Editing Quantitative research (section)

==Overview==
Quantitative research is generally closely affiliated with ideas from [[scientific method|'the scientific method']], which can include:

* The generation of models, theories and [[Hypothesis|hypotheses]]
* The development of instruments and methods for measurement
* Experimental control and manipulation of [[Variable (mathematics)|variables]]
* Collection of empirical data
* Modeling and analysis of data

Quantitative research is often contrasted with [[qualitative research]], which purports to be focused more on discovering underlying meanings and patterns of relationships, including classifications of types of phenomena and entities, in a manner that does not involve mathematical models.<ref>Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MIT OpenCourseWare. 11.201 Gateway to the Profession of Planning, Fall 2010. p. 4.</ref> Approaches to quantitative psychology were first modeled on quantitative approaches in the physical sciences by [[Gustav Fechner]] in his work on [[psychophysics]], which built on the work of [[Ernst Heinrich Weber]]. Although a distinction is commonly drawn between qualitative and quantitative aspects of scientific investigation, it has been argued that the two go hand in hand. For example, based on analysis of the history of science, Kuhn concludes that "large amounts of qualitative work have usually been prerequisite to fruitful quantification in the physical sciences".<ref>{{cite journal|author=Kuhn, Thomas S. |title= The Function of Measurement in Modern Physical Science|volume=52|journal=Isis|pages=161–193 (162)|issue= 2|year= 1961|jstor=228678|doi=10.1086/349468}}</ref> Qualitative research is often used to gain a general sense of phenomena and to form theories that can be tested using further quantitative research. For instance, in the social sciences qualitative research methods are often used to gain better understanding of such things as intentionality (from the speech response of the researchee) and meaning (why did this person/group say something and what did it mean to them?) (Kieron Yeoman).

Although quantitative investigation of the world has existed since people first began to record events or objects that had been counted, the modern idea of quantitative processes have their roots in [[Auguste Comte]]'s [[positivist]] framework.<ref>{{cite thesis |author=Kasim, R. |author2=Alexander, K. |author3=Hudson, J. |title=A choice of research strategy for identifying community-based action skill requirements in the process of delivering housing market renewal |publisher=Research Institute for the Built and Human Environment, University of Salford, UK |year=2010 |url=http://eprints.uthm.edu.my/268/|type=masters }}</ref> Positivism emphasized the use of the scientific method through observation to empirically test hypotheses explaining and predicting what, where, why, how, and when phenomena occurred. Positivist scholars like Comte believed only scientific methods rather than previous spiritual explanations 
for human behavior could advance.

Quantitative methods are an integral component of the five angles of analysis fostered by the data percolation methodology,<ref>Mesly, Olivier 
(2015). ''Creating Models in Psychological Research.'' United States: Springer Psychology: 126 pages. {{ISBN|978-3-319-15752-8}}</ref> which also includes qualitative methods, 
reviews of the literature (including scholarly), interviews with experts and computer simulation, and which forms an extension of data triangulation.

Quantitative methods have limitations. These studies do not provide reasoning behind participants' responses, they often do not reach underrepresented populations, and they may span long periods in order to collect the data.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Goertzen|first1=Melissa J.|title=Introduction to Quantitative Research and Data.|url=https://journals.ala.org/index.php/ltr/article/view/6325|journal=Library Technology Reports|year=2017|volume=53|issue=4|pages=12–18|issn=0024-2586}}</ref>