Faculty of Applied Engineering and Urban Planning
Civil Engineering Department
Data Collection
(Quantitative Methods)
Research Methodology
UP Copyrights 2012
Quantitative Research
The following are the main features of Quantitative
research:
Deductive:
deductive
quantitative
nature
as
research
it
tests
has
theory
or
hypotheses to provide evidence for or against
this theory.
Objective:
as
quantitative
research
seeks
precise measurement and analysis of target
concepts, e.g., uses surveys, questionnaires
etc.
Quantitative research usually begins with prespecified
objectives
focused
on
testing
Quantitative Research Methods
Major types of quantitative research
methods are:
Experimental.
Quasi-experimental.
Surveys.
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Experimental
Experimental studies are quantitative research
methods used to study a certain phenomena,
mainly by examining cause and effect.
Experiments usually designed to examine the
influence
of
an
independent
variable
(e.g.
treatment) on a dependent variable.
The
main
experimental
issue
study
when
is
to
conducting
control
as
an
many
aspects of the situation as possible; such as
participants and the environment in which the
experiment is conducted.
Laboratory studies are examples of this type of
Design of experiments
Design of experiments is the design of
any task that aims to describe or
explain the variation of information
under conditions that are hypothesized
to reflect the variation.
Experimental Parameters
Fixed
All the
parameters of
the experiment
except the
ones that are
of concern
The
Controlled Measured
The
influencing
parameters
to be
studied
parameters
that are
dependent
on the
controlled
ones
Example: What is the effect of fiber glass on the
flexural strength of concrete
Experimental Parameters
Fixed
Temperature
Water/Cement
Ratio
Aggregate
Additives
Beam size
etc ...
Controlled Measured
Ratio of
Flexural
fiber
Strength
glass
Fisher's principles
Comparison
it
is
not
possible
to
have
independent
measurements to a traceable metrology standard,
and often compared against a scientific control or
traditional treatment that acts as baseline.
Example: Improvement of groundwater due to the application
of infiltration methods
Randomization
Such as in Quasi-experimental (will be discussed
later on)
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Fisher's principles
Statistical replication
Measurements are usually subject to variation
and measurement uncertainty; thus they are
repeated and full experiments are replicated
to help identify the sources of variation, to
better
estimate
treatments,
to
the
further
true
effects
strengthen
of
the
experiment's reliability and validity, and to
add to the existing knowledge of the topic.
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Fisher's principles
Blocking
Blocking is the arrangement of experimental
units
into
groups
to
exclude
unnecessary
parameters.
Factorial experiments
Use of factorial experiments instead of the onefactor-at-a-time method. These are efficient at
evaluating
the
possible interactions of
(independent variables).
effects
several
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and
factors
Quasi- Experimental
Quasi-experimental studies are similar to
experimental
studies
except
that
the
researcher does not have full control over
the situation in which the experiment is
conducted.
Quasi-Experimental methods of research
are commonly applied in health related
studies; where it is difficult to allocate
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participants to different groups due to
Surveys
The most popular method of data collection used in
quantitative research is the survey.
The survey technique involves the collection of
primary data about subjects through a questionnaire.
The survey is usually conducted on a particular
population to collect certain type of data.
Surveys could be conducted;
via telephone,
self-administration, or
face-to-face surveys.
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