Part of empirical research

Quantitative research is a constituent part of . It involves collecting numerical data which are then analysed using statistical, mathematical or computational techniques. The aim is to gain objective and generalisable results that confirm or refute previously established hypotheses.  

Which methods are used in quantitative research?

Quantitative research involves collecting as much numerical information as possible, which the academics, and researchers can statistically evaluate. Various can be used to collect these data:

• Surveys and questionnaires
• Experiments
• Observations
• Longitudinal studies

Quantitative research tends to be used in practice in fields such as clinical studies relating to new medications, opinion polls or market analyses in economic research.

The advantages and disadvantages of these methods

Quantitative research offers researchers the opportunity to obtain objective and generalisable insights that enable them to review their hypotheses. This objectivity is achieved by using numerical data and statistical analyses. Because these minimise subjective influences. The often very large samples from representative studies enable the results to be generalised and thus transferred to even larger populations.

Albeit these methods are not suitable for all research issues. Their limited depth sometimes means that features including complex phenomena or individual human experiences cannot be registered. It can also be the case that qualitative aspects are overlooked given the excessive focus on numerical data. This can however be augmented using qualitative research.