Types Of Quantitative Research Methods

Different types of quantitative research methods are used to research data and convert them into number and statistics to support and prove the research topic. It focuses and relies more on numbers, statistics, surveys and graphs for the proving of the event or thing that made them curious. Qualitative research, on the other hands is the opposite of the quantitative research. Qualitative research relies more on people’s experiences and statements, more on the feelings and the mind.

Before conducting any kind of research – quantitative or qualitative – one must be able to conduct precautions and be ready. One thing to do is to complete a research plan beforehand. Researching data before the quantitative research procedure itself makes the study easier to follow. Planned research aides the whole study, and facilitates the evaluation of the proposed study. Another thing to do before the quantitative research is to be aware of the ethical responsibilities and consideration. The research study or topic must not harm, provoke or bring false accusations and witnesses to anyone or anything. The researcher and the study itself should not engage or be in engaged in any thing that can bring harm and disrespect to his name or any organization’s name. One must always practice respect and consideration in doing any research, may it be quantitative or qualitative.

The steps in doing quantitative research are as follows: first, is the introduction, where in one must define a problem and come up with a hypothesis or an intelligent and scientific guess. The second step is called the method, the part where one must discuss the population, instruments and procedures in the whole span of the quantitative research. The next step is the results. The first result to be discussed is the data and statistics, where the types of measurement and descriptive statistics are explained; the second result is the inferential statistics, where in the levels and tests of significance are done. The fourth step is the discussion of the interpretation of the results, generalizations and implications. The final step is the conclusion and recommendation.

There are many types of quantitative research methods to be used. One type of this research method is the correlational research method. Correlational research method is the process of establishing a relationship between two or more qualified variables. It is a type of quantitative research method that measures the extent of such interdependence. This type of quantitative research method doesn’t however establish a cause and effect relationship. A relationship made by this research method uses a correlation coefficient between 0.00 and 1.00.

Another type of quantitative research method is the cause-comparative research method or casual-comparative research method. This method can establish the cause and effect relationship that is absent in the correlational type of quantitative research method. Cause-comparative research method compares the relationship, but the relationship isn’t manipulative.

Descriptive research method is a type of quantitative research method that classifies without expressing feelings or judging. It involves the collection of data to obtain results and answers regarding the hypothesis and/or the status of the subjects covered in the research.

The last of the types of quantitative research methods is the experimental method which establishes the cause and effect relationship between two things; able to do the comparison and that the subject matter or cause is manipulative. The two variables used in the experimental method are the dependent variable, which is considered as the effect, and the independent variable which is the cause. The dependent variable relies on the independent variable which gives this type of quantitative research method the difference among other research method.

The research and studies we make can be more persuading and convincing if we do and apply the proper research methods and steps. If you chose to do the quantitative research method, you must find the type of quantitative research method that suits you, one that brings points out the nature and implication and your desired results in your study.