Wong ABM – 12 RESEARCH 2 What is nature of reality? - - The nature of reality in quantitative research is objective and can be measured and generalized by single reality. The study that was conducted in this type of research aims for objectivity, means the data or information used is not influenced by personal feelings, interpretations, or prejudice. Also it should be based on facts and not biased. Additionally, the nature of reality in quantitative research was separated from the researcher. For instance, since we are conducting a quantitative type of research, the method adopted by the researcher must comply with the demands of positivism. Recommendation: positivism paradigm, it was based on objective inquiry, validity, reliability, and generalizability. What is the relationship of the researcher to the subject of research? - In quantitative research, the researcher and the research participant can remain independent and uninfluenced by one another. Unlike to the qualitative research that we have conducted during our 11th grade, we are dependent to the answers of our participants. The researcher must maintain a distance from and independence from the subject being studied. In addition, researcher and their biases are not known to participants in the study. - For instance, the characteristics of participants are purposefully covered up from the research (double blind studies) - Recommendation: Eliminate bias- Personal comments or biasing of results are not permitted in this research approach. In most circumstances, the results obtained are numerical and thus fair. What is the role of values? -Greater knowledge and comprehension of the social world are the goals of quantitative research. To examine situations or events that have an impact on people, researchers utilize quantitative methodologies. Quantitative research generates unbiased data that can be explained in detail using statistics and numbers. Therefore, making the observations and interpretations as unbiased as possible is the goal of a value-free approach. Recommendation: Any research paradigm can be used by the researcher to conduct the research. After considering the study limitations, available resources, and other requirements, the researcher must make a decision regarding the research paradigm. Examples: -Ontology is the foundation of the research paradigm, it is the nature of reality. -Epistemology tells how and what approach can help a researcher lead to find the truth. -The research methodology makes it possible for the researcher to practically undertake the research in a given direction. -The methods in the research paradigm involve particular data collection tools that a researcher can use. What is the language of research? -Quantitative research focuses on numbers and statistics while gathering and evaluating data, whereas qualitative research is more concerned with words and interpretation. But for acquiring various kinds of information, both are crucial. Furthermore, it is focused on accurate measurement that can be controlled, replicated, and utilized to forecast events. It is a formal, objective, and organized procedure. Recommendation: Quantitative data is seen as objective suggesting that it is not subjects to much interference from the researcher. This means that quantitative methods can make research value-free. As their epistemology also requires measurable proof, the variables can be measured objectively. What is the process of research? In quantitative research, it is referred to as the process of collecting as well as analyzing numerical data. It is generally used to find patterns, averages, predictions, as well as cause-effect relationships between the variables being studied. It uses deductive reasoning, where the researcher formulates a hypothesis, gathers data during an investigation of the problem, and then uses the information gathered from the study, once analysis is completed and findings are shared, to prove whether the hypothesis is correct or incorrect. Recommendation: Use quantitative research if your study is to test hypotheses, look at cause and effect, and make predictions.
