Forms of Quantitative Research

Planning an Applied Research ProjectChapter 7 – Forms of Quantitative Research© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Learning ObjectivesExplain the differences between qualitative and quantitative research methodsList the quantitative research designsExplain the differences between survey research, experimental, pre experimental, quasi experimental , post hoc, developmental, and forecasting research methodsDifferentiate among independent, dependent, confounding and intervening variableAnalyze the issue of significanceExplain mixed methods of research© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Key TermsCausationConfounding variableConnectionControl groupCorrelationDependent variableDevelopmental researchEmbedded designExperimental research method Exploratory designExplanatory designExplanatory variableForecasting© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Key Terms (cont’d)Hypothesis or hypothesesIndependent variableMixed methodsModerating variableNull hypothesisPre-experimentalPre-testPost-testPure experimentQuasi –experimental research methodRegression analysisResearch hourglassSignificanceSmoothingSurvey ResearchTime series analysisTreatment groupTriangulation design© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Review of Qualitative vs. QuantitativeBoth validBoth use serious research techniques, although differentBoth contribute to new information and perspectivesBoth are rigorousThey fall on a continuum with mixed methods in betweenQualitative--------------------------------------------QuantitativeQualitative------------------Mixed-------------------Quantitative© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Review of Qualitative vs. Quantitative (cont’d)QualitativeQuantitativeWords more important and numbers count alsoMany variables and few casesPurpose is to explore, investigate, discoverWriting the results countsAnalysis is complicatedNumbers more important and words countFew variables and many casesPurpose is to test, verifyAnalyzing the numbers countsAnalysis is pretty standardized© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.The Three C’s of Quantitative ResearchC ConnectionC CorrelationC Causation© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Purposes of Quantitative ResearchP ProveA Assess or test V ValidateE ExamineD Demonstrate The road© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Characteristics of Quantitative ResearchFocus on numbers but often includes wordsEmphasis on interpretations of numbersStandard data collection modelsUse of statistical techniques to analyze dataMany cases and few variablesExamination of significance of the numbersDesire to prove connections, correlations and maybe causationFocus on proving an hypothesis or hypotheses© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Types of Quantitative ResearchSurvey researchPre experimentalQuasi experimentalExperimentalPost-hoc Developmental studiesForecasting© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Survey ResearchInformation about how a group of people think, perceive the world, feel about an activity, program, policy, possibility of change, new developmentMethods include:Face to face interviewsTelephone interviewsPaper and pencil questionnairesOnline questionnaires© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Experimental ResearchElementsControl over independent variable enables measurement of change in the dependent variable as independent variable changesControl over a pre-test and post-test situationControl over selection of the sampleControl over treatment application© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Experimental Research (cont’d)Pure Experimental ResearchCan control treatment, pretest, and assignment to control and experimental groupsCan prove cause and effect with some certaintyCan select sample carefullyCan assign participants to groups randomlyCan give one group a treatment and not the otherInternal validity important© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Experimental Research (cont’d)Pre-experimental ResearchCannot control treatment or only in a limited mannerCannot prove cause and effect with any certaintyCannot make changes in the independent variableCannot select sample and randomize participants into the groupsInternal validity important© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Experimental Research (cont’d)Quasi-Experimental ResearchCan control randomization of participants or respondents in some waysCan prove cause and effect with some certaintyCan select sample carefullyCannot randomly assign participants to groupsCan give one group a treatment and not the otherInternal validity important© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Post-Hoc ResearchConducted after the factNo control over the variables, pre-test, treatment choices, or partisansOften used to show the impact or effect of something that has already happenedOften designed after the event or action© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Developmental ResearchFocuses on time factors – changes over the age of the participants primarilyCohort studies – cross-sectional approachLongitudinal studies – long term approach© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.ForecastingAttempts to predict future behavior, data, programs, events, or other itemsMethodsTime series analysisSmoothingRegression analysisTrend analysis© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Role of HypothesesHypotheses needed to test:Clarification of independent variableDetermination of dependent variableConfounding or moderating variablesIntervening variablesNull hypothesis© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Overcoming Confounding VariablesStrategies:Keep things constantUse a control groupSelect people using a randomizing techniqueEnsure equivalence where possibleTreat all participants the same wayUsing statistics carefully and intelligently© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Determinations of SignificanceImportance of SignificanceImportance of significance in testing, reinforcing or proving a hypothesisProving that results could not be obtained by chance aloneTests of statistical significance© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Mixed MethodsCombination of qualitative and quantitative methodsTriangulation designEmbedded designExplanatory designExploratory design© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Research Hourglass TopicPurpose statementResearch questionsLiterature reviewResearch designData collection methodData analysis planFindingsApplicationsFuture research ideas© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.Review of Class SessionAnything unclear?One thing that I learned from this class is © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.