LESSON 1: QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

CHARACTERISTICS, STRENGTH, WEAKNESSES and KINDS

DEFINITION OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

Quantitative research is an objective, systematic empirical

investigation of observable phenomena through the use of computational
techniques. It highlights numerical analysis of data hoping that the
numbers yield unbiased results that can be generalized to some larger
population and explain a particular observation. Simply, quantitative
research is concerned with numbers and its relationship with events.
The quantitative research suggests that the data concerned can
be analyzed in terms of numbers. An example that we can give for this
study is a study comparing the performance of Grade 12 in Upper
Tumapoc National High School and Burgos National high School in
Physical Science when ICT is integrated in teaching. This can be
approached by getting the average performance of both schools before and
after integrating ICT. Then the averages can be compared and analyzed to
see the differences or effectiveness. In this case, numbers are used as
data for analysis. Another is surveying what do viewers in Burgos, La
Union prefer to watch: is it GMA dramarama or ABS-CBN Golden
Kapamilya noontime show. In here, it may be approached by making a
survey questionnaire asking for the preference of viewers in Burgos, La
Union.

May you now give your own example of a quantitative research?

CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

1. OBJECTIVE, NOT SUBJECTIVE. Unlike qualitative research,

quantitative research is objective. It seeks accurate measurement and
analysis of target concepts. It is not based on mere intuition and
guesses. Data are gathered before proposing a conclusion or solution
to a problem.
2. CLEARLY DEFINED RESEARCH QUESTIONS. The researchers know
in advance what they are looking for. The research questions are well-
defined for which objective answers are sought. All aspects of the
study are carefully designed before data are gathered.
3. STRUCTURED RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS. Standardized
 instruments guide data collection, thus, ensuring the accuracy,
reliability and validity of data. Data are normally gathered using
structured research tools such as questionnaires to collect measurable
characteristics of the population like age, socio-economic status,
number of children, among others.
4. NUMERICAL PRESENTATION OF DATA. Data are organized and
presented in the form of numbers and statistics. Figures, tables or
graphs showcase summarized data collection in order to show trends,
relationships or differences among variables. In sum, the charts and
tables allow you to see the evidence collected.

5. LARGE SAMPLE SIZES. To arrive at a more reliable data analysis, a

normal population distribution curve is preferred. This requires a large
sample size, depending on how the characteristics of the population
vary.
Random sampling is recommended in determining the sample size to
avoid researcher’s bias in interpreting the results.
6. REPLICATION. Reliable quantitative studies can be replicated or
repeated but not duplicated to verify or confirm the correctness of the
results in another setting. Validity of the findings may eliminate the
possibility of spurious conclusions.
7. FUTURE OUTCOMES. By using complex mathematical calculations
and with the aid of computers, if-then scenarios may be formulated
thus predicting future results. Quantitative research puts emphasis
on proof, rather than discovery.

STRENGHTS and WEAKNESSES OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

What are the strengths and weaknesses of quantitative research?

STRENGHTS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

The advantages of quantitative research include the following:

1. It is objective. The most reliable and valid way of concluding results,

giving way to a new hypothesis or to disproving it.

2. Because of bigger number of the sample of a population, the results or

generalizations are more reliable and valid. Since it provides numerical
data, it can’t be easily misinterpreted.
 2. The use of statistical techniques facilitates sophisticated analyses and
allows you to comprehend a huge amount of vital characteristics of data.

3. It is real and unbiased. If the research is properly designed it filters out

external factors, and so can be seen as real and unbiased.

4. The numerical data can be analyzed in a quick and easy way. By

employing statistically valid random models, findings can be generalized to
the population about which information is necessary.

5. Quantitative studies are replicable. Standardized approaches allow the

study to be replicated in different areas or over time with formulation of
comparable findings.

6. Quantitative experiments are useful for testing the results gained by a

series of qualitative experiments, leading to a final answer, and narrowing
down of possible directions to follow.

WEAKNESSES OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

The disadvantages of quantitative research are as follows:

1. Quantitative research requires a large number of respondents. It is

assumed that the larger the sample is, the more statistically accurate the
findings are.

2. It is costly. Since, there are more respondents compared to qualitative

research, the expenses will be greater in reaching out to these people and in
reproducing questionnaires.

