Quantitative Methods (Modeling & Simulation)
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHOD
- It is research method dealing with
numbers and anything that is
measurable in a systematic way of
investigation of phenomena and
their relationships , used to answer
questions on relationships within
measurable variables with an
intention to explain , predict and
control a phenomena .
What can quantitative research methods
do?
▪ Describe, and visualize, phenomena (but
not beyond a sample)
▪ Assist decision making process (input–
output)
▪ Explore data to formulate new
hypotheses (knowledge discovery)
▪ Develop/test measurements (balance
scorecards, tests, matrices, and
questionnaires)
▪ Classify/measure subjects/variables
▪ Develop models explaining complex
phenomena
▪ Test hypotheses, especially causality
▪ Simulate and predict future under
uncertain conditions
▪ Produce predictive formulae
What methods are there?
▪ Secondary analysis: Use extant data
▪Content analysis: Code documents
▪ Structured observation: Observe
behaviors
▪ Survey: Ask questions
▪ Q methodology: Sort cards
▪ Social network analysis: Observe or ask
about relationships
▪ Experiment: Manipulate factors
▪ Meta analysis: Synthesize results
▪ Simulation: Predict results
COMMONALITY BETWEEN
METHODS - The common mechanism
among quantitative methods is the use
of a standardized measurement to
collect data, except secondary
analysis, meta analysis, and
simulation. To develop a standardized
measurement, you must have a
measurement model.
Standardized measurement
 Content analysis -Coding manual
 Structured observation- Coding
manual
 Survey- Questionnaire
 Q methodology-Q sets and sorting
distribution
 Social network analysis-
Questionnaire
 Experiments-Questionnaire
HOW CAN I KNOW WHAT DATA TO
BE COLLECTED?
- To know what data to be collected
in your research, you need to
create a measurement model. It is
the link among a theory, your
conceptual
model/framework/hypothesis and
data. If your measurement is
theoretically insensible, validity of
your data is questionable, and you
can not link data back to the
theory. A measurement model
leads you to develop a
measurement for data collection,
which is, for example, a
questionnaire in survey analysis
and a coding book in content
analysis.
Quantitative Methods (Modeling & Simulation)
WHAT DATA TYPES CAN BE
COLLECTED?
 Attitudes: knowledge, feelings, and
actions Images: dimensions,
profiles, and comparisons
 Decisions: information sources and
evaluative criteria
 Needs: needs, desires, preferences,
motives, and goals
 Behaviors: actions, locations,
persistency, proportion
 Networks: evaluation, transaction,
association, interaction, movement,
physical connection, formal
relation, biological relationship.
 Lifestyles: activities, interests,
opinions, and possessions
 Affiliations: normative,
comparative, informative
 Demographics: age, sex, status,
education, employment,
occupation, income, experience,
location, health, personality,
culture, economy
 Themes: words, phases, sentences,
paragraphs, meanings, materials
DATA SOURCES POPULATION
• Population is a group of subjects
concerned by your research issues and
is a source of data to be collected.
Ideally, it is a sampling frame which is
a list of samples that allows you to
identify and contact a sample. Sample
• Sample is a group of subjects
selected, or is accessible, to be used in
your research. It is important because:
- Cost & time saving
- Minimize sampling and non -
response error
- Does not saturate the
population for future research
Unit of analysis
• Unit of analysis is a case of
subjects which can be defined as an
individual, a pair, an organization, and
a region.
How can I select a sample to
collect data?
 Probability Sampling
 Simple random - all cases in
the population have an equal
chance to be selected
 Systematic - sample is
selected at every specific
interval, e.g. every 9th case
 Stratified- : the population is
divided based on attributes,
e.g. the ratio of male and
female employees is 2:3, then
cases are random selected
from each stratum to
replicate the same ratio as
that in the population
 Cluster- the population is
divided based on a natural
boundary, e.g. geography,
then cases are random
selected from each cluster.
 Non-probability Sampling
 Convenience- select cases
that can easily provide data
 Snowball - contact a few
cases to collect data, then ask
them to send research
information to others who
Quantitative Methods (Modeling & Simulation)
are likely to be eligible, and so
on. This technique is often
used when it is difficult to
identify and contact sample
 Quota - contact a few cases to
collect data, then ask them to
send research information to
others who are likely to be
eligible, and so on. This
technique is often used when
it is difficult to identify and
contact sample
 Self-selection - publicize the
study allowing those who are
interested to take part, e.g.
online survey
 Purposive- select cases based
on judgement of researchers
that they are suitable for
studies
SAMPLING METHODS
PROBABILITY
Pros:
• Generalisability is convincing
• Easy to select sample
• Comply assumption of many statistical
techniques
Cons: • Difficult to obtain a sampling
frame
NON-PROBABILITY
Pros:
• Generalisability is questionable
• Easy to reach sample
Cons:
• Difficult to select sample
• Potential coverage error
• Violate assumption of many statistical
TECHNIQUES
SAMPLING MODES
• Mode:
▪ In-person, Telephone, Mail ,Internet
- Those who respond a survey may
have a specific characteristic,
thereby causing common method
bias in data and introducing
coverage error. This issue can be
minimized by usingmixed-mode
survey (Dillman et al. 2009).
WHAT TYPE OF SAMPLE CAN I
COLLECT?
▪ Individuals
▪ Pairs
- Husbands & wives
- Buyers & sellers
▪ Groups
- Communities
- Departments
▪ Clusters
- Regions
- Countries
▪ Stratum
- Males & females
Quantitative Methods (Modeling & Simulation)
SAMPLE VS UNIT OF
ANALYSIS

• What would you do if each sample in

your data is an individual but your unit of
analysis is an organisation?

• One possible solution is to use multi-

level models

• Another solution is to aggregate data

from one level to another