Describing Characteristics, Strengths, Weaknesses and Kinds of Quantitative Research

Describing Characteristics, Strengths,
Weaknesses and Kinds of Quantitative

Research
Quantitative research designs use numbers in stating
generalizations about a given problem or inquiry in
contrast to qualitative research that hardly uses
statistical treatment in stating generalizations.
These numbers are the results of objective scales of

measurements of the units of analysis called
VARIABLES. Research findings are subjected to
statistical treatment to determine significant
relationships or differences between variables, the
results of which are the bases for generalization about
phenomena.
CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH
1. Methods or procedures of data gathering include
items like age, gender, educational status, among
others, that call for measurable characteristics of the
population.
2. Standardized instruments guide data collection, thus,
ensuring the accuracy, reliability and validity of data.
RESEARCH
3. Figures, tables, or graphs showcases summarized
data collected in order to show trends, relationships or
differences among variables. In sum, the charts and
tables allow you to see the evidence collected.
4. A large population yields more reliable data, but
principles of random sampling must be strictly followed
to prevent researches bias.
RESEARCH
5. Quantitative methods can be repeated to verify
findings in another setting, thus, reinforcing validity of
findings.
6. Quantitative research puts emphasis proof, rather
than discovery.
Just like qualitative research, quantitative research has

its own set of strengths as well as weaknesses.
STRENGTHS OF QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH
1. Quantitative research design is the most reliable and

valid ways of concluding results, giving way to a new
hypotheses or to disproving it.
2. Because of a bigger number of the sample of a
population, the results or generalizations are more
reliable and valid.
STRENGTHS OF QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH
3. Quantitative experiments filter out external factors, if

properly designed, and so the results gained can be
seen, as real and unbiased.
4. Quantitative experiments are useful for testing the
results gained by a series of quantitative experiments,
leading to a final answer, and a narrowing down of
possible directions to follow.
WEAKNESSES OF QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH
1. Quantitative research can be costly, difficult and time
consuming, difficult because most researchers are
non-mathematicians.
2. Quantitative research 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.
WEAKNESSES OF QUANTITATIVE
RESEARCH
3. 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
RESEARCH DESIGN refers to the overall strategy that
you choose in order to integrate the different
components of the study in a coherent and logical way,
thereby ensuring you will effectively address the
research problem.
Furthermore, a research design constitutes the

blueprint for the selection, measurement and analysis
of data. The research problem determines the research
design you should use.
DESIGNS
Quantitative methods emphasize objective

measurements and the statistical, mathematical, or
numerical analysis of data collected through pools,
questionnaires, and surveys, or by manipulating pre-
exiting statistical data using computational techniques.
DESIGNS
Quantitative research designs are generally classified

as:
1. Experimental research design

2. Non-experimental research design
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN allows the

researcher to control the situation. It allows the
researcher to answer the question, What causes
something to occur? This kind of research also allows
the researcher to identify cause and effect relationships
between variables and to distinguish placebo effects
from treatment effects.
Further, this research design supports the ability to limit

alternative explanations and to infer direct causal
relationships in the study; the approach provides the
highest level or evidence for single studies.
Pre-experimental types of research apply to

experimental designs with the least internal validity.
One type of pre-experiment, the single group, pre-test-
posttest design, measures the group two times, before
and after the intervention.
Instead of comparing the pretest with the Posttest

within one group, the posttest of the treated groups is
compared with that of an untreated group. Measuring
the effect as the difference between groups marks this
as between subjects design. Assuming both groups
experienced the same time-related influences, the
comparison group feature should protect this design
from the rival explanations that threaten the within-
subject design.
Two classes of experimental designs can provide better

internal validity than pre-experimental designs:
1. Quasi-experimental design
2. True experimental design
In a quasi-experimental design, the researcher can
collect more data, either by scheduling more
observations or finding more existing measures.
A true experimental design controls for both time-

related and group related threats. Two features mark
true experiments – two or more differently treated
groups and random assignment to these groups. These
features requires that the researchers have control over
the experimental treatment and the power to place
subjects in groups.
True experimental design employs both treated and
control groups to deal with time-related rival
explanations. A control group reflects changes other
than those due to the treatment that occur during the
time of the study. Such changes include effects of
outside events, maturation by the subjects, changes in
measures and impact of any pre-tests.
True experimental design offers the highest internal
validity of all the designs. Quasi-experimental design
differs from true experimental design by the absence of
random assignment of subjects to different conditions.
What quasi-experiments have in common with true
experiments is that some subjects receive an
intervention and provide data likely to reflect its impact.
TYPES OF QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
1. Non-equivalent control group design
2. Interrupted Time-Series Design
NON-EQUIVALENT CONTROL GROUP DESIGN:

Refers to the chance failure of random assignment to
equalize the conditions by converting a true experiment
into this kind of design, for purposes of analysis.
TYPES OF QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
2. INTERRUPTED TIME-SERIES DESIGN: Employs

multiple measures before and after the experimental
intervention. It differs from the single-group pre-
experiment that has only one pre-test and one post-
test. Users of this design assume that the time treats
such as history or maturation appear as regular
changes in the measures prior to the intervention.
NON-EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN
In this kind of design, the research observes the

phenomena as they occur naturally and no external
variables are introduced. In this research design, the
variables are not deliberately manipulated nor is the
setting controlled. Researchers collect data without
making changes or introducing treatments.
NON-EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN
The Descriptive research design main purpose is to

observe, described, and document aspects of a
situation as it naturally occurs and sometimes to serve
as a starting point for hypothesis generation or theory
development.
Illustrating the Importance of
Quantitative Research Across
Fields

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Describing Characteristics, Strengths,

Weaknesses and Kinds of Quantitative

These numbers are the results of objective scales of

Just like qualitative research, quantitative research has

1. Quantitative research design is the most reliable and

3. Quantitative experiments filter out external factors, if

Furthermore, a research design constitutes the

Quantitative methods emphasize objective

Quantitative research designs are generally classified

1. Experimental research design

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN allows the

Further, this research design supports the ability to limit

Pre-experimental types of research apply to

Instead of comparing the pretest with the Posttest

Two classes of experimental designs can provide better

A true experimental design controls for both time-

NON-EQUIVALENT CONTROL GROUP DESIGN:

2. INTERRUPTED TIME-SERIES DESIGN: Employs

In this kind of design, the research observes the

The Descriptive research design main purpose is to

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