METHODS OF RESEARCH

AND
PROCEDURES
Prepared by:
Josefina T. Parreño, R.N.
Joahne P. Tipay, R.N.
QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
DESIGNS AND APPROACHES
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

• "a formal, objective, systematic process in

which numerical data are utilized to obtain
information about the world"
(Burns and Grove cited by Cormack 1991 p 140)
 Quantitative/Qualitative
Differences
• The aim is to classify features, count • The aim is a detailed description.
them, and construct statistical models • Researcher may only know
in an attempt to explain what is roughly in advance what he/she is
observed. looking for.
• Researcher knows clearly in advance • The design emerges as the study
what he/she is looking for. unfolds.
• All aspects of the study are carefully • Researcher is the data gathering
designed before data is collected. instrument.
• Researcher questionnaires or • Data is in the form of words,
equipment to collect numerical data. pictures or objects.
• Data is numerical in nature. • Subjective - individuals’
• Objective – seeks measurement & interpretation of events is
analysis of target concepts. important
• Quantitative data is more efficient, • Qualitative data is more 'rich', time
able to test hypotheses. consuming, and not generalizable.
• Researcher tends to remain separated • Researcher tends to become
from the subject matter. subjectively immersed in the
subject matter.
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
• Both designs, quantitative and qualitative are said
to be systematic. In fact having a system or
following a process is a defining principle of
research.

• Broadly speaking, quantitative research is

thought to be objective whereas qualitative
research often involves a subjective element.
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
• It is thought that in gaining, analyzing and
interpreting quantitative data, the researcher can
remain detached and objective.

• Often this is not possible with qualitative

research where the researcher may actually be
involved in the situation of the research.
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
• Quantitative research is inclined to be deductive.

• In other words it tests theory.

• This is in contrast to most qualitative research

which tends to be inductive.

• In other words it generates theory.

 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
• Quantitative designs of research tend to produce
results that can be generalized.

• However, qualitative studies tend to produce

results that are less easy to generalize.
This has to do with the problem of the sample
used at the time.
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
• The most obvious difference between quantitative
research and qualitative research is that quantitative
research uses data that are structured in the form of
numbers or that can be immediately transported into
numbers.
 

• If the data can not be structured in the form of

numbers, they are considered qualitative.
(Note that qualitative data can sometimes be handled
in such a way as to produce quantitative data.
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
• Therefore, objectivity, deductiveness,
generalisability and numbers are features often
associated with quantitative research.
• When a researcher selects their approach to a
study it should be a reflection of which approach
is most suitable for the topic under consideration.
However it is also reasonable to suggest that it
also reflects the bias of the researcher.
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
• The majority of medical research is quantitative
(and considered to produce "hard", generalisable
results) whilst much of nursing research is
qualitative (and considered to produce "soft"
results).
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
Major types of Quantitative Research
Types of quantitative research include:
Descriptive
Quasi-experimental
Experimental
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
• Basically, experimental and quasi-experimental
studies are designed to examine cause and effect.
These studies are usually conducted to examine
the differences in dependent variables thought to
be caused by independent variables (treatments).

• Descriptive and correlational studies examine

variables in their natural environments and do not
include researcher imposed treatments.
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
• The paradigm for scientific method in research is
the true experiment or randomized control trial
(RCT). Typical examples of RCT's include drug
trials.
• Experimental designs are set up to allow the
greatest amount of control possible so that
causality may be examined closely.
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
The three essential elements of experimental design are:
• Manipulation : The researcher does something to at
least some of the participants in the research
• Control : The experimenter introduces one or more
controls over the experimental situation.
• Randomization : The experimenter assigns
participants to different groups on a random basis.
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
• The classic example is the before-after design or
pre-test post-test design.
• This is perhaps the most commonly used
experimental design.
• Comparison of pre-test scores allows the
researcher to evaluate how effective the
randomization of the sample is in providing
equivalent groups.
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
• The treatment is fully under control of the
researcher. The dependent variable is measured
twice during the study (before and after the
manipulation of the independent variable).
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
• In some studies the dependent variable cannot be
measured before the treatment. For example we
cannot effectively measure the response to
interventions designed to control nausea from
chemotherapy prior to the beginning of treatment.

• Here we would us an approach known as the post-

test only design.
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
• We may also wish to use this approach where
pre-test sensitization may occur. Subject’s post-
test response may be partly due to learning from,
or as a reaction to, the pre-test.
In these instances the pre-test phase can be
eliminated, however doing so removes the
possibility of applying some very powerful
statistical analyses.
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
• A development of the pre-test post-test design is
known as the Solomon 4-group design. Although
somewhat cumbersome this design effectively
measures the influence pre-testing has on post-
test scores. It is a stronger tool than the pre-test
post-test design but requires more complicated
statistical analysis of the data obtained.
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
 QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN
• A development of the pre-test post-test design is
known as the Solomon 4-group design. Although
somewhat cumbersome this design effectively
measures the influence pre-testing has on post-
test scores. It is a stronger tool than the pre-test
post-test design but requires more complicated
statistical analysis of the data obtained.