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Practical Research 2
First Quarter – Week 1
Describes characteristics, strengths, weaknesses,
and kinds of quantitative research
At the end of this module you will also find:

References This is a list of all sources used in developing this

exemplar.

What I Need to Know

In this exemplar, you will be able to describe characteristics, strengths, weaknesses, and
kinds of quantitative research. The scope of this exemplar enables you to use it in many different
learning situations. The activities are arranged to follow the standard sequence of the course.

Most Essential Learning Competency:

• Describes characteristics, strengths, weaknesses, and kinds of

quantitative research. CS_RS12-Ia-c-1

Objectives
After going through this exemplar, you are expected to:

A. Knowledge: define quantitative research;

describe the characteristics, strengths and weaknesses
of quantitative research
B. Skills: identify the kinds of quantitative research

C. Attitude: apply the importance of the lesson in real-life setting.

Duration: One (5) days

Portfolio Goal Setting

Using the Portfolio Assessment Template provided by your teacher along with this
exemplar, accomplish now your weekly goal setting. Refer to the objectives above. Think of
positive and realistic goals that you can considerably achieve with this exemplar. List them as
your plans. Remember: Do not proceed with this exemplar unless you have accomplished your
goal setting.

What I Know

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 Direction: TRUE or FALSE. Write TRUE after the item if the statement is correct and FALSE if the
statement is incorrect.

1. In quantitative research, researchers know in advance what they are looking for. _______________
2. Quantitative research can be easily misinterpreted because it provides numerical data.
_______________
3. Quantitative research puts emphasis on proof, rather than discovery. _______________
4. Normative research is conducted by researcher whose aim would be to find out the direction and/or
relationship between different variables or group of respondents under study. _________________
5. Qualitative research requires a large number of respondents. It assumes that the larger the sample is,
the more statistically accurate the findings are. ___________________
6. Evaluation describes the status of a phenomenon at a particular time. It describes without value
judgment a situation that prevents. ____________________
7. Correlational is conducted by researchers whose aim would be to find out the direction and/or
relationship between different variables or groups of respondents under study.
_____________________
8. Methodological is the implementation of a variety of methodologies that forms a critical part of
achieving the goal of developing a scaled-matched approach, where data from different disciplines
can be integrated. ___________________
9. One characteristics of quantitative research is that its method can be repeated to verify findings in
another setting, thus, reinforcing validity findings. _____________________
10. In quantitative experiments it filters out external factors, if properly designed, and so the results
gained can be seen, as real and unbiased.__________________________

What is It

Remember the steps in scientific methods as part of your science research

activities? The steps include the following: observation, identifying the problem, making hypothesis,
experimentation or data gathering, data analysis, making conclusions based on the data gathered and
finally reporting of your results since you shared your result to the class.
You must work on and follow closely the instruction or procedure given to you during your
laboratory experiments. And you worked not only with yourself but with the help of your group mates.
You discuss together, argue, disagree or agree until you come up with your final conclusion on the
problems encountered during the experiment. Quantitative research makes you focus your mind by means
of statistics that involve collection and study of numerical data (Baraceros, 2016).

What is a Quantitative Research?

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 Quantitative research is an objective, systematic empirical investigation of observable
phenomena through the use of computational techniques. It highlights numerical analysis of data hoping
that the numbers yield unbiased results that can be generalized to some larger population and explain a
particular observation. Simply, quantitative research is concerned with numbers and its relationship with
events.

CHARACTERISTICS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

1. OBJECTIVE. Quantitative research seeks accurate measurement and analysis of target concepts. It is
not based on mere intuition and guesses. Data are gathered before proposing a conclusion or solution to a
problem.
2. CLEARLY DEFINED RESEARCH QUESTIONS. The researchers know in advance what they are
looking for. The research questions are well-defined for which objective answers are sought. All aspects of
the study are carefully designed before data are gathered.
3. STRUCTURED RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS. Standardized instruments guide data collection, thus,
ensuring the accuracy, reliability and validity of data. Data are normally gathered using structured research
tools such as questionnaires to collect measurable characteristics of the population like age, socio-
economic status, number of children, among others.
4. NUMERICAL DATA. Figures, tables or graphs showcase summarized data collection in order to show
trends, relationships or differences among variables. In sum, the charts and tables allow you to see the
evidence collected.
5. LARGE SAMPLE SIZES. To arrive at a more reliable data analysis, a normal population distribution
curve is preferred. This requires a large sample size, depending on how the characteristics of the
population vary. Random sampling is recommended in determining the sample size to avoid researcher’s
bias in interpreting the results.
6. REPLICATION. Quantitative methods can be repeated to verify findings in another setting, thus
strengthen and reinforcing validity of findings eliminating the possibility of spurious conclusions

