Nature of Inquiry and Research

Nature of Inquiry and Research

Learning Competencies

  • Describe characteristics, strengths, weaknesses, and kinds of quantitative research.

  • Illustrate the importance of quantitative research across fields.

  • Differentiate kinds of research variables and their uses.

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research

  • Qualitative research describes phenomena in a narrative form, using words, images, or transcripts from a small, non-generalizable sample.

  • Quantitative research is a formal, objective, and systematic approach to answering research questions, using numerical data and statistical analysis.

Inquiry vs. Research

  • Inquiry involves asking questions to investigate or examine something.

  • Research is a systematic inquiry to describe, explain, predict, and control observed phenomena.

Etymology of Research

  • The word "research" comes from the French word "cerhier," meaning "seek."

  • Research involves finding the truth again about existing ideas and problems from different perspectives.

Activity 1: Finding Clues

  • Quantitative Research Characteristics:

    • Measurable

    • Statistical

    • Objective

    • Intervention

    • Experimental group

    • Tables and charts

    • Deductive

    • Generalizable

  • Qualitative Research Characteristics:

    • Behavior

    • Narrative

    • Text-based

    • Unstructured observation

    • Inductive

    • Subjective

    • Small sample

Research Definitions

  • Qualitative Research:

    • A natural day-to-day activity of gathering information.

    • Seeks to answer questions about why and how people behave.

    • Provides in-depth information about human behavior.

  • Quantitative Research:

    • Explains phenomena by collecting numerical data analyzed using mathematical methods, especially statistics.

    • Objective, systematic, empirical investigation of observable phenomena using computational techniques.

    • Highlights numerical analysis of data for unbiased results generalizable to a larger population.

Inquiry vs. Research Examples

  • Inquiry:

    • Knowing the occupant of a condominium.

    • Knowing the technique to make an electric fan function instantly.

    • Knowing the reason behind the decrease of sales for the day.

  • Research:

    • Knowing the medicinal effects of guava leaves.

    • Discovering the impact of social networking on students’ learning abilities.

Quantitative Research

  • Characteristics, Strengths, Weaknesses, and Kinds

Definition of Quantitative Research

  • Objective, systematic empirical investigation of observable phenomena through computational techniques.

  • Concerned with numbers and their relationship with events.

  • Data can be analyzed in terms of numbers.

Characteristics of Quantitative Research

  • Objective: Seeks accurate measurement and analysis of target concepts.

  • Clearly Defined Research Questions: Researchers know in advance what they are looking for.

  • Standardized Research Instruments: Data is gathered using structured research tools to collect measurable data.

  • Numerical Data: Data are in the form of numbers and statistics.

  • Large Sample Sizes: To arrive at more reliable data analysis.

  • Replication: Can be repeated to verify or confirm the correctness of results in another setting.

  • Future Outcomes: Allows researchers to predict future results.

Qualitative vs. Quantitative Analysis

  • Qualitative Analysis:

    • Subjective analysis concerned with non-statistical data.

    • Data include color, gender, nationality, religion, etc.

    • Used to understand why a certain phenomenon occurs.

    • Small, non-representative sample.

    • Interprets and understands social interactions.

    • Exploratory research methodology.

  • Quantitative Analysis:

    • Objective analysis that quantifies data.

    • Data include measurable quantities such as length, size, weight, mass, etc.

    • Concerned with how many or how much a certain phenomenon occurs.

    • Large sample generalizable to the entire population.

    • Tests hypotheses and gives future predictions.

    • Conclusive research methodology.

Strengths of Quantitative Research

  1. Very objective.

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

  3. Findings are generalizable to the population.

  4. Conclusive establishment of cause and effect.

  5. Fast and easy data analysis using statistical software.

  6. Fast and easy data gathering.

  7. Can be replicated or repeated.

  8. Validity and reliability can be established.

Weaknesses of Quantitative Research

  1. Lacks necessary data to explore a problem or concept in depth.

  2. Does not provide comprehensive explanation of human experiences.

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

  4. Research design is rigid and not very flexible.

  5. Participants are limited to choose only from the given responses.

  6. Respondents may tend to provide inaccurate responses.

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

Turning Opinions into Numbers

  • Using scales to quantify opinions and agreement levels.

    • Five- or seven-point scales: 1 = strongly disagree, 5/7 = strongly agree.

  • Examples of questions:

    • The health camp was very useful to me.

    • I don't exercise regularly.

    • Medicines were given at an appropriate rate.

Turning Opinions into Numbers - Multiple Choice

  • Example: Which coffee drink do you purchase most often?

    • Options: Latte, Cappuccino, Machiatto, Drip, Pour Over, French Press

Turning Opinions into Numbers - Rating Scales

  • Rating aspects of local cafés or coffee shops (e.g., Customer Service, Quality of Coffee, Location, Comfortable Seating Area) using a star rating system.

