QUANTITATIVE DATA GATHERING TECHNIQUES

  DEFINITION: m ixed methods research combines elements of quantitative research and qualitative research order to answer your research question. Mixed  methods can help you gain a more complete picture than a standalone quantitative or qualitative study, as it integrates benefits of both methods. Mixed methods research may be the right choice if your research process suggests that quantitative or qualitative data alone will not sufficiently answer your research question. CHARACTERISTICS: 1 .  The analysis of both qualitative and quantitative data. 2. The collection of both open and closed-ended data (qualitative and quantitative data) in response to research question. 3. Persuasive and rigorous procedures for the qualitative and quantitative methods. 4.  The integration of these two data sources (by merging, connecting, embedding). 5. The use of specific mixed methods design that involves a concurrent or sequential integration. MAIN USES: ADVANTAGES: 1 . Mixed methods research offers

D EFINITION :  is the process of collecting and analyzing numerical data. It can be used to find patterns and averages, make predictions, test causal relationships, and generalize results to wider populations.  Quantitative research is the opposite of qualitative research, which involves collecting and analyzing non-numerical data.  Quantitative research is widely used in the natural and social sciences: biology, chemistry, psychology, economics, sociology, marketing, etc.  Quantitative research is structured around the scientific method. After observing the situation to be investigated, the researcher forms a hypothesis and then uses deductive reasoning by predicting how the data should look if the hypothesis is true, after collecting the data and analyzing it to confirm or reject the hypothesis. CHARACTERISTICS: MAIN USES: t he purpose of quantitative research is to attain greater knowledge and understanding of the social world . ADVANTAGES:  1.   Can be tested and checked Quantitati

  DEFINITION: a   checklist is a form that is used for quickly and easily recording data or identifying actions or requirements. It is usually easy to extract data in a useful manner from a checklist. It is particularly effective at registering the occurrence of incidents, events, tasks, or problems. CHARACTERISTICS:  * Clearly specify the characteristics of the behavior to be observed. * Use only a carefully prepared checklist to avoid more complex features. * The observer must be trained to observe and record the observed behavior. * Use checklists only when you are interested in calculating a particular characteristic. MAIN USES:  ADVANTAGES:  *  Allows you to determine the specific frequency of certain events or tasks. * Collected data can be displayed in many familiar formats, such as a bar chart. * Easy to use, simple to create. *  Checklist have the objectivity to evaluate characteristics. *Useful for evaluating those processes that can be subdivided into a series of actions

  DEFINITION:   a  questionnaire is a research instrument that is used by researchers to collect information from the respondents. It consists of a series of questions that help researchers to learn what a respondent thinks or what is his opinion on the topic on which the questions are asked. Collecting information using questionnaires is one of the most inexpensive, efficient, and fast ways. The data collected using the questionnaire is relatively detailed and sorted as compared to the other methods of gathering information. Moreover, the data can be obtained from a large group of people . CHARACTERISTICS: * Sequence of questions:   a   proper series of questions should be followed to increase the rate of response to the questions. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a structured sequence of questions that contain questions in the sequence. The sequence of questions is like screening questions, warm-up questions, skip questions, transition questions, complex questions, and classifi

  DEFINITION:  means the use of online and other digital technologies, such as online surveys, text messages and interactive voice response systems for research purposes.   CHARACTERISTICS:  Online recruitment can be quick and relatively cheap. The internet can help to reach hard-to-reach, stigmatized and at-risk populations. Audio-visual features can help to reach participants with poor literacy. Digitally mediated surveys facilitate research of sensitive issues, such as sexual health, by offering privacy during data collection. Digitally mediated data submission encourages honest disclosure, enhancing the internal validity of data collected online. MAIN USES:  ADVANTAGES: *    Convenience and cost of online recruitment of study participants:   It is feasible, acceptable and relatively cheap to recruit research participants online via search engines such as Yahoo or Google,   dating websites   or social networking websites such as Facebook.   Consent, randomization and data collection

  DEFINITION:   a study conducted with a scientific approach using two sets of variables . The first set acts as a constant, which you use to measure the differences of the second set. Quantitative research methods, for example, are experimental. CHARACTERISTICS: MAIN USES: -      Allows you to test your idea in a controlled environment before taking the research to clinical trials .  -      It provides the best method to test your theory. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES: ✅ Researchers have firm control over variables to obtain results. ✅The subject does not impact the effectiveness of experimental research. ✅The results are specific. ✅Post results analysis, research findings from the same dataset can be repurposed for similar research ideas. ❌Extraneous variables cannot always be controlled, human responses can be difficult to measure, and participants may also cause bias .

