Quantitative Research

What is Quantitative Research?

• Quantitative Research involves the use of
computational, statistical, and mathematical
tools to derive results.
• It is conclusive in its purpose as it tries to
quantify the problem and understand how
prevalent it is by looking for projectable
results to a larger population.
 What is Quantitative Research?
• qualitative research is generally more explorative,
a type of research that is dependent on the
collection of verbal, behavioral or observational
data that can be interpreted in a subjective
manner. It has a wide scope and is typically used
to explore the causes of potential problems that
may exist.
• Qualitative research typically provides insights on
several aspects of a marketing problem. It often
either precede or be conducted after quantitative
research, depending on the study’s objectives.
 How can we prepare for Data
Collection in Quantitative Research?
• Data preparation includes determining the
objective of data collection, methods of obtaining
information, and the sequence of data collection
activities.
• One of the most important aspect in this process
is selecting the right sample for data collection.
The data is then carefully collected from only
those people who are most relevant to the
objectives of the study. Known as a target
segment, this sample is a group of people who
are similar across a variety of variables.
Variables for Quantitative Research
• Independent variables (IV).
• Dependent variables (DV).
• Sample variables.
• Extraneous variables.
 Independent Variables
• Independent variables (IV) are those that are
suspected of being the cause in a causal
relationship. If you are asking a cause and
effect question, your IV will be the variable (or
variables if more than one) that you suspect
causes the effect.
 Two main Sorts of IV
• Active IV are interventions or conditions that are
being applied to the participants. A special
tutorial for the third graders, a new therapy for
clients, or a new training program being tested on
employees would be active IVs.
• Attribute IV are intrinsic characteristics of the
participants that are suspected of causing a
result. For example, if you are examining whether
gender—which is intrinsic to the participants—
results in higher or lower scores on some skill,
gender is an attribute IV.
 What is Level?
• Both types of IV can have what are called
levels. For example:
– In the example above, the active IV special
tutorial, receiving the tutorial is one level, and tutorial
withheld (control) is a second level.
– In the same example, being a third grader would be an
attribute IV. It could be defined as only one level—
being in third grade—or you might wish to define it
with more than one level, such as first half of third
grade and second half of third grade. Indeed, that
attribute IV could take many more, for example, if you
wished to look at each month of third grade.
 Independent Variables
• Independent variables are frequently called
different things depending on the nature of
the research question. In predictive questions
where a variable is thought to predict another
but it is not yet appropriate to ask whether
it causes the other, the IV is usually called
a predictor or criterion variable rather than an
independent variable.
 Dependent Variable (DV)
• Dependent variables are those that are influenced by
the independent variables. If you ask,"Does A cause [or
predict or influence or affect, and so on] B?," then B is
the dependent variable (DV).
• Dependent variables are variables that depend on or
are influenced by the independent variables.
• They are outcomes or results of the influence of the
independent variable.
• Dependent variables answer the question: What do I
observe happening when I apply the intervention?
• The dependent variable receives the intervention.
 Dependent Variable (DV)
• They are outcomes or results of the influence
of the independent variable.
• Dependent variables answer the question:
What do I observe happening when I apply
the intervention?
• The dependent variable receives the
intervention.
 Dependent Variable (DV)
• In questions where full causation is not
assumed, such as a predictive question or a
question about differences between groups
but no manipulation of an IV, the dependent
variables are usually called outcome variables,
and the independent variables are usually
called the predictor or criterion variables.
 Sample Variable (SV)
• In some studies, some characteristic of the
participants must be measured for some
reason, but that characteristic is not the IV or
the DV. In this case, these are called sample
variables.
 Sample Variable (SV)
• For example, suppose you are investigating
whether servant leadership style affects
organizational performance and successful
financial outcomes. In order to obtain a
sample of servant leaders, a standard test of
leadership style will be administered. So the
presence or absence of servant leadership
style will be a sample variable. That score is
not used as an IV or a DV, but simply to get
the appropriate people into the sample.
 Sample Variable (SV)
• When there is no measure of a characteristic
of the participants, the characteristic is called
a "sample characteristic." When the
characteristic must be measured, it is called a
"sample variable."
 Extraneous Variables (EV)
• Extraneous variables are not of interest to the
study but may influence the dependent
variable. For this reason, most quantitative
studies attempt to control extraneous
variables. The literature should inform you
what extraneous variables to account for.
 Extraneous Variables (EV)
• There is a special class of extraneous variables
called confounding variables. These are variables
that can cause the effect we are looking for if
they are not controlled for, resulting in a false
finding that the IV is effective when it is not. In a
study of changes in skill levels in a group of
workers after a training program, if the follow-up
measure is taken relatively late after the training,
the simple effect of practicing the skills might
explain improved scores, and the training might
be mistakenly thought to be successful when it
was not.
 Data Collection Tools for Quantitative
Research
• Experiments
• Surveys or Questionaire
 Data Analysis Process
• The analysis of statistical data requires
systematic tools and processes to be
conducted. Many analytical tools exist such as
independent sample t-tests, correlated t-tests,
variance calculations, and regression analysis
that can be used to derive results from the
data.
 TYPES OF QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH DESIGNS