Turning Opinions into Numbers - Recommendation Likelihood

  • On a scale of 1 to 10, how likely are you to recommend your favorite café or coffee shop to others?

Comprehension Check: Qualitative or Quantitative Questions

  1. How many times per month do you purchase a coffee from a café or coffee shop? (Quantitative)

  2. How often do you drink coffee at home? (Quantitative)

  3. What do you like most about your favorite café or coffee shop? (Qualitative)

  4. How could your favorite café or coffee shop improve? (Qualitative)

  5. Do you prefer to prepare coffee at home or purchase from a café or coffee shop? (Quantitative)

Group Work: Quantitative Research Questions

  • Topics:

    • Food at the School Canteen

    • Philippine Transportation System

    • Communication Media

    • Social Networking Sites

    • After School

Food at the School Canteen

  • How does buying food from the school affect the daily allowance of students from BCSHS-West Campus?

  • Do the food prices match the quality for the Grade twelve students at West Campus?

Philippine Transportation System

  • How many students around Binan City that use jeepney vehicles as their primary transportation vehicle would be affected by the jeepney modernization?

Communication Media

  • What are the negative impact of using Tiktok in the age of 12-16 years old?

  • Will Social Media Technology replace print media as the primary source of information in the years to come?

Social Networking Sites

  • How many teenagers at the age of 12 below are expose to sexual nudity in any social media they use?

  • What percentage of business in Langkiwa, Binan utilize facebook for Marketing and how does it impact the marketing scale?

After School

  • How does Binan City Senior High School –West Campus, secure the safety of Grade 12 students after class?

Examples of quantitative research questions

  • Original: What effect does social media have on your mind?

    • Improved: What effect does daily use of Twitter have on the attention span of 12- to 16-year-olds?

  • Original: Why is there a housing crisis in the Netherlands?

    • Improved: What impact have university internationalization policies had on the availability and affordability of housing in the Netherlands?

  • Original: Does the US or the UK have a better healthcare system?

    • Improved: How do the US and the UK compare in health outcomes among low-income people with chronic illnesses?

  • Original: What should political parties do about low voter turnout in the region?

    • Improved: What are the most effective communication strategies for increasing voter turnout among those under 30 living within city limits?

  • Original: Has there been an increase in homelessness in San Francisco in the past ten years?

    • Improved: How have economic, political, and social factors affected patterns of homelessness in San Francisco over the past ten years?

  • Original: What factors led to women gaining the right to vote in the UK in 1918?

    • Improved: How did Irish women perceive and relate to the British women's suffrage movement?

  • Original: How can sexual health services and LGBT support services in the city be improved?

    • Improved: How can sexual health clinics in the city develop their services and communications to be more LGBT-inclusive?

  • Original: Where do the majority of immigrants to Germany come from?

    • Improved: What are the similarities and differences in the experiences of recent Syrian immigrants in Berlin?

  • Original: How is race represented in Shakespeare's Othello?

    • Improved: How have modern adaptations of Shakespeare's Othello dealt with the theme of racism through casting, staging, and allusion to contemporary events?

  • Original: How can drunk driving be prevented?

    • Improved: What effect do different legal approaches have on the number of people who drive after drinking in European countries?

Quantitative Research Design Key Elements

  • Research Question: Clear and specific, measurable and objective.

  • Variables: Attributes or characteristics that can be measured or observed; independent and dependent variables.

  • Hypotheses: Verifiable statements predicting associations between variables.

  • Sampling: Selecting a representative sample from the target population.

  • Data Collection: Collecting numerical data through surveys, experiments, quantitative observations, or secondary data analysis.

  • Data Analysis: Using statistical methods and techniques.

  • Results and Conclusions: Interpreting findings and drawing conclusions, presenting results in tables, graphs, and statistical measures.

Types of Quantitative Research Design

  • Experimental Design

  • Quasi-Experimental Design

  • Non-Experimental Design

    • Descriptive

    • Correlational

    • Survey

    • Longitudinal

    • Ex post facto Design

    • Cross-sectional design

Quantitative Research Designs

EXPERIMENTAL

  • TRUE EXPERIMENTAL

    • Pre-Test Design

    • Post-Test Design

    • Post-Test only/Control

  • PRE-EXPERIMENTAL

    • One Shot Case Study

    • One Group Pre-Test Post-Test Design

  • QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL

    • Non-equivalent Control Group Design

    • Time Series Design
      NON-EXPERIMENTAL

  • Descriptive

  • Survey

  • Correlational

  • Ex-Post Facto Studies

  • Comparative

  • Evaluative

  • Methodological

Kinds of Quantitative Research Design

  • Experimental:

    • Treats or deals with the subject in a definite or exact manner.

    • Determines the causes and extent of the effects of the treatment on the subject.

    • Allows the researcher to distinguish placebo effects from treatment effects.

