Before you embark on your dissertation writing journey, you must understand the different research methods you can use. Quantitative research methods are different from qualitative ones, and using the wrong method to collect your data can have disastrous consequences on your results. Quantitative research is the most common method used for research. Its main methods include survey research, market research, and statistical modelling. In today’s article, you will learn the different quantitative research methodologies and their worth in your dissertation proposal.
Quantitative research methods:
Quantitative research methods can be divided into two main categories: experimental and non-experimental. Researchers need to know the change of one variable (dependant or independent) and how it affects the other (dependant or independent). For this purpose, researchers use quantitative approaches in their dissertation projects. Quantitative research utilizes the general procedures: developing a research hypothesis, formulating an operational definition, and collecting and analyzing empirical data to test the hypothesis. You’ll probably need to use both quantitative (experimental or non-experimental) types in your dissertation, whether you’re studying literature, psychology, political science, or another social science field.
What Are The Different Types Of Quantitative Research Methods?
Quantitative research methods are scientific tools that collect information, often through surveys. These methods can be categorized into different subgroups. However, all methods are used to manipulate different variables in different ways.
Each method has its strengths and weaknesses; depending on your Dissertation’s focus, you might choose to rely on one method over another. When in doubt, it’s always best to consult your advisor about what is most appropriate. Below, the top researchers of a dissertation writing service UK have shared all about the quantitative methods in detail.
1. Experimental Quantitative Method:
The experimental method is used to find the effects of different research variables. The researchers, through this method, evaluates the dependence of different variables on each other. It focuses on the dependent or independent variables. This kind of research is mostly used in social sciences, physics and psychology studies. This method uses an experimental method to analyze the cause-effect relationship between a group of variables.
2. Comparative Quantitative Research:
This quantitative method is used to compare two variables in the research. This type of research is useful when the researcher needs to study the pre-existing data variables. Its purpose is to discover new things by comparing two different variables.
3. Correlational Quantitative Research:
If you’re trying to answer a question like whether people with similar characteristics are more likely to experience something? Then correlational research may be your best bet. This study measures relationships between variables but does not include an experimental group, and it does not measure cause and effect. Correlational studies often take place over a long period (like 20 or 30 years), which means they can reveal long-term effects rather than just short-term ones.
4. Descriptive Quantitative Research:
This quantitative research method evaluates the whole population to identify relationships between two or more variables. It is usually used when surveying everyone in a given population is impossible. For example: when it’s difficult to survey people across cultures or countries, or when surveys can’t measure individual differences. It is used when you might not want to get into detail about how much people drink, but instead, look at age-related drinking patterns.
5. Survey Research Methods:
A survey involves administering a set of questions to a large group of respondents, with each question designed to measure a specific trait or characteristic. There are two basic survey research methods: one that sends self-administered surveys through physical mail, and another that delivers questionnaires through online platforms like email or an Internet website.
Importance of Quantitative Research Methods In your Dissertation:
Before starting your Dissertation, you’ll want to consider which type of quantitative research methods you want to use to gather your data. While they are and there are many research methods, we encourage students to use any of these methods in their dissertations to get familiar with how they work. But keep in mind to use quantitative research methods in your dissertation, you must learn how to correctly identify the most appropriate method for your study. It’s also important that you understand what each method can and cannot tell you and how to collect good data so that your results will be valid. The use of quantitative research is very helpful when you want to write a dissertation and want accurate results. Let’s discuss its importance.
1. To Prove or Disprove Hypothesis:
Quantitative research methods are employed in the social sciences to try and prove or disprove certain hypotheses. The most common method, experiments, are designed to establish cause and effect relationships between two variables. Quantitative methods also include non-experimental studies and surveys, allowing researchers to better understand how people think or behave when they are not directly involved with the study.
2. Provide Structure to Your Dissertation:
In addition, when it comes time to write up your findings from a quantitative study, you’ll need to understand some basic statistics (e.g., mean, median) and how to interpret them correctly. In short, quantitative research methods can help add a bit more structure and rigour to your dissertation process, which can make all the difference!
3. Measure the Phenomena of the Research Study of Dissertation:
In general, quantitative research methods aim to measure phenomena rather than describe them qualitatively. It is often done by administering surveys or questionnaires; observing behaviours through direct observation, conducting experiments; and analyzing numerical data such as crime rates, test scores, etc. These kinds of information allow researchers to accurately calculate the sample population.
4. Tells Relationship Between Variables used in Dissertation:
It also allows for more reliable statistical inferences regarding relationships between variables. It’s important to note that quantitative methods aren’t better or worse than qualitative ones; both have different functions depending on what you’re trying to find in your dissertation.
5. Control Outside Factors for the Research:
However, quantitative research methods are often considered more rigorous because they try to control outside factors and isolate one variable at a time so that cause-effect relationships can be teased out. Because quantitative research tends to rely on experimental designs, that can include assigning participants randomly to different groups. It is also easier to replicate studies using quantitative methods than qualitative ones.
Conclusion:
You can say, quantitative research methods are just one part of the research. It is completely different from qualitative research as it provides numerical information about a group or population concerning certain variables such as income level, test scores etc. This article teaches you about quantitative research methods in detail. You will see what aspects make quantitative research important to your dissertation project. So, if you are a PhD student and want to make your dissertation successful, use quantitative methods. Best of Luck!
