R E S E A RC H I N D A I LY

LIFE 2
Q UA N T I TAT I V E R E S E A R C H
W H AT I S R E S E A RC H ?
Research
-- the systematic investigation into and
study of materials and sources in
order to establish facts and reach new
conclusions.
-- involves collection and evaluation of
information or data about a particular
subject or topic
Quantitative research
- is an objective, systematic, and
empirical investigation of observable
phenomena through the use of
computational techniques

objective – based on facts rather than feelings or opinions

systematic – done according to a fixed plan, system or
standard methods
empirical – originating in or based on observation or
experiences/experiments
Quantitative research

 conveys numerically what is being

seen in the research and arrives at
specific and observable conditions
CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

1. Objective
– based on facts
– seeks accurate measurement and analysis of
target concepts

2. Has Clearly Defined Research Questions

– researchers know in advance what they
are looking for
CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH:
3. Uses Structured Research Instruments
– data are gathered using structured research tools such as
questionnaires to collect measurable characteristics of the
population
Research Instruments
– are measurement tools (e.g., questionnaires
or scales) designed to obtain data on a topic of interest
from research subjects/respondents
structured research instruments
– use pre-selected questions and pre-determined
format
CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

4. Uses Numerical Data

– data are in the form of numbers and statistics,
often organized and presented as tables,
charts, graphs, and figures
CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:
5. Requires Large Sample Sizes

– results are based on larger sample

sizes that are representative of the
population

– to arrive at a more reliable data

analysis
CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:
6. Replicable
 the study can be replicated or repeated to
verify or confirm the correctness of the results
in another setting or to determine if the basic
findings of the original study can be applied
to other participants and circumstances
 replicability gives the research its
high reliability
CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

7. Predicts Future Outcomes

– if-then scenarios may be

formulated, thus predicting future
results
STRENGTHS/ADVANTAGES OF QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH:
1. It is objective. Since it provides numerical data, it can’t be
easily misinterpreted.

2. The use of statistical techniques facilitates one to

comprehend a huge amount of vital characteristics of
data.

3. 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.
STRENGTHS/ADVANTAGES OF QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH:

4. Quantitative studies are replicable. Standard approaches

allow the study to be replicated in different areas or
over time with the formulation of comparable findings.
WEAKNESSES/DISADVANTAGES OF
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

1. It 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 with qualitative research, the expenses will
be greater in reaching out to these people and in
reproducing the questionnaires.
WEAKNESSES/DISADVANTAGES OF
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

3. Many information are difficult to gather using structured

research instruments, specifically on sensitive
issues, e.g., pre-marital sex, domestic violence
WEAKNESSES/DISADVANTAGES OF
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

4. 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:
1. DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH
- describes the nature, characteristics, and
components of the population or the phenomenon
- Focuses more on the “what” and not the “how”
“why” or “when”
- No manipulation of variables
- Attempts to find the general attributes of the
presently existing situation and determine the
“frequency” with which it occurs
KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

1. DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

Example:
An apparel brand that wants to understand the
fashion purchasing trends among Filipino buyers
will conduct a demographic survey of this
region, gather population data and then conduct
descriptive research on this demographic
segment. The research will then uncover details
on “what is the purchasing pattern of Filipino
KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

2. CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH
- a systematic investigation of the nature of
relationships, or associations between and among
variables without necessarily investigating into causal
reasons underlying them.

Example:
The correlation between age and blood pressure.
KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

Three (3) Types of Correlational Research

a. Positive Correlation
 Positive correlation between two variables is when
an increase in one variable leads to an increase
in the other and a decrease in one leads to a
decrease in the other.
Example:
The salary of a person/amount of money that a person
possesses is positively correlated with the number of cars he
owns.
KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

Three (3) Types of Correlational Research

a. Positive Correlation
 Positive correlation between two variables is when
an increase in one variable leads to an increase
in the other and a decrease in one leads to a
decrease in the other.
Example:
The salary of a person/amount of money that a person
possesses is positively correlated with the number of cars he
owns.
KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:
Three (3) Types of Correlational Research
b. Negative Correlation
 Negative correlation is when an increase in
one variable leads to a decrease in
another and vice versa.
Example:
The level of education might correlate
negatively with crime. The higher the level of
education of the people living in an area the
lower the crime rate.
KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

