Practical Research 2 (Nature of Inquiry and Research)

INTRODUCTION TO QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

Research method is classified into two main types: quantitative and qualitative. While both methods utilize a specific data gathering
procedure, the former is generally concerned with understanding phenomenon relating to or involving quality or kind. The latter, on
the other hand, is based on the measurement or quantity. In this module, we will focus on quantitative methods of research and its
different kinds.
Quantitative research uses scientifically collected and statistically analyzed data to investigate observable phenomena. A
phenomenon is any existing or observable fact or situation that we want to unearth further or understand. It is scientific for the fact
that it uses a scientific method in designing and collecting numerical data.
Characteristics of Quantitative Research
Quantitative research is commonly used in natural sciences research problems because of the following characteristics:
1. Large Sample Size. To obtain more meaningful statistical result, the data must come from a large sample size.
2. Objectivity. Data gathering and analysis of results are done accurately, objectively, and are unaffected by the researcher’s
intuition and personal guesses.
3. Concise Visual Presentation. Data is numerical which makes presentation through graphs, charts, and tables possible and with
better conveyance and interpretation.
4. Faster Data Analysis. The use of a statistical tools gives way for a less time-consuming data analysis.
5. Generalized Data. Data taken from a sample can be applied to the population if sampling is done accordingly, i.e., sufficient size
and random samples were taken.
6. Fast and Easy Data Collection. Depending on the type of data needed, collection can be quick and easy. Quantitative research
uses standardized research instruments that allow the researcher to collect data from a large sample size efficiently. For instance, a
single survey form can be administered simultaneously to collect various measurable characteristics like age, gender, socio-
economic status, etc.
7. Reliable Data. Data is taken and analyzed objectively from a sample as a representative of the population, making it more credible
and reliable for policymaking and decision making.
8. High Replicability. The Quantitative method can be repeated to verify findings enhancing its validity, free from false or immature
conclusions.
Advantages of Quantitative Research
The following are the advantages of quantitative research or its strengths:
1. Very objective
2. Numerical and quantifiable data can be used to predict outcomes.
3. Findings are generalizable to the population.
4. There is conclusive establishment of cause and effect
5. Fast and easy data analysis using statistical software.
6. Fast and easy data gathering
7. Quantitative research can be replicated or repeated.
8. Validity and reliability can be established
Disadvantages of Quantitative Research
The following are the disadvantages of quantitative research or its weaknesses:
1. It lacks the necessary data to explore a problem or concept in depth.
2. It does not provide comprehensive explanation of human experiences.
3. Some information cannot be described by numerical data such as feelings, and beliefs.
4. The research design is rigid and not very flexible.
5. The participants are limited to choose only from the given responses.
6. The respondents may tend to provide inaccurate responses.
7. A large sample size makes data collection more costly.

Kinds of Quantitative Research

Quantitative research is a broad spectrum that it can be classified into smaller and more specific kinds: descriptive, correlational, ex
post facto, quasi-experimental, and experimental.
Descriptive design is used to describe a particular phenomenon by observing it as it occurs in nature. There is no experimental
manipulation, and the researcher does not start with a hypothesis. The goal of descriptive research is only to describe the person or
object of the study. An example of descriptive research design is “the determination of the different kinds of physical activities and
how often high school students do it during the quarantine period.”
The correlational design identifies the relationship between variables. Data is collected by observation since it does not consider the
cause and effect, for example, the relationship between the amount of physical activity done and student academic achievement.
Ex post facto design is used to investigate a possible relationship between previous events and present conditions. The term “Ex
post facto” which means after the fact, looks at the possible causes of an already occurring phenomenon. Just like the first two,
there is no experimental manipulation in this design. An example of this is “How does the parent’s academic achievement affect the
children obesity?”
A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN is used to establish the cause-and-effect relationship of variables. Although it resembles the
experimental design, the quasi-experimental has lesser validity due to the absence of random selection and assignment of subjects.
Here, the independent variable is identified but not manipulated. The researcher does not modify pre-existing groups of subjects.
The group exposed to treatment (experimental) is compared to the group unexposed to treatment (control): example, the effects of
unemployment on attitude towards following safety protocol in ECQ declared areas.
Experimental design like quasi- experimental is used to establish the cause-and-effect relationship of two or more variables. This
design provides a more conclusive result because it uses random assignment of subjects and experimental manipulations. For
example, a comparison of the effects of various blended learning to the reading comprehension of elementary pupils.
A Variable is anything that has a quantity or quality that varies. For instance, during the quarantine period, your mother
planted tomato seedlings in pots. Now common understanding from science tells you that several factors are affecting
the growth of tomatoes: sunlight, water, kind of soil, and nutrients in soil. How fast the tomato seedlings will grow and
bear fruits will depend on these factors. The growth of tomatoes and the number of fruits produced are examples of the
Dependent Variables. The amount of sunlight, water, and nutrients in the soil are the Independent Variables. If there is
an existing relationship between the independent and dependent variables, then the value of the dependent variable
varies in response to the manipulation done on the independent variable. The independent variable is also identified as
the presumed cause while the dependent variable is the presumed effect. In an experimental quantitative design, the
independent variable is pre-defined and manipulated by the researcher while the dependent variable is observed and
measured. For descriptive, correlational, and ex post facto quantitative research designs, independent and dependent
variables simply do not apply.

It is important to note other factors that may influence the outcome (dependent variable) not manipulated or pre-
defined by the researcher. These factors are called Extraneous Variables. In our example above, the presence of pests
and environmental stressors (e.g. pets, extreme weather) are the extraneous variables. Since extraneous variables may
affect the result of the experiment, it is crucial for the researcher to identify them prior to conducting the experiment
and control them in such a way that they do not threaten the internal validity (i.e. accurate conclusion) of the result.
Controlling the extraneous variable can be done by holding it constant or distribute its effect across the treatment.
When the researcher fails to control the extraneous variable that it caused considerable effect to the outcome, the
extraneous variable becomes a Confounding Variable. For example, if the tomato had been infested by pests
(confounding variable) then you cannot conclude that manipulations in sunlight, water, and soil nutrients (independent
variable) are the only contributing factors for the stunted growth and poor yield (dependent variable) of the plant or is it
the result of both the independent variables and the confounding variable.

Quantitative Variables, also called numerical variables, are the type of variables used in quantitative research because
they are numeric and can be measured. Under this category are discrete and continuous variables.
A. Discrete variables are countable whole numbers. It does not take negative values or values between fixed points. For
example: number of students in a class, group size and frequency.
B. Continuous variables take fractional (non-whole number) values that can either be a positive or a negative. Example:
height, temperature.
Numerical data have two levels of measurement, namely:
A. Intervals are quantitative variables where the interval or differences between consecutive values are equal and
meaningful, but the numbers are arbitrary. For example, the difference between 36 degrees and 37 degrees is the same
as between 100 degrees and 101 degrees. The zero point does not suggest the absence of a property being measured.
Temperature at 0 degree Celsius is assigned as the melting point of ice. Other examples of interval data would be year
and IQ score.
B. Ratio type of data is similar to interval. The only difference is the presence of a true zero value. The zero point in this
scale indicates the absence of the quantity being measured. Examples are age, height, weight, and distance.