Research Unit V Quantitative Study Design

Quantitative Research design
unit V
By
Hidayatullah
Life Saving Institute of Nursing, Karachi
1 hidayat.khan10@yahoo.com
Quantitative Paradigm
“an inquiry into a social or human problem based
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).
Characteristics of Quantitative Studies
Quantitative research is about quantifying
the relationships between variables.
We measure them, and
construct statistical models to explain
what we observed.
The researcher knows in advance what he

or she is looking for.
Goal: Prediction, control, confirmation,
test hypotheses.
Characteristics of Quantitative Studies
All aspects of the study are carefully designed

before data are collected.
Quantitative research is inclined to be deductive
-- it tests theory. This is in contrast to most
qualitative research which tends to be inductive
--- it generates theory
The researcher tends to remain objectively
separated from the subject matter.
Major Types of Quantitative Studies
Non Experimental Research
Descriptive study design
Co-relational study design
Comparative study design
Others
Experimental Research
True Experimental design
Quasi-Experimental design
Pre experimental design
1. Descriptive Research
Descriptive research: it is design to gain more
information about characteristics within a particular
field of study.
Its purpose is to describe, observe and document
aspect of a situation as it naturally occur.
It serve as a starting point for hypothesis generation
or theory development.
It is frequently used when very little is known about
a topic.
involves collecting data in order to test hypotheses or
answer questions regarding the participants of the
study.
Data, which are typically numeric, are collected
through surveys, interviews, or through observation.
Types of descriptive study design
i. Survey
ii. Simple descriptive study design
iii. Comparative study design
iv. Developmental studies
i. Survey
It variables by asking people question and
examine among variables.
It examines the characteristics, behaviors
attitude and intentions of a group.
Vary widely in sample size and design.
It can be done as large scale, small scale or
cross cultural.
All surveys are basically exploratory in
nature.
Limitations of survey
Techniques for survey
Questionnaires
Interviews
Types of survey
Cross-sectional survey
Longitudinal survey
Descriptive survey
Exploratory survey
Explanatory survey
Comparative survey
Evaluative survey
Co relational survey
Advantages of survey
A great deal of information can be obtain from a
large number of population.
Reduce wastage of time and cost.
It promote easy access to samples.
Quick response can be obtain
Sample represent the population.
disadvantages of survey
Information obtained tend to be
superficial.
Confidentiality and privacy issues can
occur
It is limited to those who have access
to technology. Otherwise it can be
time consuming and costlier
Expertise in research is needed.
ii: simple descriptive design
It help to describe the phenomenon
of interest, identify the variable
within the phenomenon and develop
conceptual and operative definition
of the variables.
advantages
It save time and is less expensive.
It is used as a preliminary research on
a topic.
Disadvantages:
Only limited information are obtained
It does not identifies the extent of
relationship between the variable.
Comparative descriptive design
 This design investigate the relationship of one variable
to another. Examining the similarities and differences.
Advantages:
 It helps to identify the similarities and dissimilarities of
groups on selected variables.
 Detailed information about several groups can be
obtained.
Disadvantages:
 Inferences cannot be made about causation
 Unable to determine the degree of association between
the variables.
16
Developmental descriptive design
It examine the present status of the
variables as well as the pattern of
growth or change as a function of time.
It is further divided
Cross-sectional study
Longitudinal study
Prospective study
Retrospective study
17
Cross-sectional study:
It is also called one shot or status study
It is design to study the phenomenon in a single
point of time.
It obtain over all picture as it stand at the time of
study.
Longitudinal study:
Data are collected at several point of time
The study extend over a period of time.
There are three main types of longitudinal design
a) Trend study
b) Cohort study
c) Panel study
18
a) Trend study:
o it is retrospective in nature
o It help to find out happening in the past, present and future
in a population group
o It is useful for forecasting
o It conduct by multiple researcher.
b) Cohort study:
o It follow the exposed and unexposed for a period of time to
determine outcome in the future(prospective)
o It study the phenomenon of interest in the present and
examine the relationship of another variable that had occur
in the past.(retrospective)
c) Panel:
o The information are collected from the same respondents
over a period of time
Cohort Studies
Disease
People Exposed No disease

Population without
disease Not exposed Disease
No disease
2: Correlational design
It study the relationship between the variables.
A tendency for variation in one variable can be
related to variation in another variable.
Types:
Simple correlation
Prediction correlation
Simple correlation study:
It help to examine the relationship
between two or more variables in a
single group.
Prediction correlation study:

