QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
 Quantitative research designs use numbers in stating
generalizations about a given problem or inquiry.
Why do we need research?
 To find answers to our questions.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
 The data is usually gathered using structured research
instruments.
 The results are based on larger sample sizes that are
representative of the population.
 The research study can usually be replicated or
repeated, given its high reliability.
 Researcher has a clearly defined research question to
which objective answers are sought.
 All aspects of the study are carefully designed before
data is collected.
 Data are in the form of numbers and statistics, often
arranged in tables, charts, figures, or other non-textual
forms.
 Project can be used to generalize concepts more widely,
predict future results, or investigate causal
relationships.
 Researcher uses tools, such as questionnaires or
computer software, to collect numerical data.
STRENGTHS
 Allows for a broader study, involving a greater number
of subjects, and enhancing the generalization of the
results;
 Allows for greater objectivity and accuracy of results.
Generally, quantitative methods are designed to provide
summaries of data that support generalizations about
the phenomenon under study. In order to accomplish
this, quantitative research usually involves few variables
and many cases, and employs prescribed procedures to
ensure validity and reliability;
 Applying well-established standards means that the
research can be replicated, and then analyzed and
compared with similar studies;
 You can summarize vast sources of information and
make comparisons across categories and over time; and,
 Personal bias can be avoided by keeping a 'distance'
from participating subjects and using accepted
computational techniques.
WEAKNESSES
 Quantitative research can be costly, difficult and time-
consuming- difficult because most researchers are non-
mathematicians.
 Quantitative studies require extensive statistical
treatment, requiring stringent standards, more so with
confirmation of results. When ambiguities in some
findings surface, retesting and refinement of the design
call for another investment in time and resources to
polish the results.
 Quantitative methods also tend to turn out only proved
or unproven results, leaving little room for uncertainty,
or grey areas. For the social sciences, education,
 anthropology and psychology, human nature is a lot
more complex than just a simple yes or no response.
Kinds of Quantitative Research Designs
 Descriptive Research: describe the nature,
characteristics and components of a population or a
phenomenon.
 Correlation Research: It is a systematic investigation of
the nature of relationships between two or more
variables without necessarily investigating into casual
reasons underlying them.
 Evaluation Research: Aims to access the efforts, impacts
or outcomes of practices, policies and programs.
 Survey Research: Used to gather information from
groups of people by selecting a sample chosen from a
population.
 Causal-Comparative Research: Used to draw
conclusions with respect to the cause and effect
equation between two or more variables.
 Experimental Research: This analysis is done for the
purpose of proving or for disproving the statement.
Importance of Quantitative Research
1. More reliable and objective
2. Can use statistics to generalize a finding
3. Often reduces and restructures a complex problem to a
limited number of variables
4. Looks at relationships between variables and can establish
cause and effect in highly controlled circumstances
5. Tests theories or hypotheses
6. Assumes sample is representative of the population
7. Subjectivity of researcher in methodology is recognized less
8. Less detailed than qualitative data and may miss a desired
response from the participant
TYPES OF VARIABLES
 CONTINUOUS VARIABLES – A variable that can take
infinite number on the value that can occur within the
population. Its values can be divided into fractions.
a. INTERVAL VARIABLES – It have values that lie
along an evenly dispersed range of numbers. It is
a measurement where the difference between
two values does have meaning.
b. RATIO VARIABLES – It possesses the properties
of interval variable and has a clear definition of
zero.
 DISCRETE VARIABLES – This is also known as categorical
or classificatory variable. This is any variable that has
limited number of distinct values and which cannot be
divided into fractions.
a. NOMINAL VARIABLE – It represent categories
that cannot be ordered in any particular way.
b. ORDINAL VARIABLE – It represent categories
that can be ordered from greatest to smallest.
KINDS OF VARIABLES
 INDEPENDENT VARIABLES – Those that probably cause,
influence, or affect outcomes.
 DEPENDENT VARIABLES – those that depend on the
independent variables; they are the outcomes or results
of the influence of the independent variable. That is why
it is also called outcome variable.
 INTERVENING OR MEDLING VARIABLES – Variables that
“stand between” the independent and dependent
variables, and they show the effects of the independent
variable on the dependent variable.
 CONTROL VARIABLES – A special types of independent
variables that are measured in the study because they
potentially influence the dependent variable.
 CONFOUNDING VARIABLES – Variables that are not
actually measured or observed in a study. They exist but
their influence cannot be directly detected in a study.
Choosing a Research Topic
1. Brainstorm for ideas
2. Choose a topic that will enable you to read and
understand the literature.
3. Focus on Your Topic. Keep it manageable.
4. Make a list of key words.
5. Keep it manageable
Research Title Guidelines
1. Generally, the title is formulated before the start of the
research work. It may be revised and refined later if
needed.
2. Traditionally, title must contain the subject matter of the
study, the locale of the study, the population involved,
and the period when the data were gathered; but today,
it is accepted if we include the subject matter and the
population only.
3. The title indicates what is expected to be found inside
the research paper.
4. It must be brief and concise as possible.
5. Avoid using the terms “An Analysis of”, “A Study of”,
“An Investigation of”, and the like.
6. If the title contains more than one line, it must be
written like an inverted pyramid form.
