Introduction To Quantitative Research PDF

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS OF RESEARCH DR. SKEZEER JOHN B. PAZ Classifications of Research 1) Quantitative Research o uses objective measurement to gather numeric data that are used to answer questions or test predetermined hypotheses. o generally requires a well-controlled sett...

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS OF RESEARCH DR. SKEZEER JOHN B. PAZ Classifications of Research 1) Quantitative Research o uses objective measurement to gather numeric data that are used to answer questions or test predetermined hypotheses. o generally requires a well-controlled setting 2) Qualitative research o focuses on understanding social phenomena from the perspective of the human participants in natural settings o does not begin with formal hypotheses, but it may result in hypotheses as the study unfolds SKEZEER JOHN B. PAZ Quantitative Research Classifications of Research For a time, the relationship between quantitative and qualitative researchers was somewhat adversarial, but gradually there was a trend toward rapprochement as researchers began to see quantitative and qualitative methodology as complementary. Pring (2004) wrote, “The distinctions within the so-called paradigms are often as significant as the distinctions between them” (p. 48). 3) Mixed Methods Research o methodology in which the same study uses both quantitative and qualitative approaches SKEZEER JOHN B. PAZ Quantitative Research Comparison of Quantitative and Qualitative Research SKEZEER JOHN B. PAZ Quantitative Research Answer: The quantitative researcher would suggest an experimental study to try to determine the impact of block scheduling and other demographic variables on student performance. The qualitative researcher would suggest in-depth case studies of the two block scheduling schools to determine what differences in the social context of the schools could account for the different results. Data could be collected through observation and focus groups. Quantitative Research Classifications of Quantitative Research Quantitative research may be further classified as either experimental or nonexperimental. 1) Experimental Research o study variables, which are characteristics that take on different values across people or things. o involves a study of the effect of the systematic manipulation of one variable(s) on another variable ü the manipulated variable is called the experimental treatment or the independent variable ü the observed and measured variable is called the dependent variable SKEZEER JOHN B. PAZ Quantitative Research | Example Assume a university researcher wanted to investigate the effect of providing online feedback to students immediately following course examinations. Using two sections of economics taught by the same professor, the researcher using a random procedure would select one section to receive immediate online feedback about their performance on test questions; the other section would receive feedback during their next class session (independent variables). The researcher would compare the two sections’ exam scores and their final grades in the course (dependent variables). If test scores and final grades were higher than could be accounted for by chance in the section receiving online feedback, the researcher could tentatively conclude that there is evidence the online feedback (treatment or independent variable) contributed to greater learning than the in-class feedback. Classifications of Quantitative Research 2) Nonexperimental Research o the researcher identifies variables and may look for relationships among them but does not manipulate the variables o major forms are a) Relationship Studies i. Ex Post Facto Research ii. Correlational Research b) Survey Research SKEZEER JOHN B. PAZ Quantitative Research Kinds of Relationship Studies a) Relationship Studies i) Ex Post Facto Research o similar to an experiment, except the researcher does not manipulate the independent variable, which has already occurred in the natural course of events o the researcher simply compares groups differing on the preexisting independent variable to determine any relationship to the dependent variable o variables differ in kind rather than in amount (we refer to these as categorical variables) SKEZEER JOHN B. PAZ Quantitative Research To answer the question, “What is the effect of part-time work on school achievement of high school students?” one would use the ex post facto method. Kinds of Relationship Studies ii) Correlational Research o gathers data from individuals on two or more variables and then seeks to determine if the variables are related (correlated) Correlation means the extent to which the two variables vary directly (positive correlation) or inversely (negative correlation). The degree of relationship is expressed as a numeric index called the coefficient of correlation. SKEZEER JOHN B. PAZ Quantitative Research  Correlational research might ask about the relationship between the quality of writing samples produced by incoming college freshmen and their academic performance during the freshman year. One might investigate the relationship between performance on a language aptitude test and success in a high school foreign language course. Kinds of Relationship Studies Ex Post Facto Research vs. Correlational Research ü Both ex post facto and correlational research investigate relationships between variables. ü The major distinction: q In ex post facto research one categorizes the participants into at least two groups on one variable and then compares them on the other variable. q In correlational research, a researcher deals with one group of individuals measured on at least two continuous variables. SKEZEER JOHN B. PAZ Quantitative Research Kinds of Relationship Studies c) Survey Research o also called descriptive research o uses instruments such as questionnaires and interviews to gather information from groups of individuals o widely used by researchers in education and the social sciences SKEZEER JOHN B. PAZ Quantitative Research  Start Are the data primarily in the Word Number form of number or words? QUALITATIVE QUANTITATIVE Does the researcher have EXPERIMENTAL Yes control over the independent TRUE variable? Yes Is random assignment used? EXPERIMENTAL No No QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL NONEXPERIMENTAL Is the study investigating SURVEY No variables change together? Yes Is the direction and strength of the relationship of two or more EX POST FACTO No variables among the same subjects or paired subjects studied? Yes | Major Types of Quantitative Educational Research CORRELATIONAL Exercise A study investigated the difference in French grammar performance between high school freshmen taught by two different methods. 1. (a) What is the independent variable in this study? (b) What is the dependent variable? 2. What would the researcher have to do to make the study a true experiment? 3. How would the study be classified if intact classes were assigned to receive teaching method A or B? 4. How would the study be classified if it compared the French grammar performance of students who had already been taught using method A with the performance of those who had already been taught using method B? SKEZEER JOHN B. PAZ Quantitative Research