Quantitative Research Design - Assignment Example

The value of an ‘experiment’ such as this in trying to untangle a causal issue involving human behavior Research is one of the tools used in finding significant information. It consists of aspects in which relevant information of the study can be deduced. There are two commonly used types of research design and they can be either qualitative or quantitative. Perhaps the commonly used type is quantitative research design when investigating things. This research design will determine the relationship between an independent variable and the dependent variable. Quantitative research design is further divided into two categories. The first category is descriptive type of quantitative research which establishes only associations between variables. The second category is experiment quantitative research which establishes causality. These two types of quantitative research designs can be further categorize into specific designs (Hopkins 2000). 1. Descriptive/observational Case Case series Cross-sectional Cohort or prospective or longitudinal Case-control or retrospective 2. Experimental Without a control group a. Time series b. Crossover With a control group In experimental design, a researcher does more than just observe the subjects. Under the time series, one or more measurements are taken on all subjects before and after a treatment (Hopkins 2000). However, one major problem may arise in time series. As Hopkins (2000) explained, some changes that can be observed in the experiment might be due to other than treatment. He presented that subjects might do better in second test because of their experience in the first test. To give solution to this problem, a crossover design can be used. Two population samples are needed in this design. The first population actually receives the actual treatment while the other population of sample remains a reference. Hopkins (2000) added, “If the treatment effect is unlikely to wash out between measurements, a control group has to be used. In these designs, all subjects are measured, but only some of them, the experiment group, then receive the treatment. All subjects are then measured again, and the change in the experimental group is compared with the change in the control group.” Under such circumstance a laboratory experimental design is under controlled condition. The study conducted by Anderson et al (1998) is considered a laboratory experiment in which the experimental groups were actually told not by the actual objective of the study. The experiment design is a single-controlled trial because the subjects are considered blind (Hopkins 2000). In this regard, the researcher might be able to control the conditions better which makes the experiment more reliable. More so, this experiment can be replicated and can establish cause and effect relationship. However, in this set up, the subjects may possibly behave differently or may appear conscious since they know they are being observed. Thus, may result to other irrelevant findings. The good thing about the “lab experiments’ of Anderson et al (1998) is that clear methods were emphasized and there were two more experiments conducted to support each other. However, other research designs can also be used as alternatives to what Anderson et al (1998) had conducted. The study conducted by Anderson et al (1998) in human behavior which applied experimental design at some point produced a good methodology. However, human behavior should not be overlooked since it can change and vary from time to time. Thus, it is crucial in the experiment on human behavior to choose a well-thought design. As for me, one of the best approaches in studying human behavior is through observational approach. As mentioned, a descriptive type of quantitative research can be applied since it aims to find out for the relationship between the dependent and independent variables. This design can be further maximized if the subjects are totally unaware that they are being observed. However, it is still difficult to measure human behavior in a quantitative way. As the website of Colorado State University (2009) puts it, “When a human population is involved, experimental research becomes concerned if behavior can be predicted or studied with validity. Human response can be difficult to measure. Human behavior is dependent on individual responses. Rationalizing behavior through experimentation does not account for the process of thought, making outcomes of that process fallible.” As mentioned in the introduction, research involves designs. If we are concern on finding relationship between variables then a quantitative research design may apply. However, it may sound scientifically convincing if all information and studies involved are quantifiable or measurable. After all, the basis of whatever conclusion will always depend on the measured value at the end of every quantitative research conducted. According to Tafflinger (1996), “Research is finding out what you don’t already know. No one knows everything, but everybody knows something. However, to complicate mstters, often what you know, or think you know, is incorrect. There are two purposes of research: to learn something, or to gather evidence.” Research in this regard defines elaborate and explain the research topic, clears the area of research to others, provides limits and boundaries, gives the whole scenario of the research and tells the modes and consequences. What is common to all researches is the idea of finding something, whether important or not, subjective or objective, a new discovery or not and the list goes on and on. What is most important in research is to find for information and to some extent, a valid conclusion that may serve important data for future decision making. Somebody asked on how to frame a sociology research question on the melting pot theory or the American identity. The following are exact answers from how the Anonymous (2009) author responded to the said question. 1. Narrow the topic down to a more specific focus. Each of these three topics is huge so decide, for example, which historical period and which affirmative action policies you will examine. 2. Decide whether you want to make it a descriptive or an analytic approach: 2.1 Descriptive example - an examination of the factors involved in .... 2.2 Analytic: contrasting the functionalist and the conflict perspectives to the social construction of the American Identity in the era of consumerism ...then you'd need to specify the historic dates that you've chosen to represent this era 3 Decide on the key concepts that you will use in your investigation. If you choose the contrasting theory approach you need to specify which key concepts in the two theoretical approaches you will choose to construct your major and your subsidiary research questions. 4. Once you've narrowed down the topic to the focus; decided whether its going to be descriptive or an analysis of a theoretical argument; worked out which key concepts you've chosen; then you have come to the stage of actually creating your research question. eg Does the Functionalist or the Conflict paradigm provide a more useful framework for understanding the melting pot theory of USA society? 5. Your introductory paragraph should be confined to revealing to your reader these five stages of the construction of your research question. By specifying the key concepts you'll be drawing on you will be able to include in your introduction some subsidiary res questions (arising from these concepts) which will shape the pattern of your essay. eg the how signficant is the role of advertising in the ideological construction of the American identity OR what are the functional alternatives to religion in the shaping of the American identity? (each of these could be either your key or your subsidary research questions) A research question should be properly framed and even how large it might be, it has to be ensured of limitations and parameter. A research question should be properly planned and analyzed once there is an attempt to pursue it in a study. Just like an example of research framed stated above, a research should be properly designed and planned prior to the actual implementation of the study. References Anderson et al (1998). Does the Gun Pull the Trigger. American Psychological Society. Vol 4 Anonymous (2009). How do I frame a sociology research question on the melting pot theory or the American identity? Retrieved June 5, 2009, from Yahoo Answers Web site http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090123061647AAszytL Colorado State University. (2000). Advantages and Disadvantages of Experimental Research: Discussion. Retrieved June 3, 2009, from Writing @ CSU Web site: http://writing.colostate.edu/guides/research/experiment/pop5c.cfm Hopkins, W. (2000). Quantitative Research Design. Retrieved June 2, 2009, from Sportsci.org Web site: http://www.garnetthenley.com/ResDesign/DesignTypes.pdf Taflinger, R. (1996). Introduction to Research. Retrieved June 4, 2009, from WSU Web site: http://www.wsu.edu/~taflinge/research.html Read More