Quantitative Research

Methods
Introduction to
Course plan
Consider these questions

 Are girls smarter than boys?

 Are Gen-z more prone to develop mental health
issues?
 Does climate awareness lead to increased climate
action?
 Are certain personality traits more prone to
migraine?
What are your reasons for
choosing a research methods
course?
Scientific
method

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC.

Conduct a research study

This Photo by Unknown author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC.

Critical evaluation of
existing/ upcoming
research
..and helps in everyday decision
making
What is research

 Habit of questioning what you do

 A systematic examination of clinical observation to explain

 Find answers

 Change accordingly

 Contribution at professional and personal life

Definitions of Research

General – way of thinking,

finding answers to the questions that come

into your mind

Martyn (2008) - Gathering of data,

information,
facts for the advancement of
knowledge.
Definitions of Research conti….

Creswell (2008) – process of steps used to collect, analyze information to increase our
understanding of a topic or issues.

- THREE STEPS:
- POSE A QUESTION
- COLLECT DATA TO ANSWER THE QUESTION
- PRESENT AN ASWER TO THE QUESTION
Definitions of Research conti….

Creation of new knowledge

For the use of existing knowledge in a new
And creative way
To generate new concepts
Methodologies
understanding
What is Science and scientific method
SCIENCE IS…..

 a way in which answers related to NATURAL events are proposed

 a way in which people can learn and UNDERSTAND events in the NATURAL WORLD.

 based on OBSERVABLE EVENTS

 a study of the NATURAL WORLD

 a method of DISCOVERY and UNDERSTANDING by using a PROBLEM SOLVING process

called the????
What is Science and scientific method conti

The scientific method…

When conducting research, scientists use the scientific method to

collect measurable,

empirical evidence in an experiment related to a hypothesis

the results aiming to support or contradict a theory.

Definition of scientific research
- A RESEARCH PROCESS IS SCIENTIFIC, IF IT IS
- UNDERTAKEN WITHIN THE FRAMEWORK OF A SET OF PHILOSOPHIES
(ACCORDING TO THE SPECIFIC FIELD OF SCIENCE)

- USING PROCEDURES, METHODS AND TECHNIQUES THAT HAVE BEEN

TESTED FOR THEIR VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY

- DESIGNED TO BE UNBIASED AND OBJECTIVE

- IT IS EMPIRICAL
Questions are everywhere,
all you need to do is
observe and be Curious.
(Graziano& Raulin,2004)
How do we develop RQ?
 Having an interest--- interest in the question vs. interest in the answer (it might be hard to keep the
researcher bias at bay!)
 Do not anticipate the outcome of your research and that you are prepared to be surprised by your findings
(Pole & Lampard, 2002).
 Be open-minded about the questions.
 Do not fall into a habit of thought (Sellitz et al. 1965).
 Idle curiosity vs. Applying the curiosity in a systematic and disciplined way
 Steps to convert your curiosity to RQ

 Academic communities can be quite conservative in some respects and ‘habits of thought’ within particular
disciplines or subject areas can lead to research becoming formulaic and repetitive (Sellitz et al. 1965).

 Try not to be too constrained by previous work in your field, either in terms of questions or methods.

 Think about the types of answers that particular questions can produce but keep an open mind about your
findings.
Literature

 Research does not/ should not arise from a vacuum

 Literature consists of:

 Empirical Evidence

 Theoretical Evidence

 Existing policies and practices

Questions to keep in mind

 Should I start by reviewing the literature or start with a research question?

 Where do I start reading and when should I stop reading?
 What counts as a ‘gap’ in our knowledge and how large does it need to be?
 What makes research ‘original’ and how important is originality?
 To what extent should I be influenced by previous findings and theories?
Should I start by reviewing the literature or
start with a research question?
 Don’t start your literature search without some idea of the topic you want to investigate.
 Use the media, course notes or discussions with academic staff to generate initial ideas.
 Spending time thinking about your questions will save time during your literature
review.
Where do I start reading and when should I stop reading?

 Seek expert advice

 Review the relevant publications
 Your question also determines the required extent of literature - eg: Grounded theory
 It is probably best to explore the literature at the beginning of your project, rather than leave it until later
on.
 Try not to worry about moving on from the literature or research questions: you will revisit both on a
regular basis
What counts as a ‘gap’ in our knowledge and how large does it need to be?

 Avoid ‘re-inventing the wheel’

 Advanced researchers often start by identifying questions that may have been addressed in previous research
but have not been answered ‘thoroughly or even correctly’ (Booth et al. 2003).
 Contradictions, inconsistencies, and incomplete explanations can all provide good starting points for research
(Greer 1978).
 Do not take a very ambitious work, do not be afraid of a narrower focus.
Do we need to worry about originality?
 It has been suggested that a study can be considered original if it makes a novel contribution in one or more
of the following four areas: topic, method, data or analysis (Denscombe, 2002).

 Denscombe (2002) also suggests that any research with ‘new’ data is also original

 Golden rule: Undergraduate students need not worry about the extent to which their research is ‘original’ —
they should concentrate on demonstrating their competence in conducting research.
To what extent should I be influenced by previous findings and theories?

