Quantitative Research Method (Research Design) By Temtim Assefa October, 2013

Overview of Quantitative Research Uses deductive method of knowledge acquisition Intends to falsifies an existing theory or develop new relationships between constructs Tries to generate generalizable knowledge Accepts objectivity of knowledge Uses a standard measurement instruments The researcher is independent in the process of knowledge construction Intends with prediction and controlling

Research Process Problem Data Interpretation Conceptual FW, Hypothesis Research Design Data Collection & Analysis Develop Instrument

Direction of Abstraction/ Substruction Theory (Theoretical system) Construct  Concept Deductive (qualitative)  Methods (Operational System) Measures Scaling/Data analysis (quantitative) Inductive

Rigor in Quantitative Research Theoretical Grounding: Axioms & postulates – substruction-validity of hypothesized relationships Design validity (internal & external) of research design; Instrument validity and reliability Statistical assumptions met (scaling, normal curve, linear relationship, etc.) (Note: Polit & Beck: reliability, validity, generalizability, objectivity)

Literature Review Study Aims Study Aims Study Question Study Question Study Hypothesis

Aim, Question, and Hypothesis Study Aim: To explore IT increases organizational efficiency Study Question: Does IT increases organizational efficiency? Study Hypothesis: Null: H0: There is no difference between organizations which introduce IT and those which do not.

When do you choose The first type of research question is that demanding a quantitative answer. Examples are: ‘How many students choose to study education?’ or ‘How many maths teachers do we need and how many have we got in our school district?’ That we need to use quantitative research to answer Numerical change can likewise accurately be studied only by using quantitative methods. Are the numbers of students in our university rising or falling? When we often want to explain phenomena. What factors predict the recruitment of maths teachers? What factors are related to changes in student achievement over time? Testing of hypotheses . We might want to explain something – for example, whether there is a relationship between IT use and organizational performance

Types of quantitative Research Basically there are two types confirmatory or exploratory research. Hair et al. (1995) suggest that confirmatory studies are those seeking to test (confirm) a prespecified relationship, Exploratory studies are those which define possible relationships in only the most general form and then allow multivariate techniques to estimate a relationship(s). in exploratory studies, the method and the data will define the nature of the relationships.

Quantitative Research Design A research Design is nothing more than a plan for conducting a research in such a way as to answer a research questions. A number of questions arise to select the research design who, what shall be the focus of the study? What attributes of individuals, organizations, systems, etc, In what contexts observations will be made (organizations, laboratories, etc), what methods employed to analyze the data?

Types of Quantitative Research Researchers are constrained with people, time, money, etc to select the best research design A prime consideration is designing cost effective research Some of the Quantitative research design method includes Field study Field experiment Lab experiment Experimental simulation Adaptive experiment Archival research

Types of Quantitative Research Designs Descriptive X? Y? Z? What is X, Y, and Z? Correlational rxy Is there a relationship between X and Y? Causal ΔX  ΔY? Does a change in X cause a change in Y?

Field Experiment A field experiment is a research study conducted in a realistic situation in which one or more independent variables are manipulated by the experimenter under conditions as the situation will permit.

Field Experiment steps It follows all steps of scientific process selection and determination of a problem, selection of participants and measuring instruments, selection of a research plan, execution of the plan, analysis of data and formation of conclusions

Features of FE It has three unique features the research takes place in natural setting the experimenter manipulates one or more independent variables while exerting much control over confounding variables; and the effect of the manipulations on one or more dependent variables is systematically observed.

FE Design There three type of designs

Controlling Nuisance in Field Experiment Solomon Four Groups in True Experiment Experimental group 1: R O X O Control group 1: R O O Experimental group 2: R X O Control group 2: R O Removing statistically the effect of suspected confounding variables

Data collection and Analysis The following methods are used to collect data Questionnaire Structured interview Computer log files Data analysis Descriptive statistical methods Inferential statistical methods

Advantages of FE Conducted in natural settings and has higher experimental validity Realism simply increases the strength of the variables. It also contributes to external validity, since the more realistic the situation, the more valid are generalizations to other situations likely to be. Help to clearly identify antecedents of observed effects in casual relationships Used for the development of theory as well as for the solution of applied problems; The logic of FE can be applied in the analysis of many naturally occurring changes Appropriateness for studying complex social and psychological influences, process, and changes in lifelike

Disadvantage The methods used to control confounding variables in FE are not sufficient Manipulation of variables cause legal and ethical problems Difficult to control dynamically changing environment during the course of the experiment Difficult to precisely measure dependant variables in the field settings. In other words, the dependent variable measures are often so inadequate they cannot pick up all the variance that has been engendered by the independent variables. Expensive to conduct compared to lab experiment Needs highly skilled person to design and conduct

As indicated earlier, the main weaknesses of field experiments are practical. Manipulation of independent variables and randomization are perhaps the two most important problems. One other weakness in field experimental situations is lack of precision. In other words, the dependent variable measures are often so inadequate they cannot pick up all the variance that has been engendered by the independent variables.

Role of FE in computer Science It has many applications in IS To develop theory To test hypothesis To evaluate IS tools and techniques

Practical Examples Fukada et al (n.d.) used field experiment to study the effect of Road Facility Management Support System on asset management of the public infrastructure. Mayur et al (2000) made study to compare and suggest the best training method for companies between instructor based training and computer based training methods. Chen et al (2007) made a field experiment study to identify effects of different types of social information on contributions to an online communities.

Field Studies Field studies are non-experimental scientific inquiries aimed at discovering the relations and interactions among sociological, psychological, and educational variables in real social structures. The field study investigator ordinarily manipulates no independent variables. Neither randomization nor experimental manipulation was possible.

Types of Field Studies Katz (1953) has divided field studies into two broad types: exploratory and hypothesis testing. Exploratory studies have three purposes: to discover significant variables in the field situation, to discover relations among variables, and to lay the groundwork for later, more systematic and rigorous testing of hypotheses.

Strengths of Field Studies Field studies are in realism, significance, strength of variables, theory orientation, and heuristic quality. The variance of many variables in actual field settings is large, especially when compared to the variance of the variables of laboratory experiments. In a field situation there is usually so much noise in the channel that even though the effects may be strong and the variance great, it is not easy for the experimenter to separate the variables.

Strengths and Weaknesses of Field Studies Its most serious weakness, of course, is its nonexperimental character. Thus statements of relations are weaker than they are in experimental research. Another methodological weakness is the lack of precision in the measurement of field variables. Studies of organizations, for example, are mostly field studies, and the measurement of organizational variables well illustrates the difficulties. Other weakness of field studies are practical problems: feasibility, cost, sampling, and time.

Review Questions Explain the different quantitative research design methods What is the strength and weakness of each method What are the different survey research methods What is the main data analysis methods what problem can you address with quantitative research methods What are the procedures in quantitative Research How do you use Quantitative research in computer science?