Quantitative Research

1. Quantitative Research Hypothesizing, counting, and reporting

2. Quantitative Research • Numbers-based – Quantitative research refers to the manipulation of numbers to make claims, provide evidence, describe phenomena, determine relationships, or determine causation. • Deductive – usually tests a hypothesis based on previous research. Numbers are important to determine when a hypothesis has been confirmed or not. You are looking FOR something. • Generalizable – through statistical or mathematical modeling, can make predictions about future events.

3. Quantitative research • Quantitative research often starts with an expectation about what you are going to find and then tests that expectation. • Follows a scientific method: • Define the question • Gather information and resources • Form hypothesis • Design experiment • Perform experiment and collect data • Analyze data • Interpret data and draw conclusions that serve as a starting point for new hypotheses • Publish results

4. Research Plan • As we follow this scientific method, recognize that it really is just a research plan, but in a more focused manner. You would still benefit much from working out the following BEFORE you conduct your study • Research Question • Method • Plan • Timeline

5. Define the Question • Defining the question, often called your research question, determines the scope of what you are able to research. A good research question should be (FINER): • Feasible – is it a realistic question to ask? • Interesting – will we learn something from it? • Novel – have very few people done it? • Ethical – does it respect the participants? • Relevant – will we be able to do something with the findings? Hulley S, Cummings S. (Eds ) Designing Clinical Research. Willimas & Wilkins: Baltimore, 1988

6. Defining the Question • To create a Quantitative Research Question • Define your participants • Define your issue • Define the variables of that issue • Ask a question of the participants, issue, and variable • Do DU students have part-time jobs that they enjoy? • Are college major and character class in World of Warcraft players correlated?

7. Gather Information and Resources • Interpretative (library) Research is useful in helping you define your expectation (hypothesis). You want to find what has come before in the topic or related topics. You will rarely find your exact study (if you do, then your research question isn’t novel). You are looking for elements, pieces of your topic that have come before. • “Previous studies have determined that people tend to spend more time in coffee shops in the afternoon than the morning. Other studies have also found that people spend more time in a diner in the afternoon. Based on these previous studies, we conclude that people spend more time in juice shops in the afternoon as well.”

8. Gather Information and Resources • Your experiences as well as those experiences of your friends can also be useful in helping you gather information and resources. • “I have spent many hours at the computers in the library and I have noticed that many students do far more than research at those computers. I have noticed people watching youtube videos, using facebook, and even gaming.”

9. Form Hypothesis • What is your best guess as to the outcome of your Research Question • The hypothesis is based on your Research Question, but it is not phrased as a question – it is phrased as your best guess as to the outcome of that question • DU students do not enjoy their part-time work • College major and character class in World of Warcraft are not related. • You might create sub-hypotheses to account for other variables that you might consider relevant (e.g. gender, class-standing). You tag these on to the end of your initial hypothesis. • Seniors tend to enjoy their part-time work more than first-year students enjoy their work. • Female players tend to pick primarily caster classes whereas male students tend to pick non-caster classes.

10. Design Experiment • Determine what best would address the research question you are asking. In quantitative studies, a survey works the best because you can control responses. • Determine triangulation questions or observations for two reasons: • You don’t want it to be obvious what you are asking • Other variables may be affecting the outcome. • Refer to the handout Conducting Surveys when coming up with your Survey Questions • It’s a good idea to playtest your survey with one or more people so that they can give you feedback about what questions might be confusing.

11. Design Experiment • Likert-type scale (1-5) will allow you to “quantify” human beliefs, attitudes, and experiences. Likert-type scales are used often in social science, descriptive studies. • Usually ask positive questions, and then follow with whether the person agrees or disagrees. • Usually scaled so that higher numbers are positive/agreement, lower numbers negative/disagreement “A good writing class should consist of lectures on grammar” 1-strongly disagree, 2-disagree, 3-agree, 4-strongly agree “How satisfied are you with University of Denver’s dorms” 1-very unsatisfied, 2-unsatisfied, 3-satisfied, 4-very satisfied

12. Design Experiment • Planning your survey, your hypothesis, your plan is vital BEFORE you conduct your survey because you only get one shot at the survey.

13. The Final Four • Perform Experiment – remember to be professional, take notes (you never know what might effect your results), and ethical. • Analyze Data – Keep track of your data, put it in a spreadsheet, and work the numbers. We will be talking a bit about statistics here, but really, all you will be expected to do is descriptive analysis • Interpret Data and Draw Conclusions • Publish Results (see IMRAD PowerPoint)

14. Quantitative Research Ideas and Controversy

15. Quantitative Research • Experimental – testing whether a “thing” (independent variable) applied to a subject/group has an effect (dependant variable) • Two equal groups, one control, one experimental • Pre-test, post-test • Quasi-experimental – testing whether a “thing” applied to a subject/group has an effect but without being able to • Actively apply the “thing” • Control for other variables • Descriptive – testing whether an effect is apparent or not • Correlation – testing whether two or more sets of already determined data are related or not; testing whether two or more sets of data can provide new data.

16. Quantitative Controversy • Some scholars believe that human experience, attitudes and beliefs cannot be quantified. • A person’s “feelings” can change from day to day with little conscious thought of the fact • Some scholars believe that quantitative research is trusted more than it should be • Bridges still collapse, spaceships still get lost, new cars still break down • Some scholars believe that quantitative research misses important nuances • Statistically speaking, your SAT has already predicted what your GPA is going to be. Will you only ever be 3.8 smart?