  DEFINITION : aims to establish a cause-and-effect relationship between an independent and dependent variable.      However, unlike a true experiment, a quasi-experiment does not rely on random assignment. Instead, subjects are assigned to groups based on non-random criteria.      Quasi-experimental design is a useful tool in situations where true experiments cannot be used for ethical or practical reasons. CHARACTERISTICS : MAIN USES:      Although true experiments have higher internal validity, you might choose to use a quasi-experimental design for ethical or practical reasons. Ethical      Sometimes it would be unethical to provide or withhold a treatment on a random basis, so a true experiment is not feasible. In this case, a quasi-experiment can allow you to study the same causal relationship without the ethical issues.      The Oregon Health Study is a good example. It would be unethical to randomly provide some people with health insurance but purposely prevent others from rec

  DEFINITION:   attempts to systematically recapture the complex nuances, the people, meanings, events, and even ideas of the past that have influenced and shaped the present. Historical research is a qualitative technique. It studies the meaning of past events in an attempt to interpret the facts and explain the cause of events, and their effect in the present events . CHARACTERISTICS: MAIN USES: ADVANTAGES:  *  The research is not involved in the situation that is studied. * The researchers do not interact with the subjects of study. *Analysis of historical data may help explain current and future event s. * It  permits the investigation of topics that could be studied in no other way. * It is the only research method that can study evidence from the past. * The historical method is well suited for trend analysis . DISADVANTAGES:  *  Historical data is incomplete and vulnerable to time. * It can also be biased and corrupt; diaries, letters, etc. are influenced by the person writing t

  DEFINITION:  a type of research that explores and provides deeper insights into real-world problems.  Instead of collecting numerical data points or intervene or introduce treatments just like in quantitative research, qualitative research helps generate hypotheses as well as further investigate and understand quantitative data.       Qualitative research gathers participants' experiences, perceptions, and behavior. It answers the hows and whys instead of how many or how much. It could be structured as a stand-alone study, purely relying on qualitative data or it could be part of mixed-methods research that combines qualitative and quantitative data. CHARACTERISTICS:  - Natural environment (natural setting). - Researcher as a key instrument (researcher as key instrument). - Multiple sources of data. - Inductive data analysis. - The meaning of the participants (participant's meaning). - Design that develops (emergent design). MAIN USES: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES:

  DEFINITION:  a way of collecting data by reviewing existing documents. The documents may be internal to a program or organization (such as records of what components of an asthma management program were implemented in schools) or may be external (such as records of emergency room visits by students served by an asthma management program). Documents may be hard copy or electronic and may include reports, program logs, performance ratings, funding proposals, meeting minutes, newsletters, and marketing materials. CHARACTERISTICS: ensure accuracy in your project data check for completeness of documentation verify that the documentation meets the requirements of your project ensure that the documentation is compliant with standards MAIN USES:      • To gather background information. Reviewing existing documents helps you understand the history, philosophy, and operation of the program you are evaluating and the organization in which it operates.      • To determine if implementation of t

  DEFINITION: s urveys are primary research tools that provide data as part of your overall research strategies. Survey research is critical to getting the answers you need to make informed decisions about everything from product development to marketing campaigns.       Understanding more about survey research will help you create effective surveys that yield valuable primary research   data. CHARACTERISTICS:  MAIN USES: - To obtain information from program staff. - To manage or clientele in a particular location as part of a case study or series of case studies . - T o identify suitable recommendations regarding deficiencies revealed by an audit. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES: ✅Easy to do ✅Cost-effective ✅Gather data from a large sample. ✅Collect quantitative and qualitative data ❌Accuracy ❌Non-responses ❌Interpretation differences

  DEFINITION :  is a research method that aims to simultaneously investigate and solve an issue. In other words, as its name suggests, action research conducts research and takes action at the same time. It was first coined as a term in 1944 by MIT professor Kurt Lewin.      A highly interactive method, action research is often used in the social sciences, particularly in educational settings. Particularly popular with educators as a form of systematic inquiry, it prioritizes reflection and bridges the gap between theory and practice. Due to the nature of the research, it is also sometimes called a   cycle of action   or a   cycle of inquiry . CHARACTERISTICS : MAIN USES: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES: ✅Action research is  highly adaptable , allowing researchers to mold their analysis to their individual needs and implement practical individual-level changes. ✅Action research provides an  immediate and actionable path  forward for solving entrenched issues, rather than suggesting compli