Quantitative Research: Value, Nature, and Classification

The Meaning of Research

Research is a careful and systematic study and inquiry in some field of knowledge. It is an investigation of
a certain phenomenon or results of previous studies to find out their present relevance.

Research can build or change. Principles and generalizations of past generations may still be contributory
to reaching more milestones. Through research, new discoveries are found and established, and non-
workable and irrelevant principles and generalization are then discarded and replaced.

Definition and Importance of Quantitative Research

Quantitative research is used to quantify the problem by way of generating numerical data or data that
can be transformed into useable statistics. Quantitative data collection methods are much more
structured than qualitative data collection methods. Quantitative data collection methods include
various forms of survey – online surveys, paper surveys, mobile surveys and kiosk surveys, face-to-face
interviews, telephone interviews, longitudinal studies, website interceptors, online polls, and systematic
observations.

Quantitative research has been applied in the natural sciences (biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics,
geology, astronomy, etc.) and social sciences (psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, political
science, etc.). It has also been used by researchers in the field of community health, health and human
development, marketing, history, gender study, and the like.

Point of Contrast of Quantitative Research

Meaning

a means for testing objective theories by examining the relationship between the measurable variables.

Objective

to quantify data and extrapolate results to a broader population.

Purpose

to measure, count, quantify a problem

Data – numeric data (numbers)

Focus of Research – quantity (how much, how many)

Goal of Investigation – prediction, control, description, confirmation, hypothesis-testing

Study population – subjects or respondents.

Sample – large, random, representative

Data Collection – scales, tests, surveys, questionnaire, computers

Mode of Analysis – statistical method

Findings – precise, reliable and consistent

Outcome – to identify prevalence, averages, and patterns in data, to generalize to a broader population.

Quantitative Method

Quantitative data are pieces of information that can be counted and which are usually gathered by
surveys from large numbers of respondents randomly selected for inclusion.

Secondary data such as census data, government statistics, health system metrics, etc. are often included
in quantitative research. Quantitative data is analysed using statistical methods. Quantitative approaches
are best used to answer what, when and who questions and are not well suited to how and why
questions.

Kinds of Quantitative Research

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.

1. Descriptive Research – is concerned with investigating, measuring, and describing one or more aspects
or characteristics of one or more groups, communities, or phenomenon.

Purpose

To describe the current status of a variable or phenomenon.

Key Focus and Variable control

Observational; describes “what is”; variables not controlled

No intervention applied

Examples:

A description of teenagers’ attitudes toward smoking.

You want to know how many hours senior high school students spend in social media, the number of
malnourished students who failed in the achievement test, and how healthy is the food served during
recess in the public schools.
Common Study Designs

Comparative descriptive design, cross-sectional design, longitudinal design.

2. Correlational Research

Correlational research studies the relationship between two or more characteristics of one or more
groups. It can verify or disprove a systematic relationship between two characteristics or variables. A
positive relationship means that high values of one variable correspond with high values of the other; a
negative relationship means that high values of one variable correspond with low values in the other.

Purpose

To explore the relationships between variables using statistical analyses.

Key Focus and Variable Control

Explores and observes relationships among variables; variables not controlled.

No intervention applied.

Example

A study of the relationship between IQ and clinical depression.

Common Study Designs

Descriptive correlation design, predictive design, model-testing design.

3. Quasi-Experimental Research

Quasi-comparative research compares one or more measurable characteristics of two or more groups to
find the similarities and the differences between them. The result of a comparison can be used to
generate insights about the characteristics of both groups.

Purpose

To establish a cause-effect relationship between/among variables.

Other name – Causal-Comparative

Key Focus and Variable Control

Tests causality with suboptimal variable control; independent variable not manipulated.
There is an intervention applied.

Example

A study of the effects of an after school physical activity program childhood obesity rates.

Common Study Designs

Pre- and Post-test design, post-test only design, interrupted time-series design.

4. Experimental Research

This research utilizes scientific method to test cause-and-effect relationships under conditions controlled
by the researcher. In this case an effort is made to determine and impose control over all other variables
except one. An independent variable is manipulated to determine the effects on the dependent variable.

Purpose

To establish a cause-effect relationship between/among variables.

Other name – True Experimental

Key Focus and Variable Control

Test causality with optimal variable control; independent variable is manipulated.

There is an intervention applied

Example

A study of the effects of a new diet treatment plan on insulin levels in diabetics.

A teacher would like to know if a new teaching strategy is effective or not so he/she teaches one section
using the new strategy and teaches another comparable section without the new strategy, then an
achievement test was given to the two sections.

Common Study Designs

Classical experimental design, randomized design, cross-over design.