It examine the predictive nature of
the relationship between the
variables.
Advantages:
It is used to investigate complex
relationship among the variable.
Large amount of data can be obtain about a
problem.
Stimulate further research.
Disadvantages:
Variable of interest are not manipulated.
Difficult to determine causal relationship.
3: comparative study design
It is a study design which help to
examine one variable with 2 or more
groups.
It has two types
Ex-post facto studies.
Correlation causal comparative
studies.
Ex-post facto studies:
It is also known as causal comparative or simple
comparative.
Causal-comparative research attempts to 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.
e.g obesity is related to increase the incidence of CHD.
 Correlation causal comparative:
 It uses sophisticated models to investigate the possible
cause and effect relationship.
 The causal condition has already occur.
4: other design
Case study:
This method is used to analyze the specific
detail of an individual case which may be a
person, group, community or society.
The data collected are organized in term of
the case and
Finding are generalized to other cases of
simliler type.
The number of subject tend to be small
The number of variables involved are large.
Case-control study design:
The case or subject with a specific condition are compare
with control which without the particular condition.
Meta analysis:
It study the phenomenon based on the finding of many
separate investigation relating to the same phenomenon.
Evaluation research:
It is the applied form of research which help to find out
how well a program, practice or product is working, to
assess the decision maker in choosing a course of action.
Case-Control Studies
Exposed
Not exposed
Cases
Population
Exposed Controls
Not exposed
Classification of research design
Experimental research design:
True experimental design
Qusi experimental design
Pre-experimental design
Experiment
It is a scientific investigation in which
observations are made and data are
collected according to a set of well
defined criteria.
Investigation under control situation.
Experimental Design
It is an objective, systematic,
controlled investigation to examine
probability and causality among
selected variables for the purpose of
predicting and controlling
phenomenon
(Burns and Grove, 1993)

Characteristics of a True Experiment
A true experiment should possess

the following properties
Manipulation
Control
Randomization
Replication
Manipulation
It means doing something to at least
some subject, which is term as the
experimental treatment or intervention.
The researcher consciously manipulates
the independent variable by the
administration of intervention to
subjects and observes the effects on the
dependent variables.
Control
Control is obtained the manipulation, by
randomization, by protocols, and by
control groups.
Control group is the groups of subjects
do not receive any treatment or
intervention and their performance is
used to evaluate the performance of
experimental group
Methods of Control
Physical control: means providing equal

exposure of all subjects to independent
variables.
Selective control: the variables that can’t
be controlled are indirectly manipulated
Statistical control: statistical techniques
are employed to control variables that are
conductive to physical or selective
manipulation.
Randomization
randomization is also known as
random assignment. Randomization
means providing equal chance for
every unit of target population to be
included as a study sample, at the same
time to be either as an experimental or
control group.
Replication
Replication means the experiment
should be repeated more than once.
It helps to increase the accuracy of
the experiment, with which the
main effects and interaction can be
estimated.
Steps Involved in Experimental Design
Identify the target population
Select the sample randomly from population
Group or pair subjects as experimental and
control group by randomly assigning the
subjects.
Do pretest and record all characteristics of the
groups.
Identify and control all intervening variables.`
Manipulate the independent variables for
experimental group and withhold it for control
group.
Do posttest for both the groups and record the
difference.
Compare the change in experimental group with
those of control group.
Compare the values with statistically computed
values to judge the significance of the difference.
True or classical experimental design
True experimental studies are also
known as random assignment
study. It involves random
assignment of participants to more
than one purposively created
group, and then comparison of
outcomes for the created groups.
True or classical experimental design
types
Pre test, posttest design
Solomon four group design
Posttest only control group
design
Pretest-posttest control group design
 In this, the subjects are assigned randomly to

experimental and control groups. Pretest and posttest
are carried out before and after the manipulation of
independent variable in experimental group and the
effect of the treatment is observed.

