Practical Research 2

Strengths and Weaknesses

of Quantitative Research
Contents

Quantitative Research in Various Fields

Strengths of Quantitative Research

Weaknesses of Quantitative Research

Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research

Mixed Method of Research

 Quantitative Research in
Various Fields
Quantitative research is the systematic empirical
investigation of observable phenomena via statistical,
mathematical, or computational techniques.

(Wikipedia contributors, 2020)

Strengths of Quantitative Research
1
Testing and validating already constructed theories
about how and why phenomena occur. (Miller, 2020)

Laboratory in Wuhan, China

BATS (Zhang et al., 2020, p. 122065)

RaTG13, a bat
sarbecovirus Yunnan
Province of China 96.2%
Strengths of Quantitative Research
2
Testing hypotheses that are constructed before the data
are collected. (Miller, 2020)

Effective or not?
Safe of not?
Strengths of Quantitative Research
3
It is useful for studying large numbers of people.
(Miller, 2020)

LAW OF LARGE NUMBERS

 Strengths of Quantitative Research
4
Can generalize research findings when the data are
based on random samples of sufficient size. (Miller, 2020)

Single
Blind
Double
Blind
Strengths of Quantitative Research
5 Can generalize a research finding when it has been
replicated on many different population and
subpopulation. (Miller, 2020)
 Strengths of Quantitative Research
6
Useful for obtaining data that allow quantitative
predictions to be made. (Miller, 2020)

COVID CASES (End Month)

Month Actual Prediction
JUNE 37 514 40 000
JULY 96 369 60 000
AUGUST 220 781 220 000
SEPTEMBER 311 664 310 000
(Department of Health - Philippines, 2020)
 Strengths of Quantitative Research
7 The researcher may construct a situation that eliminates
the confounding influence of many variables, allowing one
to establish cause and effect relationship credibly. (Miller, 2020)

Participants

Participant Selection (Criteria)

18 – 30 years old
Healthy Adults
Not high risk exposed
Strengths of Quantitative Research
8
Data collection using some quantitative methods is
relatively quick. (Miller, 2020)

CONTACT TRACING

HEALTH HOTLINE

QR CODES
MOVEMENT TRACKER

TEST RESULTS
CONSOLIDATION
Strengths of Quantitative Research
9
Data analysis is relatively less time consuming. (Miller, 2020)
Strengths of Quantitative Research
10
The research results are relatively independent of the
researcher. (Miller, 2020)
Weaknesses of Quantitative Research
1
The researcher’s categories that are used might not
reflect local constituencies’ understandings. (Miller, 2020)

Fear of COVID19

Rate your experience in

dealing with COVID19
Pandemic

Strongly Disagree Neutral Agree Strongly

Disagree Agree
1 2 3 4 5

I find working from home allows me to spend more time with my family.
Weaknesses of Quantitative Research
2
Inability to control the environment. (Miller, 2020)

Date Implemented
Enhanced Community
Quarantine
 Weaknesses of Quantitative Research
3 The researcher might miss out on phenomena occurring
because of the focus on theory or hypothesis testing
rather than on theory or hypothesis generation. (Miller, 2020)

(Rigby, 2020)
 Weaknesses of Quantitative Research
3 The researcher might miss out on phenomena occurring
because of the focus on theory or hypothesis testing
rather than on theory of hypothesis generation. (Miller, 2020)

(Rigby, 2020)
 Weaknesses of Quantitative Research
3 The researcher might miss out on phenomena occurring
because of the focus on theory or hypothesis testing
rather than on theory of hypothesis generation. (Miller, 2020)

(Rigby, 2020)
 Weaknesses of Quantitative Research
3 The researcher might miss out on phenomena occurring
because of the focus on theory or hypothesis testing
rather than on theory of hypothesis generation. (Miller, 2020)

(Rigby, 2020)
 Weaknesses of Quantitative Research
3 The researcher might miss out on phenomena occurring
because of the focus on theory or hypothesis testing
rather than on theory of hypothesis generation. (Miller, 2020)

(Rigby, 2020)
 Weaknesses of Quantitative Research
3 The researcher might miss out on phenomena occurring
because of the focus on theory or hypothesis testing
rather than on theory of hypothesis generation. (Miller, 2020)

(Rigby, 2020)
 Weaknesses of Quantitative Research
3 The researcher might miss out on phenomena occurring
because of the focus on theory or hypothesis testing
rather than on theory of hypothesis generation. (Miller, 2020)

