Quantitative Study Design

What is quantitative research?

Research using numerical data and statistics to measure variables, test hypotheses, or identify patterns.

What is a study design?

The overall plan used to investigate a research question.

What is an independent variable (IV)?

The factor manipulated or examined by the researcher.

What is a dependent variable (DV)?

The outcome measured in the study.

What is the difference between H₁ and H₀?

H₁ predicts a relationship or difference; H₀ predicts no relationship or difference.

What defines a true experimental design?

The researcher manipulates the IV and randomly assigns participants to groups.

What is a control group?

group used for comparison with the group receiving the intervention.

What defines a quasi-experimental design?

The researcher manipulates the IV but does not randomly assign participants, usually comparing groups.

What defines a pre-experimental design?

The researcher introduces an intervention but lacks strong controls for establishing causation.

What is the key difference between quasi-experimental and pre-experimental designs?

Quasi-experimental studies usually have a meaningful comparison group; pre-experimental studies often lack one or have a weaker comparison.

What defines non-experimental research?

Researchers observe naturally occurring variables without assigning an intervention.

What is a cross-sectional study?

A study collecting data at one point in time.

What is a cohort study?

A study following a group of people over time.

What is a case-control study?

A study starting with an outcome and looking backward for possible prior exposures.

What is a crossover design?

Participants receive multiple treatments in sequence, with each participant serving as their own control.

What are the three types of pre-experimental design?

One-shot case study, one-group pretest-posttest, and static group comparison.

What is internal validity?

How confidently a change can be attributed to the intervention rather than other factors.

What is external validity?

How well findings generalize to other people, places, and times.

What is a pilot study?

A small trial run used to test the procedures of a planned study.

What is a feasibility study?

A study assessing whether a larger study is practical to conduct.

Explain the three types of Pre-Experimental Research Design

One-Shot Case Study: A single group receives an intervention → measured once afterward

One-Group Pretest-Posttest: A single group measured before and after an intervention

Static Group Comparison: Two existing groups compared after one gets an intervention