Quantitative research methods
Quantitative Research Methods
Quantitative means quantity which implies that there is something that can be counted. Quantitative research has been defined in many ways. It is the kind of research that involves the tallying, manipulation or systematic aggregation of quantities of data (Henning, 1986)
John W. Creswell defined quantitative research as an inquiry into a social or human problem based on testing a theory composed a theory composed of variables, measured with numbers, and analysed with statistical procedures in order to determine whether the predictive generalisations of the theory holds true. (Creswell, 2003)
On the other hand, another author defined quantitative research as the collection of numerical data in order to explain, predict and/or control phenomena of interest. Quantitative research is explaining phenomena by collecting numerical data that are analysed using mathematically based methods (Aliaga & Gunderson, 2000)
Quantitative research can also be said to be a research based on traditional scientific methods, which generates numerical data and usually seeks to establish causal relationships (or association) between two or more variables, using statistical methods to test the strength and significance of the relationships (A dictionary of Nursing, 2008)
Simply put, quantitative research reflects the philosophy that everything can be described according to some type of numerical system. It uses numerical analysis; in essence this approach reduces the data into numbers, for instance the percentage of teenage mothers in Lagos. The research knows in advance what he/she is looking for and all aspects of the study are carefully designed before the data is collected.
Quantitative research methods reflect the philosophy that everything can be described according to some type of numerical system for instance
The height of a person (In metres)
The weight of a person ( In kilograms)
The age of a person ( in years and months)
Quantitative Research is
Quantitative means quantity which implies that there is something that can be counted. Quantitative research has been defined in many ways. It is the kind of research that involves the tallying, manipulation or systematic aggregation of quantities of data (Henning, 1986)
John W. Creswell defined quantitative research as an inquiry into a social or human problem based on testing a theory composed a theory composed of variables, measured with numbers, and analysed with statistical procedures in order to determine whether the predictive generalisations of the theory holds true. (Creswell, 2003)
On the other hand, another author defined quantitative research as the collection of numerical data in order to explain, predict and/or control phenomena of interest. Quantitative research is explaining phenomena by collecting numerical data that are analysed using mathematically based methods (Aliaga & Gunderson, 2000)
Quantitative research can also be said to be a research based on traditional scientific methods, which generates numerical data and usually seeks to establish causal relationships (or association) between two or more variables, using statistical methods to test the strength and significance of the relationships (A dictionary of Nursing, 2008)
Simply put, quantitative research reflects the philosophy that everything can be described according to some type of numerical system. It uses numerical analysis; in essence this approach reduces the data into numbers, for instance the percentage of teenage mothers in Lagos. The research knows in advance what he/she is looking for and all aspects of the study are carefully designed before the data is collected.
Quantitative research methods reflect the philosophy that everything can be described according to some type of numerical system for instance
The height of a person (In metres)
The weight of a person ( In kilograms)
The age of a person ( in years and months)
Quantitative Research is