Three (3) Types of Correlational Research

c. No Correlation
 Two variables are uncorrelated when a
change in one doesn't lead to a
change in the other and vice versa.
Example:
Among millionaires, happiness is found to
be uncorrelated with money. This means
an increase in money doesn't lead to
KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

3. EVALUATION RESEARCH
- aims to assess the effects, impacts or outcomes of
practices, policies or programs
- Its purpose is to make judgments about the
program/practices/policies to improve it or help in the
decision-making
- Example:
*assessing the implementation of K to 12 curriculum
* assessing the impact of a new treatment procedure for
patients in a hospital
KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:
4. SURVEY RESEARCH
 used to gather information from groups of people, sometimes by
selecting and studying samples chosen from a population
TYPES OF SURVEY RESEARCH:

A. According to FOCUS AND SCOPE

B. According to TIME DIMENSION
KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:
4. SURVEY RESEARCH
TYPES OF SURVEY RESEARCH:

A. According to FOCUS AND SCOPE:

a. Census Survey - A survey that covers the entire
population of interest
i. Census of tangibles (things/subjects that are perceptible
by touch; physical objects)
ii. Census of intangibles (things/subjects that are not
perceptible by touch; no physical presence)
b. Sample Survey – researchers use sampling
KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:
4. SURVEY RESEARCH
- used to gather information from groups of people by selecting
and studying samples chosen from a population
B. Survey Research According to Time Dimension -
according to the time of data collection
a. Longitudinal Surveys - gather information at different
points in time in order to study changes over extended
periods of time (same subjects, assessed at different
points in time)
Example:
Studying the development of quantitative reasoning in elementary
school children would select a sample of first graders and administers
a measure of quantitative reasoning. This same group would be
followed through successive grade levels and tested each year to
b. Cross-sectional Surveys
- are used to study a sample of a population at a
single point in time. A cross sectional study
would compare quantitative reasoning of a
sample of students from grades 1, 2, 3, 4,
and 5.

- the method of choice if you want to gather the

data at one point in time.

- different subjects are assessed at a single point in

time
The Survey Technique:
Six basic steps involved in survey research:
1. Planning:
 Is survey the appropriate means for data gathering?
2. Define the population
 To whom will you distribute the survey? Construct a
complete list of all individuals in the population.
3. Select a representative sample (if it is a sample
survey)
4. Construct an instrument: questionnaires or interviews
(measurement section)
5. Field test the instrument.
KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:
5. CAUSAL-COMPARATIVE RESEARCH
- Seeks to find relationships between independent and
dependent variables after an action or event has
already occurred or been established
- also called ex post facto (after the fact) research
- The researcher's goal is to determine whether
the independent variable affected the outcome,
or dependent variable, by comparing two or
more groups of individuals.
- Discusses “how” and “why” a phenomenon occurs
KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:
5. CAUSAL-COMPARATIVE RESEARCH
Example 1:
How does having a single-parent family affect a student’s
academic performance?
independent variable type of family (single-parent family or
two-parent family)
dependent variable academic achievement
The researcher identifies one group of students who come
from a single-parent family and another group of students who
come from two-parent family and see if they differ in their
achievements.
KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:
5. CAUSAL-COMPARATIVE RESEARCH
Example 2:
A researcher compared the high school drop out rate between
students who had been retained (held back)in elementary
versus similar students who had not been retained.

Example 3:
A researcher formed three (3) groups of preschoolers – those
who never watched Sesame street, those who watched it
sometimes, and those who frequently watched it – and then
compared the three groups on a reading readiness test.
KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

6. EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH

- Uses scientific method to test causal (cause-and-

effect) relationships under conditions controlled by
the researcher
- An independent variable is manipulated to
determine its effects on the dependent variable
6. Experimental Research
Independent Variable
– This is the variable that will be manipulated, the
“cause” or treatment variable.
Dependent Variable
– This variable is the “effect” or outcome of
manipulating the independent variable.
Experimental Group
– The group that receives the treatment being
investigated.
Control Group
– The group that remains the same in order to have
something to compare the experimental
6. Experimental Research
Example 1:
A teacher would like to determine if a new
teaching strategy is effective or not.
1st section - no new strategy
2nd section – with new strategy
Then, an achievement test was conducted
to the two sections.
Manipulated independent variable
– new teaching strategy
Achievement test result
– dependent variable
VARIABLES
 WHAT ARE
VARIABLES?

