ABSTRACT
Quantitative research is a process of using numerical data to systematically obtain information, and is commonly used for testing hypotheses. The characteristics of quantitative research include using numbers to summarize findings, looking for relationships between variables, and comparing differences between or among groups. Quantitative research is quite different from qualitative research. It often starts with a certain hypothesis or theory, and uses an experimental design to test it. Qualitative research, in contrast, often uses a more holistic perspective to generate a theory (see Chapter 6: Qualitative Methodologies and Analysis).
