Quantitative Research Designs

Question 1

What are some quantitative research designs?

Answer 1

Experimental
Quasi-experimental
Non-experimental

Question 2

What are some non-experimental quantitative research designs?

Answer 2

• surveys
  
  • correlational studies
  • developmental studies
  • pilot studies

Question 3

What does a experimental (randomized controlled trial) research design require?

Answer 3

Randomization, control group, manipulation or treatment.

Question 4

What must be demonstrated in order to determine causality in an experimental research design?

Answer 4

Causal effect variables associated
Cause precedes effect
Relationship not explained by another variable.

Question 5

When is a quasi-experimental design used instead of an experimental (RCT) design?

Answer 5

Used in situations where full experimental design is not possible.

Question 6

What are the characteristics of a quasi-experimental research design?

Answer 6

Will have a control group with treatment.
Involves manipulation of independent variable.
Lacks randomization and/or control.
May use a non-equivalent comparison group (not randomly selected).
As a result, one cannot make causal inferences.

Question 7

Why are experimental designs not the most common nursing research designs?

Answer 7

Not common because complexity of problems/experiments assume that all variables involved in phenomenon have been identified.
Not all variables can be manipulated or measured.
Difficult or impractical in naturalistic settings.

Question 8

What is the purpose of non-experimental quantitative research designs?

Answer 8

Understand phenomena as they naturally occur, without researcher intervention (no manipulation)
- independent variables occur naturally

Question 9

What is required for a non-experimental quantitative design?

Answer 9

Requires a large sample size

Question 10

What is one limitation of non-experimental quantitative research designs?

Answer 10

Less ability to predict causal relationships.

Question 11

When can survey designs be used?

Answer 11

Little is known about the variable(s)

Question 12

How is data collected for a survey?

Answer 12

Data collected via questionnaire or interview.

Question 13

What are some positive aspects of survey designs?

Answer 13

Can obtain great deal of info from large population in fairly economical manner (breadth but not depth).
Info is quite accurate.

Question 14

What are some negative aspects of survey designs?

Answer 14

Does not give depth of information.

Must not attempt to determine causation.

Question 15

What are some related term so survey designs?

Answer 15

Descriptive
Exploratory
Comparative

Question 16

What is the purpose of a correlational design? (what does it do)

Answer 16

Provides a means of looking at relationships between variables that cannot be manipulated.

Question 17

What does a correlational design identify?

Answer 17

Correlation, NOT causation

Question 18

What are two categories of correlational design?

Answer 18

Descriptive correlation

Predictive correlation

Question 19

What are developmental studies?

Answer 19

Types of correlational studies that look at data over time (as it develops)

Question 20

How is data collected for developmental studies?

Answer 20

Chart audits, etc.

Question 21

What are three types of developmental studies?

Answer 21

Cross sectional
Longitudinal
Retrospective

Question 22

What are some reasons for conducting a pilot study?

Answer 22

Determine feasibility of conducting the study.
Develop or refine a research treatment.
Develop protocol for implementing a treatment.
Identify design problems.
Determine if the sample is representative.
Examine instrument reliability and validity.
Develop or refine data collection tools.
Check data analysis techniques.