Experimental group pretest
intervention posttest
Random assignment
Control group pretest
--- posttest
http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/grizzly/432/
43 rra2.htm
Solomon four group design:
It is an extension of the previous design and
probably the most powerful approach. In this,
subjects are randomly assigned for 2 experimental
and 2 control groups. Pre and posttest are carried
out for one experimental and one control before
and after the manipulation of independent
variables in the experiment group
Where as only posttest is carried out for one
experimental out for one experimental and one
control group after the manipulation of
independent variable in the experiment group.
Result obtained is compared with all four groups.
http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/grizzly/432/
rra2.htm
45
Posttest only control group design
It is also known as after only
controlgroup design.
In this subject are assigned
rendomnly to the groups.
Only posttest is carried out after
the introduction of manipulation
for experimental group.
http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/grizzly/432/rra2.htm
47
Quasi-Experimental Design
Quasi-experimental designs 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).
48
Types
Non equivalent posttest only:
In this experiment and control group are not
equivalent.
It involve finding out the effectiveness of
intervention, by comparing both the groups,
after intervention to the experimental group.
The drawback of this design is that, the two
groups might not be same before intervention
and may differ in several ways that influence
the intervention.
Non-equivalent two-group designs
Non equivalent
Exp Gp Intervention or event
Posttest
(No baseline)
Con Gp Posttest
Groups are not equivalent at Assessments may or may not

baseline, due to.. be controlled
 Self-selection  Survey or interviews
 Non-random assignment  Archival / existing data,
 Use of existing groups e.g., clinic records, grades
 Participants not blind
Intervention or event may or may not
be controlled by researcher;
 Existing program
 Experimental intervention
 Naturally occurring event
Non equivalent group, pretest-posttest
design.
It is also known as four celled design
without randomization.
In this the experimental and control
group are not equivalent.
Comparing pre test result of both the
groups will indicate degree of
equivalency between experimental
and control group.
Non-equivalent designs; pre- post-
Non equivalent Group Pre- Post- Design
Exp Gp Pretest
Intervention or event posttest
Cont Gp Pretest Control group posttest
Non-equivalent groups Intervention & Assessments often

 Self-selection controlled by researcher in these
 Non-random assignment designs.
 Use of existing groups
 Participants not blind
Similar to true
experimental design,
except for non-
equivalent groups
time series design
Several assessment are obtained
from a group or groups, before and
after the expermintal intervention.
Measure at several point of time
prior and subsequent to the program
provide a more reliable picture of
achievement by the experimental
group after intervention.
Single group time series design
Group observation O O O O O 6…
1 2 3 4 5
Intervention
or event
 Test effect of intervention or event on ongoing series of measurements.

Multiple time series study
Multiple time series data
Group 1 observation O O O O O 6…
1 2 3 4 5
Group 2 observation O O O O O 6…
1 2 3 4 5
Intervention
or event
Appropriateness of quasi experiment
design
Random assignment is not possible.
The random assignment is unethical or
there is community opposition.
Random assignment is not feasible.
Number of participants are too small
to fill both the treatment and control
group.
the treatment is under development.
Pre experimental design
One shot case study:
In one shot case study the subject are presented
with an intervention and the intervention
presumed to cause changes in the group.
The primary goal is to identify ehether the
intervention had any effect on the outcome.
It is of little value as an experiment , as it is
impossible determine the effect of intervention
without a comparison group.
“One shot” case studies
Group intervention posttest
May control selection of Typically no control Dependent Variable(s):

study group, or must use over event. May or may not have
Convenience sample. control over intervention
Other data may be
available about group.
 Typical use: Surveys or measures after an event.
Week 12-13, quasi-experimental designs. Psychology 242, Dr.

McKirnan
One group pre test and posttest design
A single group is observed before
and after the intervention.
The inclusion of the pretest help to
determine the baseline score for
comparison of the outcome.
Absense of the control group reduce
the usefulness of the study.
One group pre-test — post-test
Group pretest Intervention posttest
Selected or
convenience
sample.
The static group comparison study
In this study two group are chosen .
One group receive intervention and the
other does not .
A posttest score is then determine to
measure the difference after the
intervention, between the two groups.
As there is no pre testing , the difference
between the two groups prior to the study
are un known.
The static group comparison study
Group 1 Intervention or event posttest
Group 2 Control group posttest

Research Unit V Quantitative Study Design

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

Research Unit V Quantitative Study Design

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Quantitative Research design

"a formal, objective, systematic process in which

The researcher knows in advance what he

All aspects of the study are carefully designed

People Exposed No disease

Prediction correlation study:

(Burns and Grove, 1993)

A true experiment should possess

Physical control: means providing equal

 In this, the subjects are assigned randomly to

Groups are not equivalent at Assessments may or may not

Cont Gp Pretest Control group posttest

Non-equivalent groups Intervention & Assessments often

 Test effect of intervention or event on ongoing series of measurements.

May control selection of Typically no control Dependent Variable(s):

Week 12-13, quasi-experimental designs. Psychology 242, Dr.

Group 1 Intervention or event posttest

Group 2 Control group posttest

You might also like