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Quantitative Methods

Student’s Name

Institutional Affiliation

Course Name

Instructor’s Name

Date

Quantitative Methods

Research Topic, Objective/Purpose, and Research Questions

The research topic is “Training to lose weight and have better health.” The purpose of the research is to encourage people to engage in physical training so that they can lose weight and have better health. It argues that by losing weight, people will not become susceptible to certain diseases and conditions that also predispose them to poor health. The research also seeks to sensitize people on the right training approach that can yield positive results and discourages people from any training that may harm them. To realize the objectives, the research asks two main questions. The first question assesses whether a person can train without exposing themselves to risks while the second question asks about the best exercise to train for weight loss. They are as follows; “can one train without exposing himself to risks?” and “which is the best exercise to train for weight loss?”

The Dependent and Independent Variable

The independent variable in research refers to the cause and thus its value is independent of other variables. The dependent variable is the effect since its value depends on the changes in the independent variable. The independent variable can be manipulated or changed to affect the dependent variable. The dependent variables in the research are weight loss and better health while the independent variable is training. In this case, the loss of weight and better health will depend on the training activity.

Null and Alternative Hypotheses

The null hypothesis (H0) establishes that a population parameter is equal to the hypothesized value. It is the initial or original claim that is based on specialized knowledge or previous analyses. On the other hand, the alternative hypothesis (H1) states that a population parameter is less than, greater than, or different from the hypothesized value. It is therefore what the researcher hopes to prove or believes to be true. For this research, the null hypothesis is that not all training can lead to weight loss and better health while the alternative hypothesis is that any training can lead to weight loss regardless of the exercise that one is engaged in.

I. (H0)- Not all training can lead to weight loss and better health.

II. (H1)- Any training can lead to weight loss regardless of the exercise that one is engaged in

Quantitative Methods

Quantitative methods rely on objective measurements and mathematical, numerical, or statistical analysis of data that has been collected through different methods such as questionnaires, polls, or surveys. The methods gather data and generalize it across different groups to explain a particular phenomenon. They are therefore systematic investigations of a phenomenon by gathering quantifiable data (Goertzen, 2017). Although the research questions are not primarily quantitative, the results can be depicted in a quantifiable manner. To address the questions, various quantitative methods can be applied. For instance, survey, correlational and causal-comparative methods can be used.

The descriptive method is appropriate for addressing the research questions since it focuses on questions such as how, when, and where. It seeks to explain the status of an identified variable and thus offers a valuable interpretation of data. Surveys are types of descriptive method of research that allows researchers to gather volumes of data that can be analyzed for different purposes (Barth & Blasius, 2021). The method is the most common tool in quantitative research studies. It is considered the most elementary tool and researchers can use it for all types and sizes of data. Researchers use surveys to ask specific questions to sample respondents usually in the form of online surveys, polls, and paper questionnaires (Stockemer, Stockemer & Glaeser, 2019). Through this, researchers can an insightful understanding of a phenomenon.

Through surveys, the two questions can be broken into multiple survey questions and the collected data can later be analyzed to produce numerical results. The method can be used with a specific target group and it can also be applied across multiple groups. In the latter, it is accompanied by comparative analysis (Stockemer, Stockemer & Glaeser, 2019). There are several types of survey methods such as cross-sectional surveys and longitudinal surveys. The cross-sectional survey is also referred to as an observational survey which is conducted on a target group. It allows a researcher to evaluate different variables at one time. The longitudinal survey is also observational and allows the researcher to analyze the thought processes and behavior of different participants. However, variables are evaluated at different times.

The correlational method establishes a relationship between two close entities and how one impacts or is impacted by the other. It is well suited for this research because it will give a clear picture of how training affects the loss of weight and better health. As a result, it can be used to address the two research questions. The purpose of the correlational method is to give value to relationships between variables (Bhandari, 2020). Through mathematical analysis methods, researchers can establish trends and relationships between variables. As a result, one variable can be manipulated to attain desired results. By using the correlational method, this research can manipulate the independent variable (training) to explain both sides of the argument.

The causal-comparative method heavily relies on the factor of comparison and researchers use it to explain the cause and effect relationship between variables. However, unlike the correlational method, the causal-comparative method does not manipulate the independent variable. Instead, it establishes it and observes its impact on the dependent variable. One of its advantages is that it is not restricted to statistical analysis of the two variables but also analyzes how different variables change under similar influences (Bhandari, 2020). As a result, it would suit this research because it will establish the relationship between the independent and dependent variables.

Experimental research can also be used to address the research questions since it can systematically investigate the cause and effect relationship between variables. It can be suited for the research since the researcher can manipulate independent variables and measure their effect on the dependent variables. Moreover, it sets procedures that can be used to test a hypothesis and thus would provide a good opportunity to test the alternative hypothesis (Bhandari, 2020). The method requires a strong understanding of the system being studied. This is because it requires the researcher to consider and understand the variables and their relationships so that they can make specific and testable predictions or hypotheses.

The other quantitative method that can be used to address the research questions is desktop research commonly known as the secondary quantitative method. This method uses existing data to conduct research. In this method, a researcher collects data, summarizes, and organizes the data to enhance its effectiveness. The method suits the research because the researcher can rely on various sources such as libraries, reports, and the internet. In most cases, the desktop method is used alongside primary methods such as surveys and correlational methods.

References

Barth, A., & Blasius, J. (2021). Quantitative Methods. In Soziologie-Sociology in the German-Speaking World (pp. 315-330). De Gruyter Oldenbourg.

Bhandari, P. (2020, June 12). An introduction to quantitative research. Scribbr. Retrieved from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/quantitative-research/

Goertzen, M. J. (2017). Introduction to quantitative research and data. Library Technology Reports, 53(4), 12-18.

Stockemer, D., Stockemer, & Glaeser. (2019). Quantitative methods for the social sciences. Springer International Publishing.