STRENGTHS and WEAKNESSES OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

STRENGTHS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

The advantages of quantitative research includes the following:
1. It is objective. The most reliable and valid way of concluding results, giving way to a new
hypothesis or to disproving it. Because of bigger number of the sample of a population, the results or
generalizations are more reliable and valid. Since it provides numerical data, it can’t be easily
misinterpreted.
2. The use of statistical techniques facilitates sophisticated analyses and allows you to comprehend
a huge amount of vital characteristics of data.

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 3. It is real and unbiased. If the research is properly designed it filters out external factors, and so
can be seen as real and unbiased.
4. The numerical data can be analyzed in a quick and easy way. By employing statistically valid
random models, findings can be generalized to the population about which information is necessary.
5. Quantitative studies are replicable. Standardized approaches allow the study to be replicated in
different areas or over time with formulation of comparable findings.
6. Quantitative experiments are useful for testing the results gained by a series of qualitative
experiments, leading to a final answer, and narrowing down of possible directions to follow.

WEAKNESSES OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

The disadvantages of quantitative research are as follows:
1. Quantitative research requires a large number of respondents. It is assumed that the larger the
sample is, the more statistically accurate the findings are.
2. It is costly. Since, there are more respondents compared to qualitative research, the expenses
will be greater in reaching out to these people and in reproducing questionnaires.
3. The information is contextual factors to help interpret the results or to explain variations are
usually ignored. It does not consider the distinct capacity of the respondents to share and elaborate further
information unlike the qualitative research.
4. Much information are difficult to gather using structured research instruments, specifically on
sensitive issues like pre-marital sex, domestic violence, among others.
5. If not done seriously and correctly, data from questionnaires may be incomplete and inaccurate.
Researchers must be on the look-out on respondents who are just guessing in answering the instrument.

KINDS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS

Research design refers to the overall strategy that you choose in order to integrate the different
components of the study in a coherent and logical way, thereby ensuring you will effectively address the
research problem. Furthermore, a research design constitutes the blueprint for the selection, measurement
and analysis of data.

Quantitative methods emphasize objective measurements and the statistical, mathematical, or

numerical analysis of data collected through polls, questionnaires, and surveys, or by manipulating pre-
existing statistical data using computational techniques.
The kind of research is dependent on the researcher’s aim in conducting the study and the extent to
which the findings will be used. Quantitative research designs are generally classified into experimental
and non-experimental.

The following are the various kinds of quantitative research design that a researcher may employ:

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1. EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGN. This allows the researcher to control the situation. In
doing so, it allows the researcher to answer the question, “What causes something to occur?” This kind of
research also allows the researcher to identify cause and effect relationships between variables and to
distinguish placebo effects from treatment effects.
A. PRE-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN. A type of research apply to experimental design that with
least internal validity. One type of pre-experiment, the simple group, pre-test-post-test design,
measures the group two times, before and after the intervention.
B. QUASI – EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN. In this design, the researcher can collect more data,
either by scheduling more observations or finding more existing measures. Quasi-experimental
design involves selecting groups, upon which a variable is tested, without any random pre-
selection processes.
There are two types of quasi-experimental design, these are:
a. Non-Equivalent Control Group. This refers to the chance failure of random
assignment to equalize the conditions by converting a true experiment into this kind of
design, for purpose of analysis.

b. Interrupted Time Series Design. It employs multiple measures before and after the
experimental intervention. It differs from the single-group pre-experiment that has only
one pretest and one posttest.

C. TRUE-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN. It controls for both time-related and group-related

threats. Two features mark true experiments: two or more differently treated groups; and random
assignment to these groups. These features require that the researchers have control over the
experimental treatment and the power to place subjects in groups.