WHAT IS THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF
VARIABLES IN
RESEARCH?
VARIABLES
 anything that may assume
varied numerical (quantity) or
categorical (quality) values
Examples:
- Age
 numerical
- Sex
 categorical
- socio-economic status
 categorical
- height
 numerical
 TYPES OF VARIABLES
• CONTINUOUS VARIABLES
• DISCRETE VARIABLES

• DEPENDENT VARIABLES
• INDEPENDENT VARIABLES

• CONFOUNDING/INTERVENING VARIABLES
• EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES
 TYPES OF VARIABLES
CONTINUOUS VARIABLE
 a variable that has an infinite number of possible
values. In other words, any value is possible for
the variable.
 can be divided into fractions (e.g., 1½ meters)
 can take any value between two numbers (e.g. 2.
53 inches)
measured and not counted
Example: height, weight, temperature, distance
CONTINUOUS VARIABLES
TYPES OF CONTINUOUS
VARIABLES:

1.Interval variables
2.Ratio variables
CONTINUOUS VARIABLES
TYPES OF CONTINUOUS VARIABLES:

1. Interval variable
a variable that falls on the interval scale.
Does not have a true zero point, even if the
scaled values happen to carry the name “zero”
Example: temperature expressed in °C or °F
*A temperature of zero on either scale does not
mean no temperature
= 32 °F
0°C  does not mean that there is no temperature
 CONTINUOUS VARIABLES
TYPES OF CONTINUOUS VARIABLES:

2. Ratio variable
 has the properties of interval variable, except that it has a
clear definition of “zero”/absolute zero. When the variable
has a value of zero, it means there is none of that variable
Example: height, weight, age
height = 0 inch  means there is no height
weight = 0 g  means there is no weight
age = 0  means one does not exist yet
 TYPES OF VARIABLES
DISCRETE VARIABLES
Variables that can only take on a finite number of values
All qualitative variables are discrete.
Some quantitative variables are discrete (e.g., performance rated
as 1,2,3,4, or 5)
cannot be divided into fractions

e.g., sex, blood group, or number of children

 DISCRETE VARIABLES
TYPES OF DISCRETE VARIABLES

1. NOMINAL VARIABLE
2. ORDINAL VARIABLE
TYPES OF DISCRETE VARIABLES
NOMINAL VARIABLE
 a variable with no quantitative value
 has two or more categories but does not imply
ordering
(e.g., eye color, religion, business type)
Dichotomous
 a subtype of nominal scale with only 2
categories (e.g. male/female)
TYPES OF DISCRETE VARIABLES

ORDINAL VARIABLE
– a variable that has two or more categories which can be
ranked
(e.g., not very much, much, very much)

“Listening to music while studying”

(never, rarely, sometimes, always)
“educational attainment”
(coding: ES grad = 1, HS grad = 2, college undergrad=3, college grad = 4”
 TYPES OF VARIABLES
INDEPENDENT VARIABLE
 The variable that the researcher has control over and
manipulate
 predictor variable
 the cause variable; the variable that brings about the
changes
DEPENDENT VARIABLE
 the outcome variable
 the result or effect of the changes
 TYPES OF VARIABLES
INTERVENING VARIABLES
 a variable that helps explain the relationship
between two variables
 also called the “mediating variable”
Example:
A researcher is interested in the relationship between level
of education (independent variable) and spending
(dependent variable).
INTERVENING VARIABLE:
Example:
• Joe is a psychologist interested in the relationship between
education and spending. Joe decides to conduct a research
study. Joe's study uses level of education as the independent
variable. Spending is the dependent variable, or the
variable that is being observed or measured for changes that
are thought to be caused by the changes in the independent
variable. After conducting his study, Joe analyzes his results
and finds that there is a relationship between level of
education and spending. Specifically, the higher a person's
level of education, the more money she or he spends.
INTERVENING VARIABLE:
Example:
• But how does this relationship exist? After all, we
know that being highly educated does not directly
cause you to spend more money. To answer this
question, Joe looks to see if there are any intervening
variables. Joe finds that income can explain the
relationship between education and spending.
The higher one's education, the more money one is
likely to make. This means that a person will have
more income left over to spend, which leads to
increased spending.
INTERVENING VARIABLE:
Example:
• In this example, income is the intervening
variable in the relationship between education and
spending.
 Because the intervening variable explains how or
why the independent variable affects the dependent
variable, it is also referred to as the mediating
variable.
 TYPES OF VARIABLES
EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES
 any variables that you are not intentionally
studying in your experiment or test but can
affect the results of the study
 TYPES OF VARIABLES

