INTRO DU C T I O N T O

QU AN T I TA T I V E
RESEARCH
Donamel M. Saiyari, PhD
October 14, 2023

POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
ØDefine quantitative research;
ØDescribe the four types of quantitative research;
ØDiscuss reliability and validity in research;
ØIdentify the steps of the research process ; and
ØIdentify the parts of a research paper.
QUANTITATIVE VS. QUALITATIVE
QUANTITATIVE VS. QUALITATIVE
TYPES OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

• DESCRIPTIVE
• CORRELATIONAL
• QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL
• EXPERIMENTAL
DESCRIPTIVE STUDIES
• EXPLORE AND DESCRIBE “REAL-LIFE” PHENOMENA
• LARGE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
• NATURAL SETTING
• NO MANIPULATION OF VARIABLES
• GOALS:
1. CONCEPT IDENTIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION
2. IDENTIFICATION OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CONCEPTS
3. HYPOTHESIS GENERATING
DESCRIPTIVE STUDIES
• EXPLORE AND DESCRIBE “REAL-LIFE” PHENOMENA
• LARGE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
• NATURAL SETTING
• NO MANIPULATION OF VARIABLES
• GOALS:
1. CONCEPT IDENTIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION
2. IDENTIFICATION OF RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN CONCEPTS
3. HYPOTHESIS GENERATING
 CORRELATIONAL STUDIES

• INVESTIGATE AND DESCRIBE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN OR AMONG VARIABLES

• RELATIONSHIPS CAN BE POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE
• DO NOT DETERMINE CAUSE AND EFFECT
• DO NOT TEST INTERVENTIONS
• GOALS:
1. EXPLORE RELATIONSHIPS OR ASSOCIATIONS
2. HYPOTHESIS GENERATING
QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES

• EXAMINE CAUSAL RELATIONSHIPS OR DETERMINE THE EFFECT OF

ONE VARIABLE ON ANOTHER
• INTERVENTIONS OR TREATMENTS ARE TESTED
• LESS CONTROL OF VARIABLES THAN IN EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES
• NO RANDOM ASSIGNMENT
 EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES

• HIGHLY CONTROLLED, SYSTEMATIC DESIGN

• EXAMINES CAUSALITY
• THREE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS:
1. CONTROLLED MANIPULATION OF AN INDEPENDENT (TREATMENT) VARIABLE
2. COMPARISON OF A TREATMENT GROUP (PARTICIPANTS EXPOSED TO TREATMENT) AND A CONTR
GROUP (UNEXPOSED TO TREATMENT)
3. RANDOM ASSIGNMENT
WHAT IS QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH?
ØFormal
ØSystematic
ØObjective
ØRigorous
 RIGOR & CONTROL
• RIGOR – EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH ATTAINED BY STRICT ATTENTION TO DETAIL AND
METHODS
• PRECISION – ACCURACY, DETAIL, AND ORDER
• CONTROL – STRATEGIES TO INCREASE ACCURACY OF RESULTS AND DECREASE THE
PROBABILITY OF ERRORS IN RESEARCH
• EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES HAVE HIGHEST DEGREE OF CONTROL
• A RESEARCHER SELECTS A DESIGN THAT CAN ACHIEVE THE GREATEST CONTROL AND
ANSWER THE RESEARCH QUESTION
 RELIABILITY & VALIDITY
• RELIABILITY = CONSISTENCY
• VALIDITY = DOES THE MEASURE ACCURATELY REPRESENT THE REAL WORLD?
• CLINICAL SCENARIO: A HEALTHY, 25 YEAR OLD MAN THAT IS WALKING
AROUND THE EXAMINE ROOM BEFORE HIS APPOINTMENT.
• EVERY TIME THE ELECTRONIC BLOOD PRESSURE DEVICE MEASURES HIS BLOOD
PRESSURE IT READS 60/30.

• IS THE DEVICE RELIABLE? IS THE DEVICE VALID?

 THE RESEARCH PROCESS
• QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH IS FORMAL AND
SYSTEMATIC
• INVOLVES ALL THE STAGES OF A
RESEARCH PROJECT
• CULMINATES IN THE DISSEMINATION OF
FINDINGS
RESEARCH PROCESS
RESEARCH PROCESS

1. Review literature

2. Identify a problem

3. Design study

4. Collect Data

5. Analyze data

6. Interpret results
CONTENTS OF A RESEARCH REPORT
• ABSTRACT – BRIEF SUMMARY
• INTRODUCTION – BACKGROUND INFORMATION, STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM AND YOUR
PURPOSE FOR CONDUCTING THE STUDY
• METHODS – HOW DID YOU DO YOUR STUDY
• RESULTS – WHAT DID YOU FIND
• DISCUSSION- WHAT DO YOU THINK IT MEANS AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO THE REST OF
US, LIMITATIONS
• MAY INCLUDE: IMPLICATIONS AND/OR CONCLUSIONS

• REFERENCES – GIVE CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!