2. NON-EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN. In this kind of design, the researcher observes the phenomena as
they occur naturally and no external variables are introduced. In this research design, the variables are not
deliberately manipulated nor is the setting controlled. Researchers collect data without making changes or
introducing treatments. This may also called as DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH DESIGN because it is
only one under non-experimental design.
DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH DESIGN’s main purpose is to observe, describe and document
aspects of a situation as it naturally occurs and sometimes to serve as a starting point for hypothesis
generation or theory development.
The types of descriptive design are as follows:
A. SURVEY. It is used to gather information from groups of people by selecting and studying
samples chosen from a population. This is useful when the objective of the study is to see general
picture of the population under investigation in terms of their social and economic characteristics,
opinions, and their knowledge about the behavior towards a certain phenomenon.
B. CORRELATIONAL. It is conducted by researchers whose aim would be to find out the
direction, associations and/or relationship between different variables or groups of respondents
under study. Correlational Research has three types, these are:
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 a. Bivariate Correlational Studies – It obtains score from two variables for each subject,
and then uses them to calculate a correlation coefficient. The term bivariate implies that
the two variables are correlated (variables are selected because they are believed to be
related).
b. Prediction Studies – It uses correlation coefficient to show how one variable (the
predictor variable) predicts another (the criterion variable).
Example: Which high school applicants should be admitted to college?
c. Multiple Regression Prediction Studies – All variables in the study can contribute to
the over-all prediction in an equation that adds together the predictive power of each
identified variable.
Example: Suppose the High School GPA is not the sole predictor of college GPA, what
might be other good predictors?

C. EX-POST FACTO or CAUSAL-COMPARATIVE. This kind of research derives conclusion

from observations and manifestations that already occurred in the past and now compared to some
dependent variables. It discusses why and how a phenomenon occurs.

D. COMPARATIVE. It involves comparing and contrasting two or more samples of study

subjects on one or more variables, often at a single point of time. Specifically, this design is used
to compare two distinct groups on the basis of selected attributes such as knowledge level,
perceptions, and attitudes, physical or psychological symptoms.

E. NORMATIVE. It describes the norm level of characteristics for a given behavior. For
example: If you are conducting a research on the study habits of the high school students you are
to use the range of score to describe the level of their study habits. The same true is when you
would want to describe their academic performance.

F. EVALUATIVE. It is a process used to determine what has happened during a given activity or
in an institution. The purpose of evaluation is to see if a given program is working, an institution is
successful according to the goals set for it, or the original intent was successfully attained. In other
words, in evaluation judgments can be in the forms of social utility, desirability, or effectiveness of
a process. For example, we can cite here a situation. In evaluation study, it will not just be
considering the performance of the students who were taught under modular instruction; instead, it
is the rate of progress that happened among the students who were exposed to modular instruction.

G. METHODOLOGICAL. In this approach, the implementation of a variety of methodologies

forms a critical part of achieving the goal of developing a scale-matched approach, where data
from different disciplines can be integrated.

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 What I Can Do 1

DIRECTION: Identify what is being asked in each number. Write your answer after the statement.
1. It highlights numerical analysis of data hoping that the numbers yield unbiased results that can be
generalized to some larger population and explain a particular observation. _________________________
2. It suggests that the data concerned can be analyzed in terms of numbers.__________
3. This kind of research derives conclusion from observations and manifestations that already occurred in
the past and now compared to some dependent variables.________
4. It describes the norm level of characteristics for a given behavior. _________________
5. In this design, the researcher can collect more data, either by scheduling more observations or finding
more existing measures. ________________________
6. It is conducted by researchers whose aim would be to find out the direction, associations and/or
relationship between different variables or groups of respondents under study. ______________________
7. It refers to the overall strategy that you choose in order to integrate the different components of the
study in a coherent and logical way, thereby ensuring you will effectively address the research problem.
__________________________
8. It controls for both time-related and group-related threats. Two features mark true experiments: two or
more differently treated groups; and random assignment to these groups.
____________________________
9. All variables in the study can contribute to the over-all prediction in an equation that adds together the
predictive power of each identified variable. _______________________
10. Its main purpose is to observe, describe and document aspects of a situation as it naturally occurs and
sometimes to serve as a starting point for hypothesis generation or theory development.
__________________________

What I Can Do 2

DIRECTION: Put a tick (/) on the boxes before each number if it describes the characteristics of a
Quantitative Research.