3. The information is contextual factors to help interpret the results or to

explain variations are usually ignored. It does not consider the distinct
capacity of the respondents to share and elaborate further information
unlike the qualitative research.

4. Information with sensitive issues are difficult to gather when using

structured
research instruments like pre-marital sex, homosexual, domestic violence,
among others.

NOTE: If not done seriously and correctly, data from questionnaires may be
incomplete and inaccurate. Researchers must be on the look-out on
respondents who are just guessing in answering the instrument.
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 you should.

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.
The kind of research is dependent on the researcher’s aim in
conducting the study and the extent to which the findings will be used.

Quantitative research designs are generally classified experimental and

non- experimental as the following matrix shows.

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS

EXPERIMENTAL NON-EXPERIMENTAL

TRUE PRE- DESCRIPTIVE

EXPERIMENTAL EXPERIMENTAL

1. Pre-Test Design 1. One Shot Case

2. Post-Test Design Study
3. Post-Test only/ 2. One Group Pre- 1. Survey
Control Group Design Test Post-Test 2. Correlational
Design 3. Ex-Post Facto
Studies
QUASI- 4. Comparative
EXPERIMENTAL 5. Evaluative
6. Historical
7. Normative
1. Non- equivalent
Control Group Design
2. Time Series Design
 The following are the various kinds of quantitative research design that a
researcher may employ:

1. EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN

This allows the researcher to control the situation. In doing so, 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 degree level of evidence for single studies.

Pre-Experimental Design. A type of research apply to experimental

design that with least internal validity. One type of pre-experiment, the
simple 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.

Two classes of experimental design that can provide better internal validity than
pre- experimental designs are: quasi-experimental and true experimental design
(Dooly, 1999).

Quasi – Experimental Design. In this design, the researcher can

collect more data, either by scheduling more observations or finding more
existing measures. Quasi-experimental design involves selecting groups,
upon which a variable is tested, without any random pre-selection processes.
For example, to perform an educational experiment, a class might be
arbitrarily divided by alphabetical selection or by seating arrangement. The
division is often convenient and, especially in an educational situation,
causes as little disruption as possible. After this selection, the
experiment proceeds in a very similar way to any other experiment, with a
 variable being compared between different groups, or over a period of time.
There are two types of quasi-experimental design, these are:
a. Non-Equivalent Control Group. This refers to the chance
failure of random assignment to equalize the conditions by
converting a true experiment into this kind of design, for
purpose of analysis.
b. Interrupted Time Series Design. It 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.

True-Experimental Design. It 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.
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.
2. NON-EXPERIMENTAL 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. This may also called as
DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH DESIGN because it is only one under non-
experimental design.
 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.
The types of descriptive design are as follows:

A. SURVEY. It is used to gather information from groups of people by

selecting and studying samples chosen from a population. This is useful
when the objective of the study is to see general picture of the population
under investigation in terms of their social and economic characteristics,
opinions, and their knowledge about the behavior towards a certain
phenomenon.

B. CORRELATIONAL. It is conducted by researchers whose aim would be to

find out the direction, associations and/or relationship between different
variables or groups of respondents under study. Correlational Research has
three types, these are:
Bivariate Correlational Studies – It obtains score from two
variables for each subject, and then uses 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).
Example: Children of wealthier (variable one), better educated
(variable 2) parents earn higher salaries as adults.

Prediction Studies – It uses correlation coefficient to show how one

variable (the predictor variable) predicts another (the criterion
variable).
Example: Which high school applicants should be admitted to
college?

licants should be admitted to college?

Multiple Regression Prediction Studies – All variables in the

study can contribute to the over-all prediction in an equation that
adds together the predictive power of each identified variable.
Example: Suppose the High School GPA is not the sole
predictor of college GPA, what might be other good
predictors?

C. EX-POST FACTO or CAUSAL-COMPARATIVE. This kind of research

derives conclusion from observations and manifestations that already
occurred in the past and now compared to some dependent variables. It
discusses why and how a phenomenon occurs.
 Example 1: A researcher is interested in how weight influences
stress-coping level of adults. Here the subjects would be
separated into different groups (underweight, normal,
overweight) and their stress-coping levels measured. This is an
ex post facto design because a pre-existing characteristic
(weight) was used to form the groups.
Example 2: What is the Effect of Home Schooling on the Social
Skills of Adolescents?
D. COMPARATIVE. It 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.