It is important to understand what quantitative analysis is and how it is used in research to be successful in many areas of business, science, and life. Quantitative analysis is a long used method of research that many people find helpful. This article will help you understand what quantitative analysis is, and how it is used in research.
“Quantitative research attempts precise measurement of something;” it determines facts and figures (Cooper & Schindler, 2006, Ch. 8, p. 3). This type of analysis is used to determine the actuality of events that have occurred or do occur. Quantitative analysis is used to figure out exactly “what happened, or how often things happened” (Cooper & Schindler, 2006, Ch. 8, p. 4). This type of research will present you with facts and details.
Quantitative analysis is used in research by find the answers to questions that can be measured. This type of analysis answers “questions related to how much, how often, how many, when, and who,” and surveys are a very dominant method of quantitative analysis in research (Cooper & Schindler, 2006, Ch. 8, p. 3). Quantitative analysis collects data that is factual and can be measured and considered statistically.
The use of surveys for quantitative analysis is very popular. The data gathered through this method of research often consists of “participant responses that are coded, categorized, and reduced to numbers so that these data may be manipulated for statistical analysis” (Cooper & Schindler, 2006, Ch. 8, p. 4). When reporting data and results of quantitative research, mathematical models are commonly used along with tables and graphs. Quantitative researched is commonly used in business, but it is also used in many areas of mathematics and science such as physics and anthropology.
Quantitative analysis is an important tool for researches because it gives you the basic knowledge that you need to understand what occurred. Quantitative analysis is a useful part of research that can provide researchers with valuable insights into human behavior. This information can come in handy for further research; it can also come in handy for research into the next moves that you will need to make in the research. It also gives you important facts and statistics that can help develop solutions to conflicts as well as future innovations.
Reference: Cooper, D. R., & Schindler, P. S. (2006). Business Research Methods (th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