1. Data is in the form of words, pictures or objects.

2. The data is usually gathered using structured research instruments.

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 3. It is not based upon numerical measurements and does not use numbers and statistical methods as key
research indicators and tools.
4. It tends to be associated with small-scale studies and a holistic perspective, often studying a single
occurrence or small number of occurrences/case studies in great depth.
5. The research study can usually be replicated or repeated, given its high reliability.
6. Data are in the form of numbers and statistics, often arranged in tables, charts, figures, or other non-
textual forms.
7. Emphasis is on discovery rather than proof.
8. The results are based on larger sample sizes that are representative of the population.
9. It tends to be associated with emergent research design, using a wide range of approaches
10. Researcher has a clearly defined research question to which objective answers.

What I Can Do 3

DIRECTION: NON-STOP WRITING. In 15 minutes, write your concise learning about the
following.

1. What is quantitative research?

_____________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________.
2. What are the characteristics of quantitative research?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________.
3. Discuss the strengths of quantitative research.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________.
4. Discuss the weaknesses of quantitative research.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________.
5. Describe each type of quantitative research design. Give example each.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________.

What I Have Learned

Directions: Read and analyze each item carefully. Write the letter of the correct
answer on your answer sheet.

1. Which of the following BEST defines quantitative research?

A. It is an exploration associated with libraries, books and journals.
B. It is an activity concerned with finding new truth in education.

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 C. It is a systematic process obtaining numerical information about the world.
D. It is an activity of producing or proving a theorem.
2. Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of quantitative research?
A. Data are gathered before proposing a conclusion or solution to a problem.
B. Quantitative methods can be repeated to verify findings in another setting, thus strengthen and
reinforcing validity of findings eliminating the possibility of spurious conclusions.
C. Figures, tables or graphs showcase summarized data collection in order to show trends,
relationships or differences among variables. In sum, the charts and tables allow you to see the
evidence collected.
D. It seeks to gather a more comprehensive understanding of activities related to human behavior
and the attributes that rule such behavior.
3. Which of the following describes the characteristics of research where data are in form of statistics?
A. Objective B. Numerical Data C. Replication D. Large Sample Size
4. This characteristic of quantitative research which refers to its necessity to arrive at a more reliable data
analysis.
A. Large Sample Sizes C. Numerical Data
B. Replication D. Objective
5. It is done to check the correctness and verify the findings of the study.
A. Large Sample Sizes C. Numerical Data
B. Replication D. Objective

6. The researchers know in advance what they are looking for. The research questions are well-defined for
which objective answers are sought. All aspects of the study are carefully designed before data are
gathered.
A. Future Outcomes C. Clearly defined Research Questions
B. Structured Research Instruments D. Numerical Data
7. Which research design seeks to describe “what is”?
A. Correlational C. Experimental
B. Descriptive D. Evaluation
8. In this type of research, the investigator tries to probe the significance of relationship between two or
more factors or characteristics
A. Correlational C. Ex-post facto
B. Experimental D. Survey
9. Which of the item below does NOT hold true for descriptive research?
A. describes the nature of a situation or an event
B. presents the profile of persons, events, and things
C. describes past situations
D. there is no manipulation of variables or search for cause and effect related to the performance
10. Which of the following illustrates a quantitative study?
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A. attributes to malnutrition in children
B. public opinion to the sex scandal of the Pres. in our country
C. academic performance of high school students
D. all of the above choices

Answer’s Key

What I Know What Can I Do 1

1. TRUE 1. Quantitative Research

2. Quantitative Research
2. FALSE
3. Ex-Post Facto or Casual Comparative
3. TRUE 4. Normative
4. FALSE 5. Quasi- Experimental Design
5. FALSE 6. Correlational
6. TRUE 7. Research Design
7. TRUE 8. True-Experimental Design
8. TRUE 9. Multiple Regression Prediction Studies
9. TRUE 10. Descriptive Research Design
10.FALSE

What Can I Do 2 What I Have Learned

1. /
2. /
3. 1. C
4. 2. D
3. D
5. /
4. D
6. /
5. B
7. 6. C
8. / 7. C
9. / 8. B
10. / 9. B
10 10. D