FOUR TYPES OF EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES:

• Situational Variables
• Participant/Person Variable
• Experimenter/Investigator Effects
• Demand Characteristics
FOUR TYPES OF EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES:
Situational Variables
aspects of the environment that might affect
the participant’s behavior, e.g. noise,
temperature, lighting conditions
Should be controlled so that they the same
for all participants
 TYPES OF VARIABLES

FOUR TYPES OF EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES:

Participant/Person Variable
This refers to the ways in which each
participant varies from the other
Example:
mood, intelligence, anxiety, concentration
If a participant that has performed a memory test was tired,
dyslexic or had poor eyesight, this could affect their
performance and the results of the experiment.
 TYPES OF VARIABLES

FOUR TYPES OF EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES:

Experimenter/Investigator Effects
 The experimenter unconsciously conveys to participants how they
should behave - this is called experimenter bias.
• The experiment might do this by giving unintentional clues to the
participants about what the experiment is about and how they
expect them to behave. This affects the participants’ behavior.
• The experimenter is often totally unaware of the influence which s/he
is exerting and the cues may be very subtle but they may have an
influence nevertheless.
• Also, the personal attributes (e.g. age, gender, accent, manner etc.)
of the experiment can affect the behavior of the participants.
FOUR TYPES OF EXTRANEOUS VARIABLES:
Demand Characteristics
demand characteristics refer to an experimental artifact where
participants form an interpretation of the experiment’s purpose and
unconsciously change their behavior to fit that interpretation.
Participants will be affected by: (i) their surroundings; (ii)
the researcher’s characteristics; (iii) the researcher’s
behavior (e.g. non-verbal communication), and (iv) their
interpretation of what is going on in the situation.
Experimenters should attempt to minimize these factors by
keeping the environment as natural as possible, carefully
following standardized procedures. Finally, perhaps different
experimenters should be used to see if they obtain similar
THE RESEARCH TOPIC/PROBLEM
• Research Problem
–
starting point of any research
– an intellectual stimulus calling or requiring an
answer in the form of scientific inquiry
– may be stated in question form or as a
declarative statement

topics or problems

– general questions about relations among

variables, or characteristics of the phenomenon
IDENTIFYING THE RESEARCH TOPIC/PROBLEM

• Sources of Research Topics/Problems

oPrevailing theories of philosophies
oObservations, intuitions or a combination
of both
oDifferent subjects taken and from them
identify the problem that interests a
student-researcher most
oFields of interest
IDENTIFYING AND STATING THE RESEARCH
TOPIC/PROBLEM
• Sources of Research Topics/Problems

oExisting problems
oExisting needs of the community/society
oRepetition or extension of investigations
already conducted
oRelated studies and literature
oAdvice of authorities or experts from
funding agencies
• Sources of Research Topics/Problems

