Definition, Characteristics and Types of Quantitative Research

 

LESSON 1: DEFINITION, CHARA CHAR ACTERISTI CTERISTICS, CS, AND TYP TYPES ES OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH PRACTICAL RESEARCH 2 MODULE 1

 

GUIDE QUESTIONS  What

are the varied definition of quantitative research? research?

 What

are the chara are characteristics cteristics of q quantitativ uantitative e resear research? ch?

 What

are its different types/kinds?

 What

are ar e the crite criteria ria for choos choosing ing or prefer preferring ring one particular type/kind over over another?

 

PRETEST KNOWING KNO WING THE DIFFEREN DIFFERENCE CE

Instructions: Each of the statements below describes either quantitative quantitat ive or qualitative qualitati ve research. Write if i f the following statements is a QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH OR QUALIT QUALITA ATIVE RESEARCH.

 

PRETEST KNOWING KNO WING THE DIFFEREN DIFFERENCE CE

1. Places more emphasis on the study of phenomena from the perspective of those who experience it. 2. Interested not only in examining the phenomenon but also its causes.

 

PRETEST KNOWING KNO WING THE DIFFEREN DIFFERENCE CE

3. Immerses oneself and views meaning as more context and time-specific, and in most cases not generalizable 4. Attempts to remain indepe independent ndent o orr detached det ached from the phenomena that one studies

 

PRETEST KNOWING KNO WING THE DIFFEREN DIFFERENCE CE

5. Uses interpretive fr frameworks ameworks 6. Concerned about findings that can be generalized 7. Applies the deduc deductive tive meth method od 8. Applies the induc inductive tive metho method d

 

PRETEST KNOWING KNO WING THE DIFFEREN DIFFERENCE CE

9. Concerned about in-depth understanding of the situation 10. Concerned about numerical data

 

DEFINING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

Rappler news revealed that “ Cama Camari rine ness Su Surr Representative Leni Robredo is the biggest gainer among vice presidential candidates in a commissioned commis sioned sur survey vey b by y Pul Pulse se Asia Resear Research, ch, Inc Inc., ., released on March 15” 

 

DEFINING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

1. It is “either descriptive, descriptive, wherein subjects subjects are measured once once,, or experiment experimental, al, wherein subjects are measured before and after” (Babbie 2010).

 

DEFINING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

2. Data is “gathered using struc structured tured in instrumen struments. ts. The results are based on large sample sizes that are representativ representative e of the population and can be replicated” replicated ” (Babbie 2010)

 

DEFINING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

3. It has “clearly defined research questions questions to  which objective objective answers answers ar are e sought” (Babbie 2010)

 

DEFINING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

4. It aims “to classify features, count them, and construct statistical models in an attempt to explain what is observed” obser ved” (Babbie 2010)

 

QUANTIT QUANT ITA ATI TIVE VE PARADI ARADIGM GM

Question 1. What is the nature of reality?

Answer   Reality is objective, singular, and separate from the researcher 

2. What is the t he relations rela tionship hip of Researcher Researcher is independent the researcher researcher to the subject from the subject for of research?

research

 

QUANTIT QUANT ITA ATI TIVE VE PARADI ARADIGM GM

Question

Answer  

3. What is is the role role of of values values?? Res Resear earch ch is v value alue-fr -free ee and unbiased 4. What is the language langu age of research?

Formal, based on set of definitions, impersonal voice, and uses accepted quantitative words

 

QUANTIT QUANT ITA ATI TIVE VE PARADI ARADIGM GM

Question 5. What is the process of research?

Answer      



Deductive process Cause and Effect Static design –  design – categories categories isolated before study Generalizations leading to predicti on, explanation, prediction, explan ation, and understanding Accurate and reliable through validity and reliability

 

DIFFERENTI DIFFER ENTIA ATIN TING G THE QUANTIT QUANTITA ATIV TIVE E AND QUALITA QUALIT ATIV TIVE E RESEARCH RESE ARCH PARADIGMS ARADIGMS

Qualitative Research –  Research – an an inquiry process of understanding a social or human prob problem lem based on building a complex, holistic picture formed  with words, words, reporting detailed view of iinformants nformants and conducted in a natural setting. (Cressw (Cr esswell ell 1994, 2)

 

DIFFERENTIA DIFFEREN TIATIN TING G THE QUANTIT QUANTITA ATIVE TIV E AND QUALITA QUALIT ATIV TIVE E RESEARC RESE ARCH H PARADIGM ARADIGMS S

