PPA 501 – A NALYTICAL METHODS IN A DMINISTRATION Lecture 3a – Quantitative Research Designs

C HOOSING A R ESEARCH D ESIGN Doing good science. Choosing a research design that best meets the objectives of the research study. “Increasingly, researchers are recognizing that scientific inquiry is a species of research. Research is not merely a species of social science. Virtually any careful, reflective, systematic study of phenomena undertaken to advance human understanding can count as a form of research. It all depends on how that work is pursued” (Eisner, 1997, p. 261).

C HOOSING A R ESEARCH DESIGN Research Methodology, Research Designs, and Methods Quantitative Approaches Exploratory Designs In-depth interviews Focus group interviews Descriptive designs Field surveys Mathematical models Causal designs Single factor experiments Multifactor experiments Quasi- experimental designs Non- experimental designs

Q UANTITATIVE R ESEARCH D ESIGNS Establish Research Objectives Select a Research Design Exploratory Research Descriptive Research Design data- gathering instrument Gather, analyze, and interpret data Report study findings Causal Research

Q UANTITATIVE R ESEARCH D ESIGNS Questions What characteristics of the people in my sample distinguish them from other groups or subgroups of people who I might have included in my study? Are there any differences in the subgroups contained in this sample that might influence the way the questions are answered or opinions are offered? Are there any statistically significant differences in the answers of any groups or subgroups in this sample, or did they all answer the questions in roughly the same way? What confidence do I have that any differences that I do find did not occur by chance? Is there any association between any two or more variables in my study? Is it relevant? Is it significant?

Q UANTITATIVE R ESEARCH D ESIGNS Statistical tests Measures of central tendency, variability, or dispersion. Graphic methods, such as tables, charts, and graphs. Hypothesis tests. Association (correlation) tests. Regression analysis. A few tools for specific purposes, such as time-series and quality tests. Three types of designs. Exploratory. Descriptive. Causal.

E XPLORATORY D ESIGNS Exploratory studies are small-sample designs used primarily for gaining insights and ideas about research problems and the variables and issues associated with those problems. Sometimes called pilot studies. They usually do not stand alone. Data gathering techniques. Key informant interviews. Focus group interview sessions. Pilot surveys (pre-testing an instrument).

D ESCRIPTIVE D ESIGNS Usually done to develop a snapshot of a particular phenomenon off interest. Description of an event or define a set of attitudes, opinions, or behaviors that are observed or measured at a given time and environment. Usually involve large samples. Descriptive studies can be cross-sectional (one point in time) or longitudinal (panel study). Field studies (In depth surveying on a few topics, more branching questions, more open-ended) or field surveys (most commonly encountered quantitative technique in administrative, social, and human sciences). Samples or populations.

C AUSAL D ESIGNS Usually require designing and conducting experiments. Control for confounding and intervening variables. Types of causal studies. Relational. Correlational studies. Adjust for confounding and intervening variables statistically. Experimental. Treatment and control groups. Adjust for confounding and intervening variables by random assignment.