On the Method: Quantitative Reasonsing and Social Science

132 Pages Posted: 19 Apr 2015

See all articles by Kiyoung Kim

Kiyoung Kim

Chosun University - Department of Law

Date Written: April 17, 2015

Abstract

The research on social science eventually comes through any meaning about the human and society. Its message is directed to the society and the principal object of research would be its components, generally research participants or samples in terms of research method. As for nature, it is per se obvious that humans or populace act on various factors to influence their decision. This complex nature of human strands generally prevail that the multivariate analysis is an usual challenge for the social science researchers. For example, the researchers may like to know the relationship of special training on math and achievement of math score. He or she may apply a multivariate analysis from several variables, in which one may be controlled and pretest or post test will be administered. So he groups two classes in test and for a longitudinal study over one semester between the specially trained students and normal class. Then he adds one other variable of family income level that he supposes one important factor to affect the achievement of student in math subject. This would be quantitatively answered by applying a multivariate test, called specifically as factoral ANOVA. The simple ANOVA test may be dosed in several times to understand more a complex interaction or control among the variables. Nevertheless, it has the weakness that unnecessary time and effort would be consumed. Additionally, MANOVA or other multivariate analysis of data would lead us to the more intense and precise result when the variables in consideration all interact to affect the outcome variables. It can be made distinct from mere aggregation of each result from one way ANOVA or univariate and bivariate analysis. Like these, in various ways. the quantitative studies are used to find the scientific truth. Through the Quantitative Reasoning and Analysis (QRA), we could achieve much progress which would be helpful to accelerate the interest and skills in the empirical studies. Most of all, the studies in concern of quantitative method might be a leapfrog for one, who fears of the difficult quantitative skills of analysis. Many of researchers may be fragile since the math courses in the high school and one pass in the college days are all we may have experienced. It is challenging also because the days might be far gone of middle age. For this reason, it never is a puffery that we would fear of quantitative skills. I hope that this paper could be a small help to adapt with the quantitative paradigm. Additionally, it would be great to realize that the quantitative reasoning is fairly powerful and very persuasive to frame a scientific message not only for the peer professionals, but also for lay world. We don’t have to cite the belief of empiricists and its modern evolution backed up by the mathematicians and statisticians. The benefit from this research method is obvious from many realities. The SPSS program facilitates to save from the difficult hand-on works in the earlier quantitative research. The empirical studies, particularly in the sphere of quantitative studies, typically are related with a mass of survey experiment which flavors the kind of political engraft with the research circle.

Keywords: Quantitative method, research design, sampling, statement of purpose, validity, reliability, multivariate, ANOVA, MANOVA, univariate, chi-square, research methodology

JEL Classification: Z00, I20, I21, I29, K19, C00

Suggested Citation

Kim, Kiyoung, On the Method: Quantitative Reasonsing and Social Science (April 17, 2015). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2595633 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2595633

Kiyoung Kim (Contact Author)

Chosun University - Department of Law ( email )

Korea, Republic of (South Korea)
82-62-230-7694 (Phone)
82-62-227-0295 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.chosun.ac.kr/user/indexMain.do?siteId=lawkim

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
155
Abstract Views
1,139
Rank
341,933
PlumX Metrics