Quantitative Research –  Research – an an inquiry into a social or human problem problem based on testing a theory composed o composed off va variables, riables, measured with numbers, numbers, and analyzed with statistical procedur procedures es in order to determine whether the predictive generalizations generalizat ions of the theor theory y hold true. (Creswell 1994, 2)

 

CAUSE = INDEPENDENT AND EFFECT = DEPENDENT THE EFFECTS OF VIT VITAMINS AMINS ON THE SLEEPING HABITS OF SENIOR CITIZENS

 

DESCRIBING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Orientation 1. Paradigm (Assumption about the world)

Characteristics Positivism

Description Positivism –  epistemological position that advocates the application of the methods of the natural sciences to the study of social reality and beyond

 

DESCRIBING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Orientation 1. Paradigm (Assumption about the world)

Characteristics Realism

Description Realism –   – an an epistemological position that acknowledge a acknowledge reality independent of the senses that is accessible to tools the researcher’s and theoretical speculations.

 

DESCRIBING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Orientation

Characteristics

2. Research Purpose Numerical (rationale) Description

Description

This refers to frequency distribution, percentage,, and percentage measures of central tendencies like mode, median and mean

 

DESCRIBING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Orientation

Characteristics

2. Research Purpose Causal e ex xpl pla anation (rationale)

Description

Re Rela late tess tto o tth he meaning of causality, which refers to a concern  with establishing causal connections rather than mere relationships (Bryman 2008, 691)

 

THE EFFECT EFFECTS S OF VIT VITAMINS AMINS ON THE SLEEPING HABITS OF SENIOR CITIZENS

 

DESCRIBING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Orientation

Characteristics

2. Research Purpose Prediction (rationale)

Description

Is a statement about future based on facts (https://www.vocubo lary.com/dictionary/ prediction).

 

DESCRIBING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Orientation 3. Ontology (nature of reality)

Characteristics Nature of Social Reality

Description This refers to “what can be known and how..” For exam how example ple:: “Is the social world patterned and predictable or is the social world continually being constructed through human perspectives?”

 

DESCRIBING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Orientation 4. Epistemology (theory of knowledge)

Characteristics Objectivist

Description Objectivist refers to the notion that reality is “objective”, “obje ctive”, “out there”, singular, and apart from the researcher, and it can be measured objectively using a questionnaire or instrument. (Creswell 1994)

 

DESCRIBING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Orientation 5. Methodology (aims of scientific investigation)

Characteristics

Description

Experimental/Man Refers to a type of ipulative quantitative resear research ch  where the researchers researchers manipulate one variable and control/randomize the rest of the variables. It has a control group and subjects have been randomly assigned between groups.

 

DESCRIBING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Orientation

Characteristics

Description

6. Research Empirical Methods examination (techniques and

Empirical Explanation is generally referred to as information that derived

tools)

through observation or experiment. experim ent. This may also be linked with empiricism, which is an approach to the study of reality that suggests that only one knowledge gained through experience and the senses is acceptable.

 

DESCRIBING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Orientation

Characteristics

Description

6. Research Measurement Methods (techniques and

Measurement procedure for assigning symbols, letters, or numbers to empirical

tools)

properties of variables according to rules (web.csulb.edu/~msaintg/ppa6 96/696meas.htm). It is also the process of observing and recording the observations collected as part of research effort. (Trochim 2006)

 

DESCRIBING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Orientation

6. Research Methods

(techniques and tools)

Characteristics

Hypothesis Testing

Description

Hypothesis is an informed speculation, which is set up to be tested, about the possible relationship between two or more variables (Bryman 2008, 694). Hypothe Hypothesis sis testing, testin g, therefore, is checking if the independent variable have have a relationship.

 

DESCRIBING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Orientation

6. Research Methods

(techniques and tools)

Characteristics

Rand Ra ndom omiz izat atio ion n

Description

Ra Rand ndo omiza mizattio ion n is rel elat ated ed to random assignment, a term used in connection with experiments to refer to the random allocation of resear research ch participants to the experimental group and control group.

 

DESCRIBING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Orientation 6. Research Methods (techniques and tools)

Characteristics Research protocol

Description Is the sequence of manipulations and measurement procedures that make up the experiment. Its description should sh ould follow exact sequence how the procedures wereofexecuted.

 

DESCRIBING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Orientation 6. Research Methods (techniques and tools)

Characteristics Questionnaire

Description A qu questionnaire is is a c co ollection of questions administered to respondents (Bryman 2008, 697)

 

DESCRIBING QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH Orientation

Characteristics

Description

7. Scientific Deductive An approach to the Method (role of approach/testing relationship between theory theory)

of theory

and research in which the latter is conducted with reference refer ence to hypotheses and ideas inferred from the former.

