top of page
Quantitative Research Tips

 

The following is a guideline to analyzing qualitative data, to best understand how one reasearch step is related to another fro a complete discussion of the data analysis procedures.  For the purposes of this example, assume that the data collected is quantitative survey data:

 

Step 1. Report information about the number of members of the sample who did and did not return the survey.  A table with numbers and percentage descriging respondents and nonrespondents is a useful tool to present this information.  

 

Step 2.  Discuss teh method by which response bias will be determined.  Response bias is the effect of noresponse on survey estimates (Fowler, 2002).  Bias means that if nonrespondents had responded, their responses would have substantially changed the overall results.  Mention the procedures used to check for reponse bias, such as wave analysis or a respndent/nonrespondent analysis.  

 

Step 3. Discuss a plan to provide a descriptive analysis of data for all independent and dependent variables in the study.  This analysis should indicate the means, standard deviations, and range of scores for these variables.  

 

Step 4.  If the proposed contains an instrument with scales or a plan to develop scales (combining items on sclaes), identify the statistical procedure (i.e., factor analysis) for accomplishing this.  Also, netion reliability checks for the internal consistency of the scales.

 

Step 5.  Identify the statistics and the statistical computer program for testing the major inferential research questions or hypotheses in the proposed study.  The inferential questions or hypothesis relate to variables or compare groups in terms of variables so that inferences can be drawn from the sample to a population.  Provide a rationale for the choice of statistical test and mention the assumptions associated with the statistic.  

 

Step 6.  A final step in the data anlysis is to present the results in tables or figures and interpret the results from the statistical tes.  An interprestation of the results means that the researcher draws conclusions from the results for the research questions, hypothesis, and the larger meaning of the results.  This interpretive analysis involves several steps.  

 

I'm a paragraph. Click here to add your own text and edit me. It’s easy. Just click “Edit Text” or double click me to add your own content and make changes to the font. Feel free to drag and drop me anywhere you like on your page. I’m a great place for you to tell a story and let your users know a little more about you.

 

This is a great space to write long text about your company and your services. You can use this space to go into a little more detail about your company. Talk about your team and what services you provide. Tell your visitors the story of how you came up with the idea for your business and what makes you different from your competitors. Make your company stand out and show your visitors who you are. Tip: Add your own image by double clicking the image and clicking Change Image.

Quantitative Research

Quantitative methods involve the process of collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and writing the result of a study.  Specific methods exist in both survey and experimental research that relate to identifying a sample and population, specifying the strategy of inquiry, collecting and analyzing data, presenting the results, making an interpretation, and writing the research in a manner consistent with a survey or experimental study.  

 

Quantitative research is a means for testing objective theoreits by examining the relationship among variables.  These variables, in turn, can be measured, typically on instruments, so that numbered data can be analyzed using statistical procedures.  The final research report has a set structure consistent of introduction, literature and theory, methods, results, and discussion (Creswell, 2008).  Like qualitative researchers, those who engage inthis form of inquiry have assumptions about testing theories deductively, building in protections against bias, controlling for alternative explanations, and being able to generalize and replicate the findings.  

 

Download the introduction to quantitative research below to learn more about quantitative research design:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Who are the participants in the study?

  • What is the population to which the results of the participants will be generalized?

  • How were the participants selected?  Was random selection method used?

  • How will the participants be randomly assigned?  Will they be matched? How?

  • How many participants will be in the experiment adn control group(s)?

  • What is the dependent variable or variables (i.e., outcome variable) in teh study?  How will it be measured?  Will it be measured before or after the experiment?

  • What is the treatment condition(s)?  How was it operationalized?

  • Will variables be covaried in the experiment?  How will the be measured?

  • What experimental research deisgn will be used?  What would a visual model of this design look like?

  • What instrument(s) will be used to measure the outcome inthe study?  Why was it chosen?  Who developed it? Does it have established validity and reliability?  Has permission been sought to use it?

  • What the steps in the procedure (e.g., random assignment of participants to groups, collection of demographics information, administration of treatment(s), administration of posttest)?

  • What are potential threats to internal and external validit for the experimental design and procedure? How will they be addressed?

  • Will a pilot test be conducted?

  • What statistics will be used to analyze the data (e.g., descriptive and inferential)?

  • How will the results be interpreted?

A Checklist of Questions for Designing an Experimental Procedure

Readers need to know about the selection, assignment, and  number of participants who will take part in the experiment.  Consider the following suggestions when writing the method section for an experiement: 

Additional Resources:

The following books are helpful references in learning more about quantitative research and developing your quantitative study:

 

 

Creswell, J.W. (2009). Research Design Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. 

 

Creswell, J. W., & Clark, V. L. P. (2007). Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research.  Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. 

 

Goertz, G., & Mahoney, J. (2012). A tale of two cultures: Qualitative and quantitative research in the social sciences. Princeton University Press.

 

Robson, C. (2011). Real world research: a resource for users of social research methods in applied settings. Chichester: Wiley.

 
bottom of page