1. Quantitative Research Method

2. 4.2 Quantitative Research Methods
Uses deductive method of knowledge acquisition
Intends to falsifies an existing theory
Tries to generate generalizable knowledge
Accepts objectivity of knowledge
Uses a standard measurement instruments
The researcher is independent in the process of knowledge construction
Quantifies the phenomena in terms of numbers
Intends with prediction and controlling

3. Example - User involvement in system development Success
Participation
Conflict
Conflict resolution
Influence
Conceptual Framework of User Involvement

4. Type of quantitative research
The purposes of research can be categorized as:
Descriptive (fact finding)
Explorative (looking for patterns)
Analytical (explaining why or how)
Predictive (forecasting the likelihood of particular events)

5. Descriptive It started during the Roman Empire
Took census to know the number of people under its empire
Used for taxation purposes
Seeks to accurately describe current or past phenomena - to answer such questions as:
What type of open source software frequently used in Ethiopia?
What type of computers mostly imported in Ethiopia
What are the main software tools used by end users?

6. Explorative
Seeks to understand psychological and sociological phenomena in an effort to find behavioral patterns:
How do users use the new software system?
Why would users use the software in this way contrary to original purpose. For example use of Internet for news rather work related matters
What are the antecedent factors for software project success?

7. Analytical
Seeking to explain the reasons behind a particular occurrence by discovering causal relationships. Once causal relationships have been discovered, the search then shifts to factors that can be changed (variables) in order to influence the chain of causality. Typical questions are:
Do user involvement in software development and users IT skills increase software success?
Does Hardware performance have an influence on software failure?

8. Predictive
Seeks to forecast the likelihood of particular phenomena occurring in given circumstances.
Does internet bandwidth predict growth online business services ?
Can the new software system increases the organization’s efficiency?
To what extent does new software predict growth of the organization profit?
This compares independent (IV) and dependent variable (DV).
We can predict DV by measuring IV

9. Experimental Research Design
Used to identify cause and effect relationship
Three types
Pre-experimental design
Quasi experimental
True experimental

10. Pre-experimental design
A treatment is given for a group at different time and then it is investigated if the treatment brings the change or not
It is relatively weak design as compared the other two
Observe
Observation
Apply treatment

11. Quasi experimental The sample are grouped into two groups
Randomization is not considered
Treatment is given for one group and the group or controlled group will not receive the treatment
Measures undertaken on both group to check weather the treatment brings change or not

12. Quasi … G1 O G2 O X

13. True experimental The sample are randomly grouped into two
Treatment is given one group and the other group will not receive the treatment
Measures will be taken to see the Impact of the treatment group

14. True … G1 O
Randomization G2 O X

15. Method of Data Collection
Structured Interview questions for Face to face or Telephone
Questionnaire
Online questionnaire (there are free sites)
Computer simulation
Computer log files – Data like
Attempts made by Hackers
attempts made to break passwords

16. Face to face interview Interviews are fairly structured
The researcher asks standard set of questions and nothing more
Interview is formal and emotionally neutral
The relationship terminated when the interview is completed
It has a distinct advantage of establishing rapport with potential participants and gain cooperation
Yields highest response rate
But time and expense is unaffordable if interviewees are found in different regions and population is large

17. Telephone Interview Are less time consuming and less expensive
Can access all participants who has a telephone
Response rate is not as high as face to face interview
But higher than the mailed questionnaire
Sample is biased as it ignores people without telephone
Both has the advantage to clarify ambiguous answers and when appropriate, seek follow up information
Not feasible for large size of population

18. Guideline for Quantitative interview
Interview should be carefully planned and precisely worded to yield the required data
As you write the questions consider how you can quantify the response, and modify the questions accordingly
Consider asking questions that will elicit qualitative information as well
Restrict each question to a single idea
Save controversial questions for the latter part of the interview

19. Questionnaire Survey
Can be sent to large number of people, including those who live thousands of miles away
Researcher does not have contact with the respondents
Helps respondent to freely express their idea than they would be in personal interviews, especially on sensitive and controversial issue

20. Draw back of questionnaire
Majority of people don’t return
Returned responses may not be a true representative of the originally selected samples
Rely on self report

21. Questionnaires design
Questionnaires make use of lists and rating scales
Behaviors and attitudes are complex and cannot be easily evaluated and quantified
Check list is a list of behaviors, characteristics or other entities that a researcher is investigating
Either the researcher or participants simply check(s) items from the list
What are features of user friendly software
Graphical interface
Clear navigation direction
Immediate feedback
Other specify ____________

22. Questionnaire …
A rating scale is more useful when a behavior, attitude, or other phenomena of interest needs to be evaluated on a continuum scale
It is designed with the following scales
“inadequate” to “excellent”,
“never” to “always” or
“strongly disapprove” to “strongly approve”

23. Guideline for Questionnaire
Keep it short
What do I do with the information?
Is it absolutely essential to have this information to solve part of the research problem
Use simple, clear, unambiguous language
Check for unwarranted assumptions implicit in your questions
How many cigarette do you smoke each day?
Good to add a choice
25 ___ ____ 15-5 ___ <5 ____ None ____
Word your questions in ways that don’t give clues about preferred or more desirable responses
What strategies have you used to try to quit smoking?
Leads him to list strategies he did not try

24. Guide line …
Check consistency – that leads to give contradictory answer for two questions
Determine in advance how you will code the response
Keep the respondents task simple
Provide clear instructions
Make the questionnaire attractive and professional looking
Conduct a pilot test
Give for half a dozen friends to see they have difficulty understanding any items
Scrutinize the almost final product carefully to make sure it address your needs

25. Sampling
In descriptive study, the researcher wants to determine the nature of how things are
Describe one or more characteristics of a fairly large population – e.g 3 million
When population is large, select a subset or a sample of the population
Makes conclusion from the sample about the population
Sample must be true representative of the population
Refers to the external validity of a research study

26. Quantitative Data Analysis
Two types
Descriptive statistics
Used to describe the phenomena with frequency, mean, median, mode
Inferential statistics
This statistics is used to infer about the population from the sample data
T-test to compare means of two groups
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
When groups more than two

27. Analysis
Linear Regression (when the correlation follows the same pattern)
Logistic Regression (when there is linear correlation)

28. Review Qeustions
How quantitative method differ form qualitative method
How do you design quantitative methods?
What is the final outcome of the quantitative research?
What are the main data collection instruments
How do you analyze quantitative research data?