 

FOUR PREOCCUPATIONS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCHERS

1. Measurement –  Measurement – is is an important factor in quantitative quantit ative research, which iiss why reliability a and nd validity are embedded in its methodology.

 

FOUR PREOCCUPATIONS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCHERS Preoccupation Measurement

Categor y

Factors

Stability –   – This This means there is Reliability –  Stability “very little variation ov over er time in speaks of consistency the results obtained if it is of a measure administered to a group and reof a concept. administered again.”

 

FOUR PREOCCUPATIONS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCHERS Preoccupation Measurement

Categor y

Factors

Reliability – This This means Reliability –  Internal Reliability –  “consistency of the scale of index, speaks of consistency  whether respondents’ score on of a measure any one indicator tend to be of a concept. related to their scores on the other indicators.”

 

FOUR PREOCCUPATIONS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCHERS Preoccupation Measurement

Categor y

Factors

Inter-observer consistency consistency –   – This This Reliability –  Inter-observer means “being cautious of the speaks of consistency possibility of the inconsistency of of a measure observers when a great deal of of a concept. subjective judgement is involved, such as recording of observations or translating of data into categories and when more than one observer obser ver is involved. involved.

 

FOUR PREOCCUPATIONS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCHERS Preoccupation Measurement

Categor y

Factors

Validity –  Face Validi Validity ty –   – the the measure refers to the reflects the content of the concept issue  whether an indicator

question. Concurrent Concur rent Validi alidity ty –   – employs employs a criterion on which cases are

that is and that is developed to known relevant rele vanttotodiffer the concepts in measure question concept really gauges

that concept  

Face Validity Example - People with expertise or experience in a certain field might be asked to act as  judge to determine whether on the face of it, the measure seems to reflect the concept in question. Concurrent Validity alidi ty Example Exampl e –   – A A new criterion measure of  job satisfaction can be absenteeism. To establish the concurrent validity of this measure of job satisfaction, we might look into how people who are satisfied with their  job are less likely likely to absent from work.

 

FOUR PREOCCUPATIONS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCHERS Preoccupation Measurement

Categor y

Factors

Validity –  Predictive validity –  validity – uses uses future refers to the criterion measure rather than a issue  whether an indicator

contemporary one. Construct validity –  validity – deduces deduces hypothesis from from a theor theory y that is

that is developed to measure concept really gauges

rele relevant vant to the concept. Convergent Conv ergent validity validity –   – the the validity of a measure ought to be gauged by comparing it to measures of the same concept developed developed

that concept through other measures.  

•

Predictive Predictiv e validity Example –  Example – The The researcher would take future future levels of absenteeism as the criterion against which that validity or a new measure of job satisfaction would be examined.

•

Construct validity example –  example – Drawing Drawing upon the impact of technology on the experience of work, the researcher resear cher anticipate that people who are satisfied

 with their job are are less likely to work on rroutine outine jobs.

The relationship of job satisfaction and job routine.  

•

Convergent validity example –  example – If If we develop a questionnaire measure of how much time managers spend on various activities, we might examine its validity by tracking a number of manag managers ers and using a structured observation obser vation schedule to record ho how w much time is spent in various activities and their frequency

 

FOUR PREOCCUPATIONS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCHERS

2. Causality –  Causality – Most Most quantitative research is concerned concer ned about explanatio explanation. n.They are strong on explaining why things happen in certain ways. Hence, they are interested not only about the phenomenon of things but also the causes of it.

 

FOUR PREOCCUPATIONS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCHERS

3. Generalization –  Generalization – They They pursue findings that can be generalized generalized beyond the margins of a certain context in which the research was undertaken. This area of concern re reveals veals itself in social sur surve vey y research, in the attention that is often given to the question of how one can create a

representative sample.  

FOUR PREOCCUPATIONS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCHERS

4. Replication –  Replication – the the ability to repeat an important component compon ent of an act activity ivity.. The att attempt empt to make the procedures highly explicit is an intervention to make an experiment capable of replication.

 

POST TEST: OPERATION OPERATIONALIZ ALIZE E THE FIVE W WA AYS OF ESTABLISHING EST ABLISHING VALIDITY BY GIVING EACH AN EXAMPLE ONE WHOLE PAD

 Ways of Establishing  Wa Validity 1. Face Valid alidit ity y 2. Co Concu ncurr rren entt Validi alidity ty 3. Pr Pred edict ictiv ive e Validi alidity ty 4. Co Cons nstr truc uctt V Val alid idit ity y 5. Co Con nver erge gent nt Validi alidity ty

Examples