Quantitative research

Question 1

What is descriptive research?

Answer 1

Understand the reality of a population

Large study groups

often no causality

Question 2

Typical samples of descriptive research

Answer 2

• Students
• Employees
• Consumers
• Organizations
• Market areas

Question 3

Descriptive research…

Answer 3

is used to describe the attitude or behavior of people

Question 4

Data sources

Answer 4

Primary data sources: 1st hand collection of the researcher, not dependent

• interviews
• online surveys
• focus groups
• field observations

Secondary data sources: No time must be spent looking for data, much more cost-effective

• public libraries
• websites
• by already filled out surveys

Question 5

Cohort Analysis

Answer 5

Series of surveys conducted at appropriate time intervals

Cohort: group of people that experience the same situation

Examples:

• New customers
• Customers with a specific age
• Customers with the same cultural background

Question 6

Advantages and disadvantages of a cohort analysis

Answer 6

Advantages:

• Understand the needs and beliefs of certain groups

Question 7

Study designs

Answer 7

Cross sectional design

Single Cross sectional Design

• Only a slice of the study group is analyzed
• much easier data acquisition

Multiple Cross-sectional Design

• Two or more samples also possible
• Different samples are often analyzed at different times
• Allows observing relative changes between different points in time

Longitudinal Design

• Indicate changes in the characteristics of the target group
• Follows the same sample of individuals through time
• Both individual and aggregate level can be studied
• Takes longer to conduct and is much harder to conduct

Question 8

Designing a questionnaire

Answer 8

1. What should be asked?
2. How much can be asked?
3. How should each question be phrased?
4. How should the questions be arranged?

Question 9

Steps in a questionnaire

Answer 9

1. Introduce the study
2. Introductory and screening questions
3. Sensitive & related questions
4. End of study

Question 10

Content of Questions

Answer 10

1. Useful?
2. Necessary?
3. Readability and literacy?
4. No biases and truthful answers?

Question 11

Collecting data

Answer 11

1. Sample
2. Medium
3. Frequency

Question 12

Probability sampling

Answer 12

1. Everyone has a chance to be in the sample
2. The probability distribution is known
3. Selection involves randomness

Question 13

Non probability sampling

Answer 13

When the probability can not be determined

unreachable elements

• No inference possible
• Suits exploratory research
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