oOffshoots of friendly conversations

oIncidental from interesting topics of
professors
CRITERIA IN CHOOSING A RESEARCH PROBLEM:
1) It should be something NEW.
2) It must be ORIGINAL.
3) It should be SIGNIFICANT to the field of study
or discipline.
4) It must necessarily arouse INTELLECTUAL
curiosity.
5) It should be of RESEARCHER’s INTEREST.
6) It should be a MODEST ONE for a beginner to
carry on within a limited period.
CRITERIA IN CHOOSING A RESEARCH PROBLEM:
7) It should be CLEAR, not ambiguous.
8) It must be SPECIFIC, not general.
9) It should consider the TRAINING and
PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS of the researcher.
10) Consider the AVAILABILITY OF DATA involved
in the study and the METHODS/TECHNIQUES to
be employed in gathering them.
11) Consider the AVAILABILITY OF EFFECTIVE
INSTRUMENTS for gathering the data.
CRITERIA IN CHOOSING A RESEARCH PROBLEM:
12) Consider the FINANCIAL CAPACITY of the
researcher.
13) Consider the TIME FACTOR involved in
the undertaking.
 WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
RESEARCH TOPIC AND THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE RESEARCH TOPIC
AND THE RESEARCH PROBLEM
RESEARCH TOPIC
 the broad subject matter addressed in the
study

RESEARCH PROBLEM
 an educational issue or problem in the study

RESEARCH QUESTIONS
 questions that the researcher would like
CHOOSING A RESEARCH TOPIC:
1. Choose any topic or topics in the
universe
 consider the sources and criteria
previously discussed
e.g., organic matter
2. Be a little more specific about your
topic
e.g., compost and soil
CHOOSING A RESEARCH TOPIC:
3. Be a lot more specific about your
topic
e.g., soil nutrients released by
organic matter decomposition
Note: Repeat these 3 steps three or
more times to give yourself a few
examples of topics to choose from
NARROWING A RESEARCH TOPIC/PROBLEM:

1. Make one or two more words

more specific.
e.g.,
FROM:
soil nutrients released by organic matter
decomposition
TO:
nitrogen released by food waste decomposition
NARROWING A RESEARCH TOPIC/PROBLEM:
2. Turn the topic into a complete sentence that actually
makes a statement
add few words to make the topic more specific
e.g., The forms of nitrogen released by the decomposition of food
waste is poorly understood.
3. Make the sentence as precise and arguable as
possible.
e.g., The amount and value of plant-available nitrogen released by
decomposition of household food waste is not well understood
because most home composters do not have the tools to measure
soil nutrients.
NARROWING A RESEARCH TOPIC/PROBLEM:
1. Topic Beer
2. Describe your topic more Beer and microorganisms
specifically
3. Name a specific aspect of a The quality of beer and
specific topic the quality of
microorganisms needed
to brew it properly
4. Write down additional specific
about your topic. brewing quality tasting
beer and the health of
the colonies of yeast
used to brew small
batches of beer properly.
NARROWING A RESEARCH TOPIC/PROBLEM:
5. Turn your topic into a sentence The quality of small batches of
that is a statement. beer is affected by the overall
health of the yeast used during
fermentation

6. Now add "fine" focus to A survey of

your statement by making microbrewers suggests
a statement that can that beer taste is
(although it does not equally affected by the
necessarily need to) refer health of yeast used
back to your research. during fermentation as
it is by the quality of the
grains used.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

TYPES OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

Questions that:
1. describe the results of your variables
2. compare two or more groups on the independent v
ariable in terms of the dependent variable
3. relate two or more variables
RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

GUIDELINES FOR WRITING RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

1. Pose a question. Begin with “how”, “what”, or

“why”.
2. Specify the independent, dependent, and
mediating or control variables.
3. Use the words describe, compare, or relate to
indicate the action of connection among variables
4. Indicate the participants and the research site for
the study.
DIFFERENCES AMONG TOPIC, PROBLEM, PURPOSE, AND QUESTIONS

GENERAL TOPIC Distance

Learning
RESEARCH Lack of Students in Distance
PROBLEM
Classes

To study why students do not

PURPOSE
attend distance education
STATEMEN
T classes at a community college

RESEARCH Does the use of Web Site

QUESTION technology in the classroom
SPECIFIC S deter students from enrolling
in a distance education class?
ACTIVITY:
1. Form a group of 4 members.
2. Think of any possible research topic.
3. Narrow the chosen research topic.
4. Formulate the research problem.
5. State the purpose of the study.
6. Formulate the research questions that you
would like answered/addressed in the
study.
GENERAL TOPIC:
______________________________
NARROWED/SPECIFIC
TOPIC:__________________
RESEARCH PROBLEM:
_________________________
PURPOSE: _____________________________________
Research Questions (that you would like to
find answers to in regards to your topic):
1.What?
2.Why?