(Rigby, 2020)
Weaknesses of Quantitative Research
4 Knowledge produced might be too abstract and general
for direct application to specific local situations,
contexts, and individuals. (Miller, 2020)
Weaknesses of Quantitative Research
5
Does not consider the meaning behind social
phenomena. (Miller, 2020)
Weaknesses of Quantitative Research
6 This type of research requires the model performance
to be monitored on constant basis to ensure its
compliance with the original hypotheses. (Miller, 2020)

Laboratory
Studies Drug approved
Clinical Trial

Drug approved testing Drug Submitted for

for humans FDA Approval
Weaknesses of Quantitative Research
7
Quantitative research studies can be very expensive.
(Miller, 2020)

Exploratory
Stage

Pre-Clinical
Stage

Phase
I – III

FDA
Approval
2009 – US $24 billion
Phase IV
2016 – US $56 billion
(Vaccine Development, Testing, and
Regulation | History of Vaccines, n.d.)
Manufacturing

Distribution
Weaknesses of Quantitative Research
8
Answer validity always creates a cloud of doubt on the
results. (Miller, 2020)

Hospital

Questionnaire Specimen

Testing
Centers
Weaknesses of Quantitative Research
8
Answer validity always creates a cloud of doubt on the
results. (Miller, 2020)

Hospital

Questionnaire Specimen

Testing
Centers
Weaknesses of Quantitative Research
9
Individual characteristics don’t always apply to the
general population. (Miller, 2020)
Weaknesses of Quantitative Research
10
Difficulty setting up a research model. (Miller, 2020)

Bias External Forces

Errors in set-up and execution
Researcher
Quantitative vs. Qualitative
Research
Large Small
Group Group

Rigid Quantitativ Qualitative Flexible

e

Test Generate
Numbers Words
Theories Theories
 The BIG QUESTION is…

What type of Research

Quantitative Qualitative is more appropriate to
Research VS.
Research
use?

Is a research approach whereby

Mixed researchers collect and analyze both
Research quantitative and qualitative data within
the same study.
 How Mixed Research works?
Quantitative
Research

Mixed
Approaches Results compared,
Sampling Technique
Data Collection
integrated and Research
interpreted
Data Analysis

Qualitative
Research
Older Adults’ Experience of the
COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-
Methods Analysis of Stresses and
Joys
(Whitehead & Torossian, 2020)

Research Design and Methods

An online survey asked 825 U.S. adults aged 60 and older to complete
questionnaires assessing 3 psychological well-being indicators: perceived
stress, negative affect, and positive affect. Participants also responded to open-
ended questions about what was stressful and what brought joy or comfort at
the time of the survey.
Qualitative Research revealed 20 stress categories and 21
joy/comfort categories. The most commonly reported stressors
were confinement/restrictions, concern for others, and
isolation/loneliness; the most commonly reported sources of
joy/comfort were family/friend relationships, digital social
contact, and hobbies.
Quantitative Research Independent t tests revealed stress from
concern for others, the unknown future, and contracting the
virus to be significantly associated with poorer psychological
well-being; faith, exercise/self-care, and nature were
associated with more positive psychological well-being.
Thank You!
Next topic is …
Types of Quantitative
Research

Non-experimental Experimental

Causal -
Descriptive Correlational Pre - Quasi - True
Comparative
experimental Experimental Experimental
References
Web Links

Miller, B. (2020, January 24). 15 Advantages and Disadvantages of Quantitative

Research. Green Garage. https://greengarageblog.org/15-advantages-and-
disadvantages-of-quantitative-research
Rigby, S. (2020, October 12). Coronavirus can survive for 28 days on phone screens
and banknotes. BBC Science Focus Magazine.
https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/coronavirus-can-survive-for-28-days-on-
phone-screens-and-banknotes/
Vaccine Development, Testing, and Regulation | History of Vaccines. (n.d.). History of
Vaccine. Retrieved September 22, 2020, from
https://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/articles/vaccine-development-testing-
and-regulation
Wikipedia contributors. (2020, August 2). Quantitative research. Wikipedia.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quantitative_research#:%7E:text=In%20natural%2
0and%20social%20sciences,%2C%20mathematical%2C%20or%20computationa
l%20techniques.
Journal

Brenda R Whitehead, PhD, Emily Torossian, BA, Older Adults’ Experience of the
COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Stresses and Joys, The
Gerontologist, , gnaa126, https://doi.org/10.1093/geront/gnaa126
Zhang, T., Wu, Q., & Zhang, Z. (2020). Probable Pangolin Origin of SARS-CoV-2
Associated with the COVID-19 Outbreak. Current Biology, 30(7), 1346-1351.e2.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2020.03.022

Image

Department of Health (Philippines). (2020, September 22). Total Coronavirus Cases in

the Philippines [Graph]. Worldometer.
https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/philippines/