Planning an Applied Research
ProjectChapter 7 – Forms of Quantitative
Research
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Learning Objectives» Explain the differences between qualitative and
quantitative research methods» List the quantitative research designs» Explain the differences between survey research,
experimental, pre experimental, quasi experimental , post hoc, developmental, and forecasting research methods
» Differentiate among independent, dependent, confounding and intervening variable
» Analyze the issue of significance» Explain mixed methods of research
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Key Terms» Causation
» Confounding variable
» Connection
» Control group
» Correlation
» Dependent variable
» Developmental research
» Embedded design
» Experimental research method
» Exploratory design
» Explanatory design
» Explanatory variable
» Forecasting
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Key Terms (cont’d)» Hypothesis or
hypotheses» Independent variable» Mixed methods» Moderating variable» Null hypothesis» Pre-experimental» Pre-test» Post-test» Pure experiment
» Quasi –experimental research method
» Regression analysis» Research hourglass» Significance» Smoothing» Survey Research» Time series analysis» Treatment group» Triangulation design
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Review of Qualitative vs. Quantitative» Both valid» Both use serious research techniques, although different» Both contribute to new information and perspectives» Both are rigorous» They fall on a continuum with mixed methods in
between
» Qualitative--------------------------------------------Quantitative» Qualitative------------------Mixed-------------------
Quantitative
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Review of Qualitative vs. Quantitative (cont’d)
Qualitative Quantitative
» Words more important and numbers count also
» Many variables and few cases
» Purpose is to explore, investigate, discover
» Writing the results counts
» Analysis is complicated
» Numbers more important and words count
» Few variables and many cases
» Purpose is to test, verify
» Analyzing the numbers counts
» Analysis is pretty standardized
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
The Three C’s of Quantitative Research
C Connection
C Correlation
C Causation
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Purposes of Quantitative Research
P Prove
A Assess or test
V Validate
E Examine
D Demonstrate
The road
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Characteristics of Quantitative Research˃ Focus on numbers but often includes words
˃ Emphasis on interpretations of numbers
˃ Standard data collection models
˃ Use of statistical techniques to analyze data
˃ Many cases and few variables
˃ Examination of significance of the numbers
˃ Desire to prove connections, correlations and maybe causation
˃ Focus on proving an hypothesis or hypotheses
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Types of Quantitative Research» Survey research
» Pre experimental
» Quasi experimental
» Experimental
» Post-hoc
» Developmental studies
» Forecasting
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Survey Research» Information about how a group of people think,
perceive the world, feel about an activity, program, policy, possibility of change, new development
» Methods include:
−Face to face interviews
−Telephone interviews
−Paper and pencil questionnaires
−Online questionnaires
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Experimental Research» Elements
˃ Control over independent variable enables measurement of change in the dependent variable as independent variable changes
˃ Control over a pre-test and post-test situation
˃ Control over selection of the sample
˃ Control over treatment application
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Experimental Research (cont’d)» Pure Experimental Research
˃ Can control treatment, pretest, and assignment to control and experimental groups
˃ Can prove cause and effect with some certainty
˃ Can select sample carefully
˃ Can assign participants to groups randomly
˃ Can give one group a treatment and not the other
˃ Internal validity important
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Experimental Research (cont’d)» Pre-experimental Research
˃ Cannot control treatment or only in a limited manner
˃ Cannot prove cause and effect with any certainty
˃ Cannot make changes in the independent variable
˃ Cannot select sample and randomize participants into the groups
˃ Internal validity important
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Experimental Research (cont’d)» Quasi-Experimental Research
˃ Can control randomization of participants or respondents in some ways
˃ Can prove cause and effect with some certainty
˃ Can select sample carefully
˃ Cannot randomly assign participants to groups
˃ Can give one group a treatment and not the other
˃ Internal validity important
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Post-Hoc Research» Conducted after the fact
» No control over the variables, pre-test, treatment choices, or partisans
» Often used to show the impact or effect of something that has already happened
» Often designed after the event or action
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Developmental Research» Focuses on time factors – changes over the age of
the participants primarily
» Cohort studies – cross-sectional approach
» Longitudinal studies – long term approach
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Forecasting» Attempts to predict future behavior, data, programs,
events, or other items
» Methods
˃ Time series analysis
˃ Smoothing
˃ Regression analysis
˃ Trend analysis
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Role of Hypotheses» Hypotheses needed to test:
˃ Clarification of independent variable
˃ Determination of dependent variable
˃ Confounding or moderating variables
˃ Intervening variables
˃ Null hypothesis
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Overcoming Confounding Variables» Strategies:
˃ Keep things constant
˃ Use a control group
˃ Select people using a randomizing technique
˃ Ensure equivalence where possible
˃ Treat all participants the same way
˃ Using statistics carefully and intelligently
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Determinations of Significance» Importance of Significance
˃ Importance of significance in testing, reinforcing or proving a hypothesis
˃ Proving that results could not be obtained by chance alone
˃ Tests of statistical significance
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Mixed Methods» Combination of qualitative and quantitative methods
˃ Triangulation design
˃ Embedded design
˃ Explanatory design
˃ Exploratory design
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Research Hourglass » Topic» Purpose statement» Research questions» Literature review» Research design» Data collection method» Data analysis plan» Findings» Applications» Future research ideas
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Review of Class Session» Anything unclear?
» One thing that I learned from this class is …
© 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.