The Quantitative Research Approach Chapter 2 The Quantitative Research Approach

WHAT IS THE POSITIVIST WAY OF THINKING? Striving Toward Measurability Striving Toward Objectivity Striving Toward Reducing Uncertainty Striving Toward Duplication Striving Toward the Use of Standardized Procedures

The Positivistic Research Approach One objective reality Seeks to be objective Reality unchanged by observation and measurements Researcher puts aside own values Social land physical sciences are a unity Passive roles for research subjects Many research subjects involved Data obtained through observations and measurements Data are quantitative in nature Deductive logic applied Causal information obtained Seeks to explain or predict Tests hypotheses Reliance on standardized measuring instruments High generalizabilty of findings

The Interpretive Research Approach Many subjective realities Admittedly subjective Reality changed by observations and measurements Researcher recognizes own values Social and physical sciences are different Active roles for research participants Few research participants involved Data obtained by asking questions Data are qualitative in nature Inductive logic applied Descriptive information obtained Seeks to understand Produces hypotheses Researcher is the measuring instrument Limited generalizability of findings

Two Research Approaches Compared

RESEARCH STEPS WITHIN THE QUANTITATIVE APPROACH Steps 1 and 2: Developing the Research Question Step 3: Designing the Research Study Step 4: Collecting the Data Steps 5 and 6: Analyzing and Interpreting the Data Steps 7 and 8: Presentation and Dissemination of Findings

Steps within the Quantitative Research Approach