Strengths, Weaknesses,

and Importance of
Quantitative Research
Across Fields
by:
Leah Mae B. Enero, MS SciEd.
 A Tree with Good and
Defective Fruits
Draw a tree and imagine it bearing
good fruits and defective fruits. On the
left-side branches of the tree, write
the strengths of a quantitative
research. On the right-side branches,
write the weaknesses of a quantitative
type of research.
 Strengths
1. Study findings can be
generalized to the
population about which
information is required.
 Strengths
2. Samples of individuals,
communities, or organizations
can be selected to ensure that
the results will be
representative of the
population being studied.
 Strengths
3. Structural factors that
determine how
inequalities (such as
gender inequalities) are
produced can be analyzed.
 Strengths
4. Estimates of the
magnitude and
distribution of impacts
can be obtained.
 Strengths
5. Estimates of the costs
and benefits of
interventions can be
obtained.
 Strengths
6. Clear documentation
can be provided regarding
the content and
application of the survey
instruments.
 Strengths
7. Standardized approaches
permit the study to be
replicated in different areas
with the production of
comparable findings.
 Strengths
8. It is possible to control
the effects of extraneous
variables that might result
in misleading
interpretations of causality.
 Weaknesses
1. Many kinds of
information are difficult
to obtain through
structured data collection
instruments.
 Weaknesses
2. Many groups (drug
users, illegal immigrants)
are always difficult to
reach.
 Weaknesses
3. Self-reported
information obtained
from questionnaires may
be inaccurate or
incomplete.
 Weaknesses
4. There is often no
information on contextual
factors to help interpret
results or to explain the
variations in behavior.
 Weaknesses
5. The administration of a
structured questionnaire
creates an unnatural
situation that may
alienate respondents.
 Weaknesses
6. Studies are expensive
and time-consuming.
 Weaknesses
7. Research methods are
inflexible because the
instruments cannot be
modified once the study
begins.
 Weaknesses
8. Reduction of data to
numbers results in lost
information.
 Weaknesses
9. The correlations
produced may mask or
ignore underlying causes
or realities.
 Weaknesses
10. Untested variables
may account for program
impacts.
 Weaknesses
11. Errors in the
hypotheses tested may
yield misimpressions of
program quality or
influential factors.
 Weaknesses
12. Errors in the selction
of procedures fro
determining statistical
significance can result in
erroneous findings.
 Importance
1. Useful in generating large
amounts of data and in
identifying the patterns of
behavior of various sectors
in different settings.
 Importance
2. Less prone to bias as
the findings are expressed
in terms of numbers.
 Importance
3. More reliable and
objective.
 Importance
4. Uses statistics to
generalize a findings.
 Importance
5. It reduces and
restructures a complex
problem to a limited
number of variables.
 Importance
6. Can establish cause and
effect in highly controlled
circumstances.
 Importance
7. Tests theories and
hypotheses.
 Importance
8. Assumes that a sample
is representative of the
population.
 Importance
9. The subjectivity of the
researcher is recognized
less.
 Importance
10. Less detailed than
qualitative research.
Four Good Seeds of the
Quantitative Tree
Write for good areas of
quantitative research which
make it important to
researchers and users of
data. Place your answers on
a graphics.
Importance
of
Quantitative
Research