Day 1

Nature of Quantitative Research

Practical Research 2
Ob je c ti ves
At the end of the lesson, students are expected to:

Day 1:
 Describe the characteristics, strengths, weaknesses,
and kinds of quantitative research;
 There was an expert in time management that had a speaking

Research
engagement to a group of business students and to drive these students,
he used an illustration those students will never forget.

Preli mi n a r i e s As this man stood in front of the group of high powered overachievers
he said, “okay, time for a quiz.” Then the man pulled out one-gallon,
wide-mouthed mason jar and set it on a table. Then he produced about a
dozen of fist-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, into
the jar. When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit
inside, he asked, “Is this jar full?” Everyone in the class said, “Yes.”
Then he said, “really?”

He reached under the table and pulled out a BUCKET of GRAVEL. The
he dumped some gravel in and shook the jar causing pieces of gravel to
work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks.
 Then he asked the group once more, “Is the jar full?” by this time the

Research
class was on him. “Probably not,” one of the student said. Then the man
brought out a BUCKET of SAND. He started dumping the sand in and

r i e s
went into all the spaces left between the rocks and the gravel. Once

Preli mi n a more he asked the question, “Is this jar full?” “No!” the class shouted.

Then the man grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until
the jar was filled to the brim.

What is the point of the illustration?

“If you don’t put the big rocks in first, you’ll never
get them in at all”
Prioritization
 Latent/Not
QUALItative Quantifiable

R esea r ch ? QUANTItative Manifest/

What is Quantifiable
 Investigation of a problem in scientific manner
 Discovery of a solution that advances state of
knowledge in areas from theory to algorithms
to prototypes to experimentation to
applications
QUAN
QUAL
1
Methods include focus groups, in-
depth interviews, and reviews of
documents for types of themes
2 Primarily deductive process used
to test pre-specified concepts,
constructs, and hypotheses that
make up a theory
3 Unstructured or semi-structured
response options
4
Can be valid and reliable: largely
depends on the measurement
device or instrument used
5
More generalizable and Statistical
tests are used for analysis
6 More subjective: describes a
problem or condition from the
point of view of those
experiencing it
7
Text-based and Primarily
inductive process used to
formulate theory or hypotheses
8 Surveys, structured interviews &
observations, and reviews of
records or documents for numeric
information
9 More in-depth information on a
few cases and Can be valid and
reliable: largely depends on skill
and rigor of the researcher
10
Time expenditure heavier on the
planning phase and lighter on the
analysis phase and Number based
 Criteria QUALITATIVE QUANTITATIVE

W h a t ’ s th e Purpose understand & interpret social

interactions.
test hypotheses, look at cause
& effect, & make predictions.

e?
Group Studied Smaller & not randomly Larger & randomly selected

dif fe r e n c Variables
selected
Study of the whole, not
variables (latent/not
Specific variables studied
(manifest/quantifiable)
quantifiable)
Form of Data Collected open- ended responses, based on precise
interviews, participant measurements using structured
observations, field notes, & & validated data-collection
reflections instruments
 Criteria
W h a t ’ s th e Type of Data Analysis
e n c e?
Objectivity and Subjectivity
dif fe r Role of Researcher
QUALITATIVE
Identify patterns, features,
themes
Inter-subjective
Researcher & their biases may
be known to participants in the
study, & participant
characteristics may be known
to the researcher
QUANTITATIVE
Identify statistical relationships,
effect and differences
Objectivity is critical
Researcher & their biases are
not known to participants in the
study, & participant
characteristics are deliberately
hidden from the researcher
(double blind studies)
 Criteria QUALITATIVE QUANTITATIVE

W h a t ’ s th e Results Particular or specialized

findings that is less
generalizable
Generalizable findings that can
be applied to other populations

dif fe r e n c e? Scientific Method Exploratory or bottom–up: the

researcher generates a new
hypothesis and theory from the
Confirmatory or top-down: the
researcher tests the hypothesis
and theory with the data.
data collected.
View of Human Behavior Dynamic, situational, social, & Regular & predictable
personal
Most Common Research Explore, discover, & construct Describe, explain, & predict
Objectives
 Criteria QUALITATIVE QUANTITATIVE

W h a t ’ s th e Focus Wide-angle lens; examines the

breadth & depth of phenomena
Narrow-angle lens; tests a
specific hypotheses

e?
Nature of Observation Study behavior in a natural Study behavior under controlled

dif fe r e n c Nature of Reality

environment

Multiple realities; inter-

subjective
Final Report Narrative report with contextual
description & direct quotations
from research participants.
conditions; isolate causal
effects
Single reality; objective
Statistical report with
correlations, comparisons of
means, & statistical significance
of findings

References:
Johnson, B., & Christense, L. (2008). Educational research: Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed
approaches (p. 34). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Lichtman, M. (2006). Qualitative research in education: A user’s guide (pp. 7-8). Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage Publications.
Q ua n t i t a t i v e • “an inquiry into a social or human problem based

Research
on testing a theory composed of variables,
measured with numbers, and analyzed with
statistical procedures, in order to determine
whether the predictive generalizations of the
theory hold true.”
(Creswell, J. Research Design: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Sage:
1994.) 

