Final answer:
Quantitative research is categorized into descriptive, correlational, causal-comparative/quasi-experimental, and experimental types, each suitable for different research purposes.
Step-by-step explanation:
Quantitative research comes in several forms, each with specific uses and characteristics. Here are the key types:
- Descriptive research aims to accurately describe the characteristics of a population or phenomenon. It can provide information about the “what,” but not the “why.”
- Correlational research seeks to determine if a relationship exists between two or more variables and the strength of that relationship. However, it can't establish causality.
- Causal-comparative/Quasi-experimental research looks to uncover a cause-and-effect relationship between variables when random assignment is not feasible.
- Experimental research is the gold standard for determining causality, using controlled experiments and random assignment to manipulate one variable and observe changes in another.
Each type of quantitative research serves a different purpose and is selected based on the research question at hand. For example, experimental research is more appropriate when you're looking to establish a cause-effect relationship, whereas descriptive or correlational studies might be used to identify patterns or relationships in data.