Quantitative Research Methods

1. Descriptive or survey research - studies phenomenon/issues and problems as they

exist at one point in time. It involves making careful descriptions of phenomenon in

languages and literature. It is concerned with “what is.”

a. Characteristics of a descriptive or survey research

i) information is collected from a group of people in order to

describe some aspects or characteristics such as abilities,

opinions, attitudes, beliefs, and/or knowledge of the population

of which that group is a part

ii) information is collected through asking questions; the answers

to these question by the members of the group constitute the

data of the study

iii) information is collected from a sample rather than from every

member of the population

b. Purposes of descriptive research

i) Presents description for purposes of policy formulation

ii) Helps in improving existing conditions

c. Types of surveys

i) Longitudinal Survey – involves collecting data from a sample at

different points in time in ordr to study changes or continuity in

the samples’charactiristics.

 Trend studies – describe change by selecting a different

sample at each data collection point from a population

that does not remain constant

  Cohort studies – describe change by selecting a

different sample at each data collection point from a

population that remains constant

 Panel studies – this involves selecting a sample at the

outset of the study and then at each subsequent data-

collection point surveying the same samples is done

 Cross-sectional studies- the data are obtained at one

point in time, but from groups of different ages or at

different stages of development

ii) Cross- sectional survey – collects information from a sample

that has been drawn from a predetermined population. The

information is collected at just one point in time, although the

time it takes to collect all the data desired may take anywhere

from a day to a few weeks or more.

d. Types of Instruments in Survey Research

i) Questionnaire

 Types of questions - the nature of the questions, and

the way they are asked, are extremely important in the

research survey:

1. Closed-ended questions are easy to use, score, and

code for analysis on a computer. Since all subjects

respond to the same opinions; standardized data are

provided.
 2. Open-ended questions- allow for more individualized

responses, but they are sometimes difficult to interpret.

They are also often hard to score, since so many

different kinds of responses are received.

ii) Interview Schedule - a measure that specifies the questions to

be asked of each research participant, the sequence in which

they are to be asked, and guidelines for what the interviewer is

to say at the opening and closing of the interview

2. Correlational Research – a type of investigation that seeks to discover the direction

and magnitude of the relationship among variables through the use of correlational

statistics.

a. Purposes of correlational research

i) to clarify our understanding of important phenomenon

through the identification of relationships among variables

ii) to predict a score on either variable if a score on the other

variables is known

b. Scattergram or scatter plot – is a pictorial representation of the

correlation between two variables. The scattergram tells the type

of correlation evident between the two variables.

i) Perfect correlation

ii) Positive correlation

iii) Negative correlation

iv) Absence of correlation

3. Causal- comparative or ex post facto research – determines the cause, or reason

for existing differences on the behavior or status of groups

4. Experimental research- provides a systematic and logical methods for answering

the question on what will happen if experiments are done in carefully controlled

conditions. In this study, the researchers manipulate certain stimuli, treatments or

affected or changed.

a. Types of Experimental designs

i) Pre-experiments - the least adequate of designs is

characterized by: (1) lack of a control group; (2) failure to

provide for the equivalence of a control group

Some examples of pre- experimental designs are:

 One-shot case study design - a type of experimental

design in which an experiment treatment is

administered and then a posttest is administered to

measure the effects of the treatment.

X O

X= treatment O= Observation

(Dependent Variable)

 One- group, pretest-posttest design - a type of

experiment in which all participants are exposed to the

same conditions; measurement of the dependent

variable (pretest), implementation of the experimental

treatment, and another measurement of the dependent

variable (posttest)
 O1 X O2

O1= pretest O2= posttest

 Static- group comparison design - this design compares

the status of a group that has received an experimental

treatment with one that has not. There is no provision

for establishing the equivalence of the experimental

and control groups. In some books, this design is

classified under the quasi-experimental design.

X O

C O

ii) Quasi- Experiment- these designs provide control of

when and to whom the measurement is applied, but

because random assignment to experiment and

treatment groups has not been applied, the equivalence

of the groups is not assured. Some examples of

experimental designs are:

 Time series design - a type of experiment in which a

particular behavior of an individual or a group is

measured at periodic intervals, and the experimental

treatment is administered one or more times between

those intervals

e.g. O1O2O3O4O5O6O7O8
  Pretest-posttest nonequivalent – groups design this

design is often used in classroom experiments when

experimental and control groups are naturally

assembled groups as intact classes which maybe similar.

The difference between the mean score of the O1 and

O2 scores and the difference between the mean of the

O3 and O4 are tested for statistical significance.

e.g. O1 X O2 O1O2= pretest

O3 C O4 O2O4= posttest

ii) True- Experimental design – in this design the subjects are

randomly assigned to treatment groups. Examples of these are:

 Posttest-only control-group design – a type of

experiment that includes three phases: a) random

assignment of research participants to the experimental

and control groups; b) administration of the treatment

to the experimental group and either no treatment or

an alternative treatment to the control group; and c)

administration of a measure of the dependent variable

to both groups.

Treatment group R X1 O

Control group R X2 O

 Pretest-posttest Control Group Design – this differs

from the posttest only control group design solely in the

 use of a pretest. Two groups of subjects are used, with

both groups being measured or observed twice.

Treatment Group R O X1 O

Control Group R O X2 O

 Solomon four-group design – a type of experiment

involving two treatment groups and two control groups,

so that the researcher can determine the effect of both

the treatment variable and the pretest on the

dependent variable.

Treatment Group R O X1 O

Control Group R O X2 O

Treatment Group R X1 O

Control Group R X2 O

b. Tests in an experimental research

i) Pre-test – a measure that is administered prior to an

experimental treatment or other intervention

ii) Posttest – a measure that is administered following an

experiment or control treatment or other intervention in order

to determine the effects of the intervention

c. Groupings in an Experimental Research

i) Control group – a group of research participants who receive no

treatment or an alternate treatment so that the effect of

extraneous variables can be determined.

ii) Experimental Group - a group of research participants who

receive treatment