* Qualitative and Quantitative Defined
The simplest way to distinguish between qualitative and quantitative may be to say that qualitative methods involve a researcher describing kinds of characteristics of people and events without comparing events in terms of measurements or amounts.
Quantitative methods, on the other hand, focus attention on measurements and amounts (more and less, larger and smaller, often and seldom, similar and different) of the characteristics displayed by the people and events that the researcher studies.
* Types of Quantitative Researches:
1- Survey research.
2- Causal-comparative research
3- Correlational research
4- Experimental research
* Data Collection:
Data collection is the process by which the researcher collects the information needed to answer the research problem.
* Data Collection Tools:

Questionnaire
 Checklist
 Interview

Observation

Records

Experimental Approach

Survey Approach
CAUSAL-COMPARATIVE METHOD OR EX POST FACTO RESEARCH
* Definition:
- Ex post facto means "from after the fact" (Gay, 1976). In simple terms, in ex post facto research, the researcher investigates a problem by studying the variables in retrospect. It is research in which the

dependent variable is immediately observable and now your main concern is to find out the antecedents that gave rise to this consequence.
- In other words, Causal comparative study is a form of study that tries to identify and determine the cause and effect of relationship between two or more groups.
- Causal comparative study is a study in which the researcher attempts to determine the cause, or reason, for pre-existing differences in groups of individuals.
* Differences between Dependent and Independent Variable:
Dependent Variable:
This is the output variable you are really interested in monitoring to see if it was affected or not. It can also be called the “measured variable,” the “responding variable,” the “explained variable,” etc.
Independent Variables:
These are the individual variables that you believe may have an effect on the dependent variable. They are sometimes called “explanatory variables,” “manipulated variables,” or “controlled variables.”
* Types of causal comparative research (Ex Post Facto):
• Retrospective causal comparative research requires that researcher begins investigating a particular question when the effects have already occurred and the research attempts to determine whether one variable may have influenced another variable.
•
Prospective causal comparative research occurs when a researcher initiates a study beginning with the causes and is determined to investigate the effects of a condition.
* The Value of Ex Post Facto Research:
Many of the variables in social, psychological and educational setting are certainly important areas of study but which can impossibly be investigated through true experimentation. Although direct control is impossible, controlled inquiry can be done in ex post facto and extraneous variable control is certainly possible.
These make the research sensible and valid. For this reason, findings, interpretations and conclusions made in ex post facto research, when done properly, will always be valuable to the scientist and to the layman.
* Differences and similarities between causal comparative and correlational studies:
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Causal comparative study looks at differences between groups while correlational study looks for relationships of variables within a single group.
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Causal comparative and correlational studies are similar in that both used to examine relationships among variables.

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Causal comparative includes categorical independent and or dependent variable but correlational study only includes quantitative variables.
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Causal comparative research provides better evidence of cause and effect relationships than correlational research.
• Like correlational research, causal comparative research is sometimes treated as a type of descriptive research since it too describes conditions that already exist.