Module 1: Practical Research 2

Module 1: Practical Research 2

by Cher Mau

Poll

How are you feeling today? 

• Happy 

• sad

• lonely

• glad

Learning Objectives: ​

​At the end of this module, you should be able to:

1. Describe the characteristics, strengths, weaknesses, and kinds of quantitative research (CS_RS12-Ia-c-1);

2. Illustrate the importance of quantitative research across field (CS_RS12-Ia-c-2);

3. Differentiate the kinds of variables and their uses (CS_RS12-Ia-c-3);

Open Ended

Give me a word or phrase about your idea when you hear the word Quantitative Research?

​Review:

• What are the two classifications of research methods?

• ​What is a qualitative research?

• ​Describe the characteristics of a qualitative research?

Lesson 1: ​

Introduction to Quantitative Research​

​In this lesson, you will learn about quantitative analysis, a more formal, objective, and systematic approach to obtaining answers to a question or problem of the study.

Activity 1: Finding clues​

Direction: Identify the following word clues if they are characteristics of Quantitative Research or Qualitative Research. ​

Multiple Choice

Small sample

• Quantitative Research

• Qualitative Research

Multiple Choice

Measurable

• Quantitative Research

• Qualitative Research

Multiple Choice

Statistical

• Quantitative Research

• Qualitative Research

Multiple Choice

Narrative

• Quantitative Research

• Qualitative Research

Multiple Choice

Objective

• Quantitative Research

• Qualitative Research

​Quantitative Research

• ​based on the measurement or quantity.

• ​uses scientifically collected and statistically analyzed data to investigate observable phenomena

• ​A phenomenon is any existing or observable fact or situation that we want to unearth further or understand.

• ​It is scientific for the fact that it uses a scientific method in designing and collecting numerical data. Once data is collected, it will undergo statistical analysis like Pearson’s r, t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) for analysis

• ​Since data is analyzed statistically, it is imperative that the data obtained must be numerical and quantifiable.

​Quantitative Research

• ​Numerical data are generally easier to collect than descriptions or phrases used in qualitative research.

• ​Examples are information like student’s grades in different subjects, number of hours 2 CO_Q3_Practical Research 2_Mod_1 of engagement in social media platforms of teens, percentage of consumers who prefer the color blue for soap packaging, and average of daily Covid-19 patient recovery per region

​Quantitative Research

• ​Some data are not directly countable and thus require conversion from non-numerical information into numerical information.

• ​Example : determining which brand of canned sardines is the best choice for consumers in terms of taste cannot be expressed in numbers unless we do a survey using a rating scale. Several forms of rating scales are available, e.g., the Likert scale that we can use to quantify data.

• ​for example: 1= tastes very good, 2 = satisfactory, or 3 = undesirable.

​Characteristics of Quantitative Research

1. Large Sample Size.

2. Objectivity.

3. Concise Visual Presentation

4. Faster Data Analysis

​5. Generalized Data

6. Fast and Easy Data Collection

7. Reliable Data

8. High Replicability

Advantages of Quantitative Research

The following are the advantages of quantitative research or its strengths:

1. Very objective

2. Numerical and quantifiable data can be used to predict outcomes.

3. Findings are generalizable to the population.

4. There is conclusive establishment of cause and effect

​5. Fast and easy data analysis using statistical software.

6. Fast and easy data gathering

7. Quantitative research can be replicated or repeated.

8. Validity and reliability can be established

Disadvantages of Quantitative Research

The following are the disadvantages of quantitative research or its weaknesses:

1. It lacks the necessary data to explore a problem or concept in depth.

2. It does not provide comprehensive explanation of human experiences.

3. Some information cannot be described by numerical data such as feelings, and beliefs.

4. The research design is rigid and not very flexible.

5. The participants are limited to choose only from the given responses.

6. The respondents may tend to provide inaccurate responses.

7. A large sample size makes data collection more costly.

Kinds of Quantitative Research

Descriptive design is used to describe a particular phenomenon by observing it as it occurs in nature. There is no experimental manipulation and the researcher does not start with a hypothesis.

​

The goal of descriptive research is only to describe the person or object of the study. An example of descriptive research design is “the determination of the different kinds of physical activities and how often high school students do it during the quarantine period.”

Kinds of Quantitative Research

The correlational design identifies the relationship between variables. Data is collected by observation since it does not consider the cause and effect, for example, the relationship between the amount of physical activity done and student academic achievement.

Kinds of Quantitative Research

Ex post facto design is used to investigate a possible relationship between previous events and present conditions.

The term “Ex post facto” which means after the fact, looks at the possible causes of an already occurring phenomenon.

​

Just like the first two, there is no experimental manipulation in this design. An example of this is “How does the parent’s academic achievement affect the children obesity?”

Kinds of Quantitative Research

A quasi-experimental design is used to establish the cause and effect relationship of variables.

Although it resembles the experimental design, the quasi-experimental has lesser validity due to the absence of random selection and assignment of subjects.

Here, the independent variable is identified but not manipulated. The researcher does not modify pre-existing groups of subjects.

​

The group exposed to treatment (experimental) is compared to the group unexposed to treatment (control): example, the effects of unemployment on attitude towards following safety protocol in ECQ declared areas.

Kinds of Quantitative Research

Experimental design like quasi- experimental is used to establish the cause and effect relationship of two or more variables.

​

This design provides a more conclusive result because it uses random assignment of subjects and experimental manipulations.

​

For example, a comparison of the effects of various blended learning to the reading comprehension of elementary pupils.

Do you have any questions?

Lesson 2:

​Importance of Quantitative Research Across Fields

T​he table below shows some of the contributions of quantitative research to other fields and their example

RECAP GAME​

Choose the best answer for each question.