 Avoid habit of thought

 The importance of questions or topics should not be judged by how often they arise in the literature.
 Paying too much attention to previous studies can lead to derivative and conservative research.
 You must pay attention to previous studies but should not be afraid to ask new questions or use innovative
research methods.
Research question - types
Research Question Type Question

Descriptive What are the properties of A?

Comparative What are the similarities and distinctions between A and B?

Correlational What can you do to correlate variables A and B?

Exploratory What factors affect the rate of C's growth? Are A and B also
influencing C?

Explanatory What are the causes for C? What does A do to B? What's causing
D?

Evaluation What is the impact of C? What role does B have? What are the
benefits and drawbacks of A?

Action-Based What can you do to improve X?

Descriptive Research Questions:

• Aim to describe a phenomenon or provide an accurate profile of a situation.

• Example: What are the characteristics of online shopping behavior among millennials?

Explanatory Research Questions:

• Seek to explain the relationship between variables or why a particular event occurs.

• Example: How does social media usage impact academic performance in high school
students?
Exploratory Research Questions:

• Designed to explore a topic when little is known about it.

• Example: What factors influence employee satisfaction in the tech industry?

Comparative Research Questions:

• Involve comparing two or more groups, conditions, or variables.

• Example: What are the differences in customer satisfaction between Product A and
Product B?

Causal Research Questions:

• Investigate cause-and-effect relationships between variables.

• Example: Does regular exercise lead to a reduction in stress levels?

Predictive Research Questions:

1. Aim to forecast future occurrences based on present or past data.

2. Example: Can we predict stock market trends based on historical price data?

Correlational Research Questions:

3. Examine the relationship between two or more variables without implying

causation.
4. Example: Is there a correlation between hours of sleep and academic performance
in college students?

Intervention Research Questions:

5. Focus on the effects of an intervention or treatment.

6. Example: How does a new teaching method impact student learning outcomes in
mathematics?
Qualitative Research Questions:

1. Typically open-ended and explore the depth, meaning, or context of a phenomenon.

2. Example: What are the lived experiences of individuals living with chronic illness?

Quantitative Research Questions:

3. Involve numerical data and seek to establish relationships or patterns through

statistical analysis.

4. Example: What is the relationship between income level and homeownership rates in
a specific region?
Action Research Questions:

1. Aimed at solving a problem within a specific context or organization.

2. Example: How can employee satisfaction be improved within the marketing

department?

Ethical Research Questions:

3. Focus on ethical considerations and implications of a particular issue.

4. Example: What are the ethical implications of genetic testing for susceptibility to
certain diseases?
 Methods of inquiry
Concept of Inquiry
 "Inquiry"
is defined as "a seeking for truth, information, or knowledge – seeking
information by questioning."

The process of asking a question or asking for information about someone or

something.

The process of inquiring begins with gathering information and data through applying
the human senses -- seeing, hearing, touching, tasting, and smelling.

The inquiry method requires higher-order thinking skills and critical thinking to make
conclusions.
 Methods of inquiry
1.The Method of Authority

 Involves consulting some source that you consider authoritative on

the issue in question

(e.g., consulting books, television, religious leaders, scientists).

the method of authority does not always provide valid answers to

questions about behavior
Reasons – 1. The source consulted may not be truly
authoritative.
2. Sources often are biased by a particular point
of view.
2. The Rational Method

 Rational inquiry includes a:

- plurality of questions, methods and observations

leading to answers,

- meanings, ethics, personal essence, purpose and a

greater awareness.
3. The Scientific Method
 The scientific method is a process for experimentation that is used to explore
observations and answer questions.

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https://youtu.be/Xxm_beTs2LU
Sources of Research Ideas

1. Experience – everyday experience and observation

For example, after reading a newspaper article about a terrorist attack, you
may begin to wonder how people who have to live with terrorism every day cope.

- Subsidiary questions might also come to your mind, such as:

Do men and women cope differently with terrorism?

Do adults adjust better than children?
General questions like these can be translated into viable research
questions.
2. Unsystematic observation

Unsystematic observation is a less formal and methodical way to observe compared to

systematic observation. Unsystematic observation involves a researcher simply observing
behavior without looking for anything in particular or using any specific type of methodology.

A simple example would be going on a vacation with no definite plan or destination -

just flipping a coin for a direction to travel and heading out. In science, a nonsystematic study
might be the observation of children (or animals) in a natural environment to simply see how
they live, eat, play, socialize, etc.
3. Systematic observation
4. Theory

5. Applied Issues - Applied research is a methodology used to solve a specific, practical

issue affecting an individual or group. This scientific method of study and research is used in
business, medicine, and education in order to find solutions that may improve health, solve
scientific problems or develop new technology.

Health
• Interventions for aggressive child behaviors
• Ways to manage schizophrenia in teenagers
• How to cure Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
• Is mercury poisoning affecting intellectual disorders?
• Should vaccinations be avoided to prevent autism?
• What types of additives are acceptable and healthy for manufacturers to use in
human food products?