Epistemological Foundations of Quantitative Research
Epistemologies underlying theory and practice
positivism and subjectivism,
Positivism
based on natural phenomena and their properties and relations.
Subjectivism
gives primacy to subjective experience as fundamental of all measure and law.
Post-positivism
everything that is observed is assumed through a "prior understanding of other theories and concepts."
Interpretivism
incorporates human interest into a study.
Criticalism
confronts those predictable knowledge foundations and methodologies.
Postmodernism
rejects the idea that science can be regarded as objective.
The term epistemology comes from the Greek word epistêmê.
Quantitative research characterizes for being a systematic investigation
the results are based on bigger sample sizes
Post-positivists consider that research can never be certain, and that researchers should approximate that reality as best as they can.
The second epistemology
known as Experiential realism, claims that it is not possible to observe the world from an objective way only
The third epistemology
Pragmatism, recommends a mixed methods approach relating quantitative and qualitative
Quantitative approach in education generalities
permits to observe, count and analyze the information required using statistical techniques.
Quantitative research is practical and useful because it is likely to
Collect reliable and accurate data:
Quick data collection
Extensive range of data analysis
Eliminate bias
Disadvantages of the quantitative approach
can also be restrictive.
positivism paradigm neither describes how reality is “shaped” nor refers to how persons “interpret” their behaviors.
measures variables in a particular context at a determined moment
Quantitative research can be insufficient
some mistakes may happen if a hypothesis or a method
Main advantages of quantitative approach.
the information can be more accurately verified, confirmed and checked.
helps researches to optimize the time and effort invested in analyzing and describing the results gotten.
simplifies the possibility of measuring how many and how often “situations”
Quantitative approach is suitable to answer more precisely some fundamental questions.
like who, how much, what, where, when, how many, and how.
For instance, to measure an aspect of interest of research study by using numbers.
Quantitative research is principally objective