Are you ready? ​

Multiple Choice

__________it is imperative that the data obtained must be numerical and quantifiable.

• Quantitative Research

• Qualitative Research

• Experimental Research 

• Correlational Research

Multiple Choice

The following are characteristics of Quantitative Research EXCEPT

• Objectivity

• Small Sample Size

• Generalized Data

• Reliable Data

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements describe the weakness of Quantitative Research? 

• Numerical and quantifiable data can be used to predict outcomes.

• Fast and easy data analysis using statistical software.

• The respondents may tend to provide inaccurate responses.

• Validity and reliability can be established

Multiple Choice

Which of the following kinds of quantitative research identifies the relationship between variables?

• Descriptive design

• correlational design

• Ex post facto design

• A quasi-experimental design

Lesson 3:

Variables in Quantitative Research

​A Variable is anything that has a quantity or quality that varies.

​

​For instance, during the quarantine period, your mother planted tomato seedlings in pots. Now common understanding from science tells you that several factors are affecting the growth of tomatoes: sunlight, water, kind of soil, and nutrients in soil. How fast the tomato seedlings will grow and bear fruits will depend on these factors.

Lesson 3:

Variables in Quantitative Research

​The growth of tomatoes and the number of fruits produced are examples of the Dependent Variables.

​

​The amount of sunlight, water, and nutrients in the soil are the Independent Variables.

​

​

Lesson 3:

Variables in Quantitative Research

​If there is an existing relationship between the independent and dependent variables, then the value of the dependent variable varies in response to the manipulation done on the independent variable.

​

The independent variable is also identified as the presumed cause while the dependent variable is the presumed effect.

​

In an experimental quantitative design, the independent variable is pre-defined and manipulated by the researcher while the dependent variable is observed and measured. For descriptive, correlational and ex post facto quantitative research designs, independent and dependent variables simply do not apply.

​

​

Lesson 3:

Variables in Quantitative Research

Other factors that may influence the outcome (dependent variable) not manipulated or pre-defined by the researcher. These factors are called Extraneous Variables.

​

​

​When the researcher fails to control the extraneous variable that it caused considerable effect to the outcome, the extraneous variable becomes a Confounding Variable.

Lesson 3:

Different Classifications of Variables

Lesson 3:

Variables in Quantitative Research

I. Quantitative Variables, also called numerical variables, are the type of variables used in quantitative research because they are numeric and can be measured. Under this category are discrete and continuous variables.

​

A. Discrete variables are countable whole numbers. It does not take negative values or values between fixed points. For example: number of students in a class, group size and frequency.

​

B. Continuous variables take fractional (non-whole number) values that can either be a positive or a negative. Example: height, temperature.

Lesson 3:

Variables in Quantitative Research

Numerical data have two levels of measurement, namely:

A. Interval are quantitative variables where the interval or differences between consecutive values are equal and meaningful but the numbers are arbitrary. For example, the difference between 36 degrees and 37 degrees is the same as between 100 degrees and 101 degrees. The zero point does not suggest the absence of a property being measured. Temperature at 0 degree Celsius is assigned as the melting point of ice. Other examples of interval data would be year and IQ score.

​B. Ratio type of data is similar to interval. The only difference is the presence of a true zero value. The zero point in this scale indicates the absence of the quantity being measured. Examples are age, height, weight and distance.

Lesson 3:

Variables in Quantitative Research

II. Qualitative Variables also referred to as Categorical Variables are not expressed in numbers but are descriptions or categories. It can be further divided into dichotomous, nominal or ordinal.

A. Dichotomous variable consists of only two distinct categories or values, for example, a response to a question either be a yes or no.

B. Nominal variable simply defines groups of subjects. In here, you may have more than 2 categories of equivalent magnitude. For example, a basketball player’s number is used to distinguish him from other players. It certainly does not follow that player 10 is better than player 8. Other examples are blood type, hair color and mode of transportation.

Lesson 3:

Variables in Quantitative Research

C. Ordinal variable, from the name itself, denotes that a variable is ranked in a certain order. This variable can have a qualitative or quantitative attribute. For example, a survey questionnaire may have a numerical rating as choices like 1, 2, 3, 4, 5ranked accordingly (5=highest, 1=lowest) or categorical rating like strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree and strongly disagree. Other examples or ordinal variable: cancer stage (Stage I, Stage II, Stage III), Spotify Top 20 hits, academic honors (with highest, with high, with honors).

TRY THIS OUT!​

​Identify the independent Variable in the following research titles.

Multiple Choice

Parenting Styles and Academic Achievement of Senior High School Students

• Parenting Styles

• Academic Achievement

• Senior High School

• Students

Multiple Choice

Facebook addiction and its relationship with mental health among Thai high school students

• mental health

• Thai high school students

• Facebook addiction

• Students

TRY THIS OUT!​

​Identify the Dependent Variable in the following research titles.

Multiple Choice

Personality, self-esteem, and demographic predictions of happiness and depression of Sta. Cruz National High School students

• Personality, self-esteem, and demographic

• happiness and depression

• Sta. Cruz National High School students

• Personality

Multiple Choice

Analysing the Relationship between Pre-Service Preschool Teachers' Self-Leadership Skills and Motivation to Teach

• Self-Leadership Skills

• Pre-Service Preschool Teachers

• Motivation to Teach

• Pre-Service Preschool Teachers' Self-Leadership Skills

Question!​

​What salient lesson that you have learned from our class discussion today?

​PERFORMANCE TASK : RESEARCH WORK

​Research and read at least five studies and supply the information needed below.

​Summative Test 1: RECORDED & GRADED

Link will be sent in the Group Page after our class. You will be given 3 days to answer the summative test.

​Do you have any questions?

Comments? Clarifications? 

​Have a great day to everyone!