Module 1

In a quantitative research design, the researcher poses several
hypotheses to analyze the cause and effects of specific variables
in order to predict and explain certain phenomenon (Creswell,
2009).
Quantitative Research Design

To conduct a study, you must have a theoretical framework. What are you
basing your research on?
Theoretical Framework

What new questions or observations do you have?
Do you want to investigate a phenomenon?
Do you want to see if an intervention that worked for a small school will work
in a larger school?
Deductive Reasoning

Start with a research problem.
Deductive Reasoning

Start with a research problem. A research problem is a question that
stimulates a response through scientific inquiry.
Deductive Reasoning

Quantitative research designs start with observations that need
further explanations and theories. They make predictions that
can potentially answer the hypotheses.

Quantitative research designs are structurally scientific
methods, utilizing deductive reasoning in forms of hypotheses
(Price & Oswald, 2009).

The outcomes measured in a quantitative research design are
factual and based on data-driven information from specific
measurement instrument(s) rather than from perceptions
(Frankfort-Nachmias & Nachmias, 2008).

The overarching goal of a quantitative research design is to
draw relationships between dependent and independent
variables, thereby assisting the researcher in developing
generalizations that explain or predict certain phenomenon
(Creswell, 2009).

Variables and Unit of Analysis
According to Frankfort-Nachmias & Nachmias (2008), “the
variable whose changes the researcher wishes to explain is
known as the dependent variable, while the variable the
researcher thinks induces or explains the change is the
independent variable” (p. 49).
Wow! My kite flies higher
when the wind blows harder!

There are 3 types of measures in quantitative research designs:
1. Nominal
2. Ordinal
3. Interval
4. Ratio

Example of Nominal measures:
01 = Female
02 = Male

Example of ordinal measures:
College Education
1=some college courses taken
2=Associates Degree conferred
3=Bachelor’s Degree conferred
4= Master’s Degree conferred
5= Doctoral Degree conferred

Example of Intervals:
Test Scores:
A: =90-100%
B = 80-89%
C= 75-79%
D= 70-74%
F= 69% and below

Types of Quantitative Research Designs

Experimental Design
A design in which the researcher controls and manipulates variables to
determine cause and effects.

Balanced Experimental Design: allows “equal number of
observations” despite of the randomness of the study
(University of Texas at Austin, n.d.)

Correlational Research Design: A study that examines the
relationship between variables and outcomes.
Hypothetical Example: There is a strong correlation (or link)
with income and the type of car one drives. Again, this is only
hypothetical – the more income a salesperson makes, the nicer
his car....

Quasi-experimental Design:
The researcher has control over the selected participants and the selected
instrumentation. However, the researcher doesn’t have control over who will
be exposed and when will the exposure occur.

Single case research:
Continuous study of human behavior over time. Example: an intervention
study

Meta-analysis research
The researcher studies the aggregation of results with other relevant studies.
This type of research usually explores the effectiveness of a specific method
(Frankfort-Nachmias & Nachmias, 2008).
.

Properties or attributes a researcher would like to identify and measure.
Types of variables:
• Independent variable
• Dependent variable
• Control variable
Variables

Independent variable is the variable that the
Researcher has control over. This means that this variable can be
manipulated.
IndependentVariable

Is not a variable that a researcher can manipulate. Instead, a dependent
variable can be observed and measured as a result of the variations of the
independent variable.
DependentVariable

A variable that the researcher will keep constant.
ControlVariable

• To prepare for module 2:
• Review the terminologies in this module then decide on a
quantitative study you would like to conduct.
• Identify what type of research design it is, what your variables
are, and your research questions

Creswell, J. W. (2009). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (3rd
ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Frankfort-Nachmias, C., & Nachmias, D. (2008). Research methods in the social sciences (7th ed.). New
York: Worth Publishers.
Price & Oswald (2008). Experimental research. Retrieved from
http://psych.csufresno.edu/psy144/Content/Design/Types/experimental.html
Price & Oswald (2009). Developmental research. Retrieved from
http://psych.csufresno.edu/psy144/Content/Design/Types/experimental.html
Simon, M. (n.d.) Quantitative research: The “N” side in the paradigm war [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved
from
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=12&ved=0CDIQFjABOAo&url=ht
tp%3A%2F%2Fmyweb.cebridge.net%2Fkimblum%2FQuantitative%2520Researchpresentation.ppt&ei=x9
cpU9_hMo7eoASg5oCwDw&usg=AFQjCNGnys3Q6t6w5sgnIyTIvd8rqcqmww&sig2=Eum26gRrDj_vW_
RKKdtlwg
University of Texas at Austin (n.d.). The statistics glossary. Retrieved from University of Texas at Austin
website: http://www.stats.gla.ac.uk/glossary/?q=node/543
Bibliography

Quantitative Research Design - Module 1 provides a basic understanding of quantitative research.

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