• "a formal, objective, systematic process in which

numerical data are utilized to obtain information
about the world"
(Burns & Grove, as cited by Cormack, 1991, p. 140).
 to simplify the definition of quantitative research, one

Q ua n t i t a t i v e must understand the three (3) important and distinct

parts:

Research
 Framing the research problem, its scope and limitation,
Explain the citing the best application/use of the study
phenomena
 Gathering information from the participants with the use
Collect of data collecting instrument or by carrying out an
numerical data experiment

 Interpreting the results whether there is a significant

Analysis using relationship, effect or difference among the variables
statistics
Ch a ra c te r i s t i cs
• It is about quantifying the RED between
of Q u a n t it a t i v e variables.
Studies
• Making sure that variables are manifest/ quantifiable or
measurable using standard instrument; and
• constructing statistical models to explain what was observed
in the study.

R elationships
E ffects Argum e nt
D ifferences
Ch a ra c te r i s t i cs • The researcher knows in advance what he or
v e she is looking for. (Confirmatory)
of Q u a n t it a t i
• Goal: Prediction/Forecasting, control,
Studies confirmation, test hypotheses.
• All aspects of the study are carefully designed
before data are collected.
• Quantitative research is inclined to be
deductive (top-down approach) -- it tests
theory. This is in contrast to most qualitative
research which tends to be inductive --- it
generates theory
Ch a ra c te r i s t i cs
of Q u a n t it a t i v e
Studies
effect/difference
• The researcher tends to remain objectively
separated from the subject matter. (Naïve
Understanding)  free from biases
• An emphasis on collecting and analyzing
information in the form of numbers.
• An emphasis on the procedures of
relationship
comparing groups or relating
factors about individuals or groups in
experiments, correlational studies, and
surveys.
Ch a ra c te r i s t i cs
of Q u a n t it a t i v e
Studies
• To summarize, quantitative research is
about:
 quantifying the RED between variables
 carefully designed before data are
collected
 deductive -- it tests theory
 researcher is objectively separated from
the subject matter
 Society at Large
Conceptual
Phenomena:

Answer
f
Questions

wor k o
Transfer of

me
Standard:
Fr a Solve
Problems
Findings
Issues
Clarify
Research
Relevance and Functionality

Higher Education
Instruments:

Approaches Standard: Documentation of

d
Intellectualize
Methods Findings
Techniques Scholarship
Literature

Academic
Community
 Conceptualization Phase
1. Topic/ Problem Identification

The R es ea rch 2.
3.
Literature Review
Hypothesis/ Proposition Development
Process 4.
5.
Framework Development
Objective Formulation

Dissemination Phase Design Phase

10. Communicating &
6. Research Plan Formulation
Utilizing the Findings

Analytical Phase Empirical Phase

8. Data Analysis and 7. Data Gathering/ Collection
Interpretation
9. Conclusion
 Thick
l d -f a sh i on
Germanic Usual & O
Verbose
Model Thin
H ip & T r en d y
IMRaD P a r si m o n i ous
Research Style
Style
  Descriptive Research
Quantitative  Correlational Research
r c h D es i g n
Resea  Ex post facto
 Experimental Research
  Descriptive Research
Quantitative  Involves collecting data in order to test
r c h D es i g n
Resea hypotheses or answer questions regarding
the participants of the study. Data, which are
typically numeric, are collected through
surveys, interviews, or through observation.

 In descriptive research, the investigator

reports the numerical results for one or more
variable(s) on the participants (or unit of
analysis) of the study.
  Correlational Research
Quantitative  It attempts to determine whether and to what
r c h D es i g n
Resea degree, a relationship exists between two or
more quantifiable (numerical) variables.

 It is important to remember that if there is a

significant relationship between two
variables it does not follow that one variable
causes the other. CORRELATION DOES NOT
MEAN CAUSATION.
  Correlational Research
Quantitative  When two variables are correlated you can
r c h D es i g n
Resea use the relationship to predict the value on
one variable for a participant if you know that
participant’s value on the other variable.

 Correlation implies prediction but not

causation. The investigator frequently
reports the correlation coefficient, and the p-
value to determine strength of the
relationship.
  Ex post facto
Quantitative  Causal-comparative research attempts to
r c h D es i g n
Resea establish cause-effect relationships among
the variables of the study.

 The attempt is to establish that values of the

independent variable have a significant effect
on the dependent variable.
  Experimental Research
Quantitative A. True Experimental
r c h D es i g n
Resea  like causal-comparative research attempts to
establish cause-effect relationship among the groups
of participants that make up the independent variable
of the study, but in the case of experimental research,
the cause (the independent variable) is under the
control of the researcher.

 There is a control and experimental group, some type

of “treatment” and participants are randomly
assigned to both: Control Group, manipulation,
randomization).
  Experimental Research
Quantitative A. Quasi-Experimental
r c h D es i g n
Resea  provide alternate means for examining causality in
situations which are not conducive to experimental
control.

 The designs should control as many threats to validity

as possible in situations where at least one of the
three elements of true experimental research is
lacking (i.e. manipulation, randomization, control
group).
QUAN
QUAL
1
Data is not countable. It’s chunks
of text, photos, videos, and so on.
2
Help to give you more confidence
about a trend, and allow you to
derive numerical facts.
3 Data is usually unstructured,
which means it’s not ordered or
grouped logically.
4
Data are test whether it exhibit
significant relationship, effect or
difference
5
Data will be collected from a
smaller sample size
6 Data is quite rich, and can give
you directional insights about
people’s thoughts, feelings,
emotions, and so on.
7
Data are structured through
analysis of numerical information
Thank you!
E nd o f t od a y ’ s
lesson