kinds of quantitative research this video lecture discusses very briefly the kinds of quantitative research for more video lectures on quantitative research such as what is quantitative research and characteristics of quantitative research please go to the description box below we have provided their list of topics in quantitative research and their youtube links there are four main kinds of quantitative research designs namely correlational descriptive experimental and quasi-experimental let me briefly discuss each below first on descriptive research descriptive research method is more focused on the what of the subject matter rather than the why in other words descriptive research method aims to describe the status of a variable or phenomenon hence descriptive research is pretty much as it sounds describe circumstances it can be used to define respondent characteristics organize comparisons measure data trends and validate existing conditions data collection in descriptive research is mostly by observation and the researcher does not begin with a hypothesis but creates one after the data is collected albeit very useful this method cannot draw conclusions from received data and cannot determine cause and effect relationship between variables second on correlational research correlational research is a non-experimental research method where the researcher measures two variables and studies their statistical relationship that is the correlation between variables the researcher ultimately assesses that relationship without influence from any peripheral variable let's take this example you want to investigate whether greenhouse gas emissions cause global warming it is not practically possible to do an experiment that controls global emissions over time but through observation and analysis you can show a strong correlation that supports the theory as we can see this is how correlational research method works it is important to note that the most prominent feature of correlational research is that the two variables are measured neither is manipulated it is also important to note that a correlation has direction and can be either positive or negative it can also differ in the degree or strength of the relationship third on experimental research often referred to as true experimentation this type of research method uses a scientific method to establish cause effect relationship among a group of variables in this type of research the researcher or scientist actively influences something to observe the consequences hence experimental research is a systematic and scientific approach to research in which the researcher manipulates one or more variables and controls or randomizes any change in other variables experimental research is commonly used in natural and social sciences such as sociology psychology physics chemistry biology and medicine fourth on quasi-experimental research the prefix quasi means resembling quasi-experimental research therefore resembles experimental research but is not a true experimental research quasi-experimental research is often referred to as causal comparative in this type of research the researcher seeks to establish a cause-effect relationship between two variables and manipulates the independent variable although the independent variable is manipulated participants are not randomly assigned to conditions or orders of conditions as abraham and mcdonald states quasi-experimental research is similar to experimental research in that there is manipulation of an independent variable it differs from experimental research because either there is no control group no random selection no random assignment and or no active manipulation quasi-experimental therefore involves comparison but it must be noted that the study of two or more groups is done without focusing on their relationship you