1. Exploratory
2. Descriptive
3. Causal
 Exploratory Research Design
-Used to establish an initial understanding or
background information.
-Described as an informal or unstructured
way of investigation.
-Investigator can use the ff.
a. Library search d. focus groups
b. Experiences e. Internet search
c. Case analysis f. opinionaires
 Exploratory Research Design
-Secondary data such as books,
journals, proceedings, newsletters,
magazines can be used.
-Experiences and situations of people
and unstructured discussions.
-If the sample size in exploratory is
small, the results cannot generalized
the population
 Exploratory Research Design
Examples:
a. Conformity of Human behavior
 Descriptive Research Design
-Used to gather information on current
situations and conditions.
-Provide accurate data after subjecting
to rigorous procedure and using large
amounts of data.
-Dependent on high amount of data
collection instrumentation:
a. SURVEY
b. INTERVIEWS
 Descriptive Research Design
Polit and Hungles (1999) classified
descriptive research designs as:
a. Survey research design
b. Correlation research
c. Evaluation research
 Descriptive Research Design
a. Survey research design – used in
securing opinions and trends through the
use of questionnaires and interviews. It
can be face-to-face or online.
b. Correlation research – used to determine
the existence of relationship between
two or more variables and their degree
of relationship.
Example: mental ability and grade in Math,
income and expenses
 Descriptive Research Design
c. Evaluation Research – conducted to
elicit useful feedback from a variety if
respondents
Two Types:
I. Formative –used to determine the
quality of implementation of a project,
the efficiency or effective of a program
and assessment of organizational
processes
 Descriptive Research Design
II. Summative Evaluation – it is done
after the implementation of a
program. It examines the outcomes,
products or effects of a program.
 Formative Evaluation
a. Needs Assessment – Remedial
program
b. Process Evaluation – evaluates the
process of implementation (SIS)
c. Implementation Evaluation –
Evaluates the effectiveness and
efficiency of program or project
d. Program Monitoring – K to 12 Educ.
Program
 Summative Evaluation
a. Secondary Data Analysis –
examine existing data for
analysis
b. Impact Evaluation
c. Outcome Evaluation
 Causal Research Design
-It is used to measure the impact that
IV has on another variable and
explain how they are obtained.
-Identify the extent and nature of
cause-effect relationships
-Example: A restaurant owner may
want to find out why he/she has
fewer customers than their
neighboring restaurants.
 Causal Research Design
-It is used to measure the impact that
IV has on another variable and
explain how they are obtained.
-Identify the extent and nature of
cause-effect relationships
-Example: A restaurant owner may
want to find out why he/she has
fewer customers than their
neighboring restaurants.
Points of Exploratory Descriptive Causal
Comparison Research Research Research
Sample Size Small non- Large Large
representativerepresentative representative
sample sample sample
Type of Research Hypothesis is Hypothesis is
hypothesis questions onlynon directional
directional
Data Data may not Data are Data are
management be statistically statistically statistically
and measurable measurable measurable
measurement
s