Quantitative Research

Quantitative research is information collected via questionnaire or survey that is based on numbers and or statistical data.  Quantitative research involves the development of questions that measure feelings, satisfactions and other related factors. Quantitative research is often deductive and tests theories; whereas qualitative research is inductive and generates theories. For example, a researcher surveys patients waiting in the waiting room at a doctor’s office. The researcher questions how the patients feel about having to wait so long to see a doctor. The researcher tests and studies the theory and determines how the patients respond to the question.  

Quantitative research also has many forms:

·         Descriptive: collecting data required to test the hypothesis or answer questions concerning the subject being studied. It is a type of research  that determines and report the way things are.

·         Correlated: determines if and to what degree a relationship exists between two variables. The relationship is expressed via correlation coefficient.

·         Cause-comparative: establishes a cause-effect relationship. Where cause is not manipulated.

·         Experimental: establishes the cause-effect relationships and compares the effect. Often the cause is due to manipulation. The cause is the independent variable and the effect is the dependent variable.

Overall, quantitative research attempts to collect numerical data in order to explain and predict why things are, if a relationship that exists, and the cause-effect of the relationship both through manipulation and non-manipulation.