If you’re a student of MPhil or Ph.D. or a research scholar, you might’ve heard the term “quantitative analysis” almost every single day. The question is what is a quantitative analysis?
The term quantitative analysis focuses on objective measurements like the numerical, statistical, and mathematical analysis of the collected data. In a quantitative study, you collect data through polls and surveys, and questionnaires because you want to collect numerical data for quantitative analysis. The quantitative analysis data has to be numeric at any cost.
Purpose of using quantitative analysis data
You can use quantitative analysis data for three purposes.
- The first purpose is to measure the differences between the groups.
- The second purpose is to examine the associations between variables.
- The third purpose is to test the hypotheses in a scientifically and rigorous way.
How does quantitative analysis work?
After answering the question what is a quantitative analysis, another question arises that how the quantitative data analysis work? Quantitative analysis is about the analysis of numbers and it includes statistics. The statistical analysis methods are important for the quantitative analysis that comprise averages, medians, graphs and charts, correlations, regressions, and many more. If you want to work on quantitative analysis, you must’ve some knowledge of statistics so that you can do the analysis effectively.
Characteristics of quantitative analysis
If you’re working on quantitative analysis, your goal must be to determine the association between one element known as the independent variable and another known as the dependent variable. The quantitative analysis data is either descriptive or experimental. Through descriptive study, you can establish and form the associations between the variables, however in the experimental study, you can form causality.
Another answer to what is a quantitative analysis is that this analysis deals with logic, numbers, and an objective stance. In this analysis, you focus on unchanging the numeric data and detailed convergent reasoning instead of divergent reasoning. This means you generate different ideas about the problem of research in a free-flowing and spontaneous manner.
The main characteristics of quantitative analysis are:
- You’ve collected the data through structured instruments of research.
- You’ve generated the results through larger sample sizes that represent the entire population.
- Your research study is normally repeated or replicated considering high reliability.
- You’re planning to get the objective answers and you have defined research questions clearly.
- All elements of your study are designed carefully before the actual data is gathered.
- The quantitative analysis data is arranged in the form of charts, tables, and figures.
- In quantitative analysis, you can generalize the concepts more widely, expect future results and examine causal associations.
- You can use the tools like computer software and questionnaires to gather numerical data.
This article comprehensively clarifies and examines the question of what is a quantitative analysis. If you’re working in quantitative analysis, you have to make sure that you’re good at numbers and have little know-how of statistics because quantitative analysis data is all about numbers. You also have to learn some relevant software to do data analysis as this software will take less time and effort and give reliable results.
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Thanks for the good article, I hope you continue to work as well.