    • Utilizes the scientific method to test cause-and-effect relationships under controlled conditions.

    • Independent variable is manipulated to determine effects on the dependent variables.

  • What is the placebo effect? The placebo effect is when a person's physical or mental health appears to improve after taking a placebo or 'dummy' treatment. Placebo is Latin for 'I will please' and refers to a treatment that appears real, but is designed to have no therapeutic benefit.

  • Pre-Experimental:

    • Research design with least internal validity.

    • Follow basic experimental steps but fail to include a control group.

    • Often studies a single group.

    • One type measures the group twice, before and after intervention.

    • Compares the posttest of the treated groups with that of an untreated group.

  • Quasi-Experimental:

    • The researcher can collect more data, either by scheduling more observations or finding more existing measures

    • Involves selecting groups without any random pre- selection processes

  • True Experimental:

    • Employs both a control group and a means to measure the change that occurs in both groups.

    • Two or more differently treated groups; and random assignment to these groups.

    • Offers the highest internal validity of all the designs.

  • Non-Experimental (Descriptive Research Design):

    • Researcher observes phenomena as they occur naturally, and no external variables are introduced.

    • Researcher collects data without making changes or introducing treatments.

  • Survey Research:

    • Used to gather information from groups of people by selecting and studying samples chosen from a population.

    • Provides a quantitative or numeric description of trends, attitudes, or opinions of a population by studying a sample of that population.

  • Correlational Research:

    • Conducted to find out the direction, associations, and/or relationships between different variables or groups of respondents under study.

  • Ex Post Facto (Causal-Comparative):

    • Derives conclusion from observations and manifestations that already occurred in the past and now compared to some dependent variables.

  • Comparative:

    • Involves comparing and contrasting two or more samples of study subjects on one or more variables, often at a single point of time

  • Evaluative:

    • Used to determine what has happened during a given activity or in an institution.

  • Methodological:

    • 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.

Importance of Quantitative Research:

  • Teaching Profession

  • Science Technology Engineering Mathematics

  • Accounting Business Management

  • Humanities Social Sciences

Variables in Research

  • Characteristics with two or more mutually exclusive values or properties, that "vary" or "can change."

  • Something that can take more than one value, and values can be words or numbers.

  • Attribute of an individual or an organization that can be measured or observed.

Kinds of Variables

  • Independent Variables

    • “Cause variable” responsible for bringing changes.

  • Dependent Variables

    • “Outcome variable” that bear or manifest effects.

  • A study is on the relationship of study habits and academic performance of VNHS senior high school students.

Types of Variables

  • Continuous Variables:

    • Can take infinite number on the value that can occur within the population

    • Examples of Continuous Data :

      • Height of a person

      • Speed of a vehicle

      • “Time-taken” to finish the work

      • Wi-Fi Frequency

      • Market share price

  • Discrete Variables:

    • has limited number of distinct values and which cannot be divided into fractions

    • Examples of Discrete Data :

      • Total numbers of students present in a class

      • Cost of a cell phone

      • Numbers of employees in a company

      • The total number of players who participated in a competition

      • Days in a week
        Categories

    • Nominal: can have two or more categories but with no quantitative value

    • Ordinal: has two or more variables that can be ranked
      Interval: measurement where the difference between two variables does have meaning

    • Ratio: has a clear definition of zero, indication that there is none of that variable

  • Extraneous Variables:

    • “meddling variable”,

    • “stand between” the independent and dependent variables

    • Also called intervening variables
      Example: Even if farm production is good, if the attitude towards payment is negative, loan repayment would be low, whereas, if the attitude towards repayment is positive or favorable, loan repayment would be high.

  • Control Variables:

    • demographic or personal attributes that need to be “controlled” so that the true effects of the IV on the DV can be determined

  • Confounding Variables:

    • not actually measured or observed in a study

    • their influence cannot be directly detected in a study

Identify the types of variables in the table below:

*Name: Nominal
*Sex: Nominal
*Age: Ratio
*Marital status: Nominal
*No of children: Ratio
*Income: Ratio
*Smoking : Nominal

Comprehension Check

  1. 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)

  2. It suggests that the data concerned can be analyzed in terms of numbers. (Quantitative Research)

  3. 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 (Quantitative Research Design)

  4. This kind of research derives conclusion from observations and manifestations that already occurred in the past and now compared to some dependent variables. (Ex Post Facto)

  5. In this design, the researcher can collect more data, either by scheduling more observations or finding more existing measures. (Quasi-Experimental)

  6. It is a characteristic of quantitative research where it seeks accurate measurement and analysis of target concepts. (Objective)

  7. 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. (True Experimental)

  8. Give 1 type of True-experimental design. (Pre-Test Design)

  9. Give 1 type of Pre-experimental design. (One Shot Case Study)

  10. Give 1 type of Quasi-experimental design. (Non-equivalent Control Group Design)