Quantitative research design is used to craft studies centering around numeric values, whether they be actual numbers or simply anything that can be counted, or quantified. These quantitative research designs usually are highly objective, and provide a springboard for generalizations arrived at through deduction of statistics and numeric responses. Because of the finite nature of quantitative research, it can be used to render precise, provable numeric representations of qualitative theories.

Products of Quantitative Research Design

Quantitative research begins with the collection of statistics, based on real data, observations or questionnaires. These methods provide a finite result, in the form of a number or numeric series. This data can then be presented in a digestible manner, such as by displaying data in tables, graphs, or frequencies, for instance.

Of the types of quantitative research designs which can be implemented, the first is descriptive design--the examination of variables in natural environments, unfettered by researchers' treatments. Experimental design and quasi-experimental studies focus on causal relationships, as they study differences in dependent variables affected by treatments.

For instance, in the healthcare industry, a quantitative study might analyze the relationship between food intake and quantifiable weight gain. Furthermore, opinion surveys are also quantitative, as respondents answer scalable or fixed questions, allowing for tally. Statistics can also be compiled and compared to assess causal relationships.