Myers Chapter5 Ed8

1
Business Research Methods
Chapter 4
Quantitative Research
Copyright © 2018, 2012, 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. All Rights Reserved
2
Learning Objectives
5.1 Summarize the questions asked when developing a research design.
5.2 Differentiate between the various categorizations of research discussed in

Chapter 1 and in this chapter.
5.3 Contrast the features of cross-sectional, pretest-posttest, and longitudinal

research designs.
5.4 Compare the types of knowledge targeted in exploratory, descriptive, and

explanatory research studies.
5.5 Identify the similarities and differences between pre-experimental,

experimental, and quasi-experimental research designs.
5.6 Assess the qualities of a good research design, with reference to the
importance of internal and external validity.
3
What is Research Design?

 A research design is a plan to attempt to find the answers to the researcher’s
questions and/or to test research hypotheses that were formulated.
 Includes:
 How research sample will be selected
 How and when variables will be measured
 How data will be analyzed, and
 How findings will be disseminated
4
Different Categorizations of Research

Designs
 In Chapter 1, we looked at:
• Basic and applied research
• Qualitative and quantitative research
 This chapter will focus on:

• Cross-sectional, pretest-posttest, or longitudinal
• Exploratory, descriptive, or explanatory
• Pre-experimental, experimental, or quasi-experimental
5
Cross-Sectional Research Design

 Variables are measured just one time and as simultaneously as possible.
 Conclusions may include a description of the distribution of certain variables.
 May answer questions or hypotheses regarding the relationship between

variables.
6
Pre-test Post-test Research Designs

 Variables are measured two times, generally before and after some event.
 The event is usually an intervention that is offered to the client or some life
experience to which the client is exposed.
 Allows us to measure the amount of change that occurred between the first
and second measurement.
7
Longitudinal Research Designs

 Variables are measured more than two times, usually many more, and over a
long period of time.
 Longitudinal studies are designed identify how much change occurred, when it
occurred, and what phenomenon were associated with the change.
 Types of longitudinal designs:
• Trend studies
• Cohort studies
• Panel studies
8
Exploratory Research Designs

 Exploratory studies are used when a researcher is exploring a subject area
that is relatively new and unstudied.
 They can be qualitative or quantitative and often use a mixture of both
methods.
 Designed to begin the process of knowledge building about a research
problem or question.
9
Descriptive Research Designs

 Descriptive studies are used to describe situations and events.
 In quantitative descriptive studies, the goal is usually to describe and measure

relevant variables.
 In qualitative descriptive studies, the goal is usually to describe the variety of
ways people experience or perceive something.
10
Explanatory Research Designs

 Explanatory studies have the potential to provide more definitive answers as to
what might cause a problem and what intervention methods are effective in
treating or preventing the problem.
 Hypothesis testing is used to try to verify possible relationships between
variables.
11
Notations Used to Describe Research

Designs
X = exposure to independent variable.
O = observation/measurement of the dependent variable.
R = random assignment of participants to a group.
12
Pre-Experimental Research Designs

 Designs that do not attempt to control for threats to internal validity.
 Generally do not use a comparison group and when they do, only one
measurement of the dependent variable is taken.
13
Examples of Pre-Experimental Research

Designs
 Cross-sectional survey design
 One-shot case study
 Longitudinal case study
 One-group pretest-posttest design
 Static group comparison design or post-test only design with nonequivalent

groups
14
Experimental Designs
 More rigorous designs that attempt to control for threats to the study’s internal
validity.
 Includes a control group (used for comparison purposes) that generally
receives no treatment or treatment as usual.
 Participants are randomly assigned to either the experimental or the control
group.
15
Examples of Experimental Designs

 Classic experimental design
 Posttest-only control group design
 Solomon four-group design
16
Quasi-Experimental Research Designs

 Quasi-experimental designs attempt to control for threats to internal validity,
but do not randomly assign participants to the experimental and comparison
groups.
 Known as non-equivalent control groups or comparison groups.
17
Examples of Quasi-Experimental Research

Designs
 Non-equivalent comparison groups design or pretest-posttest comparison
group design
 Time series design
18
Internal Validity
 Internal validity refers to the amount of confidence the researcher has that
exposure to the independent variable produced the changes in the dependent
variable.
19
Factors that Threaten Internal Validity

 Testing effects
 Maturation of passage of time
 History
 Statistical regression to the mean
 Instrumentation
 Lack of sample comparability
 Experimental mortality
 Ambiguity of direction of causation
 Diffusion or overlap of intervention methods
20
External Validity
 External validity refers to the extent to which findings are believed to apply
beyond cases that were studied.
 Relates directly to the number and characteristics of the cases selected for the
sample and the degree to which they are representative of other cases in the
population.
 External validity is not an either-or proposition. It is incorrect to say that a study
either has external validity or has no external validity.
 The goal is to maximize the external validity by making sure the sample is
large and as much like the population as possible.

Myers Chapter5 Ed8

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Myers Chapter5 Ed8

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

1

Business Research Methods

5.2 Differentiate between the various categorizations of research discussed in

5.3 Contrast the features of cross-sectional, pretest-posttest, and longitudinal

5.4 Compare the types of knowledge targeted in exploratory, descriptive, and

5.5 Identify the similarities and differences between pre-experimental,

What is Research Design?

Different Categorizations of Research

 This chapter will focus on:

Cross-Sectional Research Design

 Conclusions may include a description of the distribution of certain variables.

 May answer questions or hypotheses regarding the relationship between

Pre-test Post-test Research Designs

Longitudinal Research Designs

Exploratory Research Designs

Descriptive Research Designs

 In quantitative descriptive studies, the goal is usually to describe and measure

Explanatory Research Designs

Notations Used to Describe Research

O = observation/measurement of the dependent variable.

R = random assignment of participants to a group.

Pre-Experimental Research Designs

Examples of Pre-Experimental Research

 One-shot case study

 Longitudinal case study

 One-group pretest-posttest design

 Static group comparison design or post-test only design with nonequivalent

Examples of Experimental Designs

 Posttest-only control group design

 Solomon four-group design

Quasi-Experimental Research Designs

Examples of Quasi-Experimental Research

Factors that Threaten Internal Validity

 Maturation of passage of time

 Statistical regression to the mean

 Lack of sample comparability

 Ambiguity of direction of causation

 Diffusion or overlap of intervention methods

You might also like