DISCUSSION MODULE 7

PLEASE RESPOND IN A DISCUSSION FORM

1. What goals drive a quantitative research design? 

2. Compare and contrast quantitative survey and experimental designs for research. 

3. Further describe the challenges of quantitative research design.

1ST PEER IS NATACHA

In researching my interest area I find myself gearing towards a more quantitative research design. In fact, based on my research questions, the goal is use statistical analysis to examine a correlation between my variables. As a result, I have the choice to either do descriptive or experimental research. Descriptive research establishes associations between variables and would best be employed with surveys. Experimental research establishes causality and is often paired with the experimental method (Ramos & Carvalho, 2011). Additionally, “in quantitative studies, investigators use research questions and hypotheses to shape and specifically focus the purpose of the study” (Creswell, 2009). Therefore, quantitative surveys and experimental methods can be used to test hypotheses as well as to come up with findings. Since they are both extremely important in data gathering, what are the main difference? 

Based on our readings, conducting surveys involves using questionnaires and/or interviews to gather information. This includes dealing with primary data whereas an experimentation approach gathers data from the result of the experimental treatment and frequently includes dealing with secondary data (Mandell, 2008). Additionally, sample sizes are usually smaller for experiments and could be more costly as well as use more tools compared to surveys. In fact, surveys can easily be less expensive and use less resources to reach a larger number of people. Depending on the field of study the researcher may use surveys for a behavioral or social field whereas it may be better to use the experimental method for scientific research. Furthermore, experimental research uses casual analysis as opposed to correlational analysis from surveys used in descriptive research (Creswell, 2009). Manipulations are not possible when using surveys and can assess a wider range of topics while the experimental method involves manipulations but covers a more specific topic. 

The challenges of quantitative research design include the lack of detail, especially when using structured questionnaire with close ended questions. This lack of detail can also lead to missing variables by overlooking other possible variables in order to have relevant findings. According to Chetty (2016), other possible limitations of quantitative research are “improper representation of the target population, lack of resources for data collection, and inability to control the environment as well as expensive, time consuming, and requirement of extra resources to analyse the results.”  In fact, quantitative research necessitates extensive statistical analysis, which can be difficult to perform for researchers from non- statistical backgrounds (Chetty, 2016).

2ND PEER IS TRINA

Quantitative method, per Creswell, focuses specifically on survey and experimental designs (Creswell, 2014). A survey design provides numeric description of trends, attitudes, or opinions of a population by studying a sample of that population (Creswell, 2014). Survey methods follow a standard format, starting with introducing readers to the basic purpose and rationale for the survey research (Creswell, 2014). During data collection, detailed information regarding the survey instrument being used in the proposed study is discussed. Variables should relate to the specific questions and hypotheses on the instrument, as well as information on how data will be analyzed. An experimental design is used to test the impact of a treatment on an outcome (Creswell, 2014).  

An experimental design has standard component: participants, materials, procedures and measures. In the experimental research design, information about the selection process, assignments, and the number of participants will be given to the readers. As far as variables, readers need to be clear on treatment and outcomes to be measured. Experimental researchers must identify potential threats towards the validity of their experiments, internal and external (Creswell, 2014). Lastly, the readers should be familiar with the design, the observations, treatments, and the timeline of activities. 

The challenges of quantitative research designs are the inability to infer meaning beyond the results achieved through statistical analysis (Castellan, 2010), as well controlling variables that may adversely affect the validity of statistical analysis of data and the difficulty of trying to quantify abstract ideas (Bogdan & Biklen, 1998).

The goals from a quantitative aspect is to collect facts of human behavior, which when accumulated will provide verification and elaboration on a theory that will allow scientists to state causes and predict human behavior (Bogdan & Biklen, 1998). Other goals of quantitative research design can be to show relationships between variables, statistical description, establishing facts (Bogdan & Biklen, 1998), validation (Krathwohl, 1998), and testing hypotheses (Gall, 1996).