Characteristics,

Strengths,
Weaknesses, and Kinds
Of Quantitative
Research
• Humans are 'intuitive'
scientists ....always asking questions
and testing theories about themselves,
others, events, the environment and
the world around them.
Research is asking a question and finding out the answer…

•It is looking into something.

•It is looking for something.
•It is comparing and contrasting things.
•It is finding out more information...it is
counting things ...making inquiries...being
curious...finding out what people think...finding
out what people do....finding out what works....
finding out what doesn't work...finding out
what people want...
 What research have you conducted recently?

• What decisions have you made today?

• What influenced your decision to take this course?
• How do you prepare and write assignments?
• We all engage in or do social research as we act
on the basis and results of our own research and
theorizing, therefore, what we think affects the
way we behave....
 What do we research?
• We research people and their behavior, opinions, attitudes,
trends and patterns, also politics, animals, health and
illness.
• Research may be carried out in our own lives,
through the media, in our place of work, with our
friends and family or through reading past
research.
• Our views - personal, social, community and
worldwide and our own identities are socially
constructed through our own theorizing.
Research gives us information about:
• Thoughts and opinions
• Attitudes
• Habits
• Culture
• Norms
• Scientific facts
• Medical information
 What do we do with research?
• Have it as interesting fact
• Use it to make decisions
• Use it to persuade and influence others
• Use it to effect change
• Use it to change behavior
 The objective of quantitative research is
to develop and employ mathematical
models, theories and/or hypotheses
pertaining to phenomena.
• The process of measurement is central to quantitative
research because it provides the fundamental
connection between empirical observation and
mathematical expression of quantitative
relationships.
• Quantitative data is any data that is in numerical form
such as statistics, percentages, etc. The researcher
analyzes the data with the help of statistics.
• The researcher is hoping the numbers will yield an
unbiased result that can be generalized to some larger
 This research method is used:

• to describe variables;
• to examine relationships among variables;
• to determine cause-and-effect interactions
between variables.' (Burns & Grove
2005:23)
 Use of statistics
• Statistics is the most widely used branch of
mathematics in quantitative research outside of
the physical sciences, and also finds applications
within the physical sciences.
• Quantitative research using statistical methods
starts with the collection of data, based on the
hypothesis or theory. Usually a big sample of data
is collected – this would require verification,
validation and recording before the analysis can
take place. Software packages such as SPSS and
R are typically used for this purpose.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

• 1. Objective. Quantitative research seeks

accurate measurement and analysis of target
concepts. It is not based on mere intuitions and
guesses.
• 2. Clearly Defined Research Questions. The
researcher knows in advance what they are
looking for. The research questions are well-
defined for which objective answers are sought.
• 3. Structured Research Instruments.
Data are normally gathered using
structured research tools to collect
measurable characteristics of the
population.
• 4. Numerical Data. Data are in the form
numbers and statistics , often organized
and presented using tables, charts, graphs
and figures that consolidate large numbers
of data to show trends, relationships, or
differences among variables.
• 5. Large sample sizes. To arrive at a more reliable
data analysis, a normal population distribution curve
is preferred. This requires a large sample size,
depending on how the characteristics of the
population vary.
• 6. Replication. Results can be repeated to verify or
confirm the correctness of the results in another
setting.
• 7. Future Outcomes. By using complex
mathematical calculations and with the aid of
computers, if-then scenarios may be formulated thus
predicting future events.
 STRENGTHS OF QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH

• 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;
 STRENGTHS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

• 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 of Quantitative
Research
• Quantitative data is more efficient and able to test
hypotheses, but may miss contextual detail;
• Uses a static and rigid approach and so employs an
inflexible process of discovery;
• The development of standard questions by
researchers can lead to "structural bias" and false
representation, where the data actually reflects the
view of the researcher instead of the participating
subject;
• Results provide less detail on behavior, attitudes, and
motivation;
 Weaknesses of Quantitative
Research
• Researcher may collect a much narrower and sometimes superficial dataset;
• Results are limited as they provide numerical descriptions rather than
detailed narrative and generally provide less elaborate accounts of human
perception;
• The research is often carried out in an unnatural, artificial environment so
that a level of control can be applied to the exercise. This level of control
might not normally be in place in the real world thus yielding "laboratory
results" as opposed to "real world results"; and,
• Preset answers will not necessarily reflect how people really feel about a
subject and, in some cases, might just be the closest match to the
preconceived hypothesis.
Kinds of Quantitative Research
 There are four (4) main types of quantitative
designs:
• 1. Descriptive research is a study designed to depict the participants in an
accurate way. More simply put, descriptive research is all about describing people
who take part in the study.
•There are three ways a researcher can go about doing a descriptive
research project, and they are:
 Observational, defined as a method of viewing and recording the
participants
 Case study, defined as an in-depth study of an individual or
group of individuals
 Survey, defined as a brief interview or discussion with an individual
about a specific topic
• 2. Correlational study is a quantitative method of research in
which you have 2 or more quantitative variables from the same
group of subjects, & you are trying to determine if there is a
relationship (or covariation) between the 2 variables (a
similarity between them, not a difference between their
means).
• Theoretically, any 2 quantitative variables can be correlated
(for example, midterm scores & number of body piercings!) as
long as you have scores on these variables from the same
participants; however, it is probably a waste of time to collect &
analyze data when there is little reason to think these two
variables would be related to each other.
• 3. Quasi-experimental design involves
selecting groups, upon which a variable is tested,
without any random pre-selection processes.
• For example, to perform an educational
experiment, a class might be arbitrarily divided
by alphabetical selection or by seating
arrangement. The division is often convenient
and, especially in an educational situation, causes
as little disruption as possible.
• After this selection, the experiment proceeds in a
very similar way to any other experiment, with a
variable being compared between different
groups, or over a period of time.
• 4. Experimental research is commonly used in
sciences such as sociology and psychology, physics,
chemistry, biology and medicine etc. It is a collection
of research designs which use manipulation and
controlled testing to understand causal processes.
Generally, one or more variables are manipulated to
determine their effect on a dependent variable.
• The experimental method is a systematic and scientific approach to
research in which the researcher manipulates one or more variables,
and controls and measures any change in other variables.
• This is an experiment where the researcher manipulates one variable,
and control/randomizes the rest of the variables. It has a control
group, the subjects have been randomly assigned between the
groups, and the researcher only tests one effect at a time. It is also
important to know what variable(s) you want to test and measure.
 Activity 1
On a sheet of paper, write YES if the
statement describes Quantitative Research
and NO if it not.
 Activity 2
Answer the following questions comprehensively:

• 1. Discuss the strengths of quantitative research.

• 2. Discuss the weaknesses of quantitative research
• 3. Describe the following Kinds of Quantitative Research.
• A. Descriptive
• B. Correlational
• C. Quasi-experimental
• D. Experimental