7. All words in capital letters.
8. The title should not exceed to 12 words.
9. It shall not indicate any negative word/idea.
10. It must list key variables.
Nature of Quantitative Research Problem
1. It is researchable.
2. It should be SMART- Specific, Measurable, Achievable,
Relevant and Time-bound.
3. Unlike qualitative research, which is expansive,
widespread, and focused more on processes,
quantitative research problem is geared toward a
possible result.
The Research Objectives
 defined as “statement of purpose for which the
investigation is to be conducted”.
Background of the Study
 This description leads the reader to understand the
research questions and appreciate why they are asked.
Statement of the Problem
 This section contains the purpose statements and the
research questions. In other words, this is where your
quantitative research problem and research objectives
should be stated.
Significance of the Study
 This determines the audience who will benefit from a
study of the problem and explains how exactly the
results will be significant to them.
Scope and Limitations
 This presents the coverage of the research in terms of
location, time, respondents, etc., and the potential
weaknesses or problems with the study identified by the
researcher.
WEEK 6
Conceptual Framework
 A conceptual framework is an analytical tool with several
variations and contexts. It is used to make conceptual
distinctions and organize ideas.
Step by Step Guide on How to Make the Conceptual Framework
 Choose your topic.
 Do a literature review
 Isolate the important variables.
 Generate the conceptual framework
Null Hypothesis
 A hypothesis is a specific statement of prediction. It
describes in concrete (rather than theoretical) terms
what you expect will happen in your study. Not all
studies have hypotheses. Sometimes a study is designed
to be exploratory.
 If your prediction specifies a direction, and the null
therefore is the no difference prediction and the
prediction of the opposite direction, we call this a one-
tailed hypothesis.
Review of Related Literature
 A literature review is an evaluative report of information
found in the literature related to your selected area of
study. The review should describe, summarize, evaluate
and clarify this literature. A literature review is more
than the search for information, and goes beyond being
a descriptive annotated bibliography.
Purpose of Review of Related Literature (RRL)
1. It helps the researcher identify and define a research
problem
2. It helps justify the need for studying a problem.
3. It prevents unnecessary duplication of a study
4. It can be a source of a theoretical basis for the study
5. It enables the researcher to learn how to conceptualize a
research problem and properly identify and operationally
define study variables
6. It helps formulate and refine research instruments
7. It provides lesson for data analysis and interpretation.
Essential Elements of Review of Related Literature (RRL)
1. Overview of the subject or topic, issues, or theories to be
considered
2. Division of works such as those that support a particular
position, those against, and those that offer other ideas
3. Explanation of the comparison of the gathered literature
4. Conclusions and the best arguments.
Stages Observed in Writing the Literature Review
1. Problem formulation. The researcher must determine
the research problem before the review of literature is
conducted to fully understand the variables considered
in the study.
2. Literature search. Any reading material that is related to
the study must include a discussion and explanation of at
least one of the variables.
3. Data evaluation. The indicators that are synthesized
from various relevant sources must further build the
researcher’s confidence as the variables of his or her
study are made clear.
4. Analysis and interpretation. Breaking the entire reading
article into smaller parts will help the researcher
correctly interpret the information in the reviewed
materials.
The general format of a literature review is as follows
 The Introduction
a. The general problem and the variables should be
defined.
b. Every important data should be highlighted to effectively
discuss the problem or the variables such as the theory,
methodology, evidences, conclusions, or even gaps.
c. The criteria in selecting the literature should be
considered to assess which resources are pertinent and
should be included, and which are irrelevant and should
be removed.
 . The Body
a. Chosen approaches, conclusion of authors, specific
objective, and the like should be included.
b. Studies and literature should be summarized.
In choosing the literature, the following should be considered
1. Provenance. This refers to the author’s credentials and
the empirical basis of the article or literature.
2. Objectivity. This refers to the rationality of every data or
facts cited.
3. Persuasiveness. This refers to the degree of credibility of
the data.
4. Value. This refers to the degree of the contributions of
the literature to clarify variables
Styles or Approaches of RRL or Review of Related Literature
 Traditional Review of Literature: provides an overview
of the research findings on particular topics.
1. Conceptual review – analysis of concepts or ideas to
give meaning to some national or world issues.
2. Critical review – focuses on theories or hypotheses and
examines meanings and results of their application to
situation.
3. State-of-the-Art review – makes the researcher deal
with the latest research studies on the subject.
4. Expert review – encourages a well-known expert to do
the RRL because of the influence of certain ideology,
paradigm, or belief on him/her.
5. Scoping review – prepares a situation for a future
research work in the form of project making about
community development, government policies, and
health services, among others.
 Systematic Review of Literature: aim to find as much as
possible of the research relevant to the particular
research questions, and use explicit methods to identify
what can reliably be said on the basis of these studies.
The following are helpful tips in writing the review
1. Sources, scholarly works, references, and other
materials that are refereed and indexed should to be
used
2. Each source should be selected based on its
contribution to the topic under review.
3. The relationship of one source to another should be
described.
4. Interpretation should be done appropriately by looking
into gaps of previous research.
5. Conflicts or contradictions should be resolved.
6. Areas of prior scholarship should be identified.
7. One’s original work should be placed in the context of
existing literature.