Four ways to spice up your quantitative research design

When it comes to dissertation research, data collection strategies often lack the depth required to produce comprehensive and insightful results. To address this issue, students need to add more complexity to their research design, obviously without making it too complex or ambitious. In this blog post, I will explore four ways to achieve this level of complexity and depth in quantitative research, ensuring that your research has enough "juice" to cover in your results chapter.

1. Diversify your tests

One effective way to enhance the complexity of your research design is to diversify the tests you use on your data rather than change the data you collect. Instead of relying on a single test, consider using multiple tests to develop different angles on the data. For example, you can use bivariate tests such as correlation and tests of association to explore relationships between variables. Additionally, you can employ multivariate tests like regression (linear, multinomial, logistic) or factor analysis to consider three or more variables simultaneously. This approach allows you to uncover more nuanced insights and provides a richer analysis of your data.

2. Add more dependent variables

Another way to spice up your research design is to increase the number and variety of dependent variables. For instance, if your study includes cognitive and emotional influences as determinants of use intention, you can expand the range of these influences. You might also consider adding other types of influences, such as non-perceptual factors like previous experience or socio-demographic characteristics. By incorporating a broader set of dependent variables, you can capture a more comprehensive picture of the factors affecting your research outcomes.

3. Introduce additional independent variables

Incorporating more independent variables into your study can also add depth to your research design. If your initial study uses intention to use as the independent variable, consider exploring user intention in the short run versus the long run or introducing a different variable, such as intention to recommend. This approach allows you to examine how different independent variables influence your dependent variables, providing a more detailed understanding of the relationships at play.

4. Examine influences on relationships

Instead of focusing solely on the relationship between two variables, consider examining the influences on these relationships. For example, you can explore whether sample characteristics, product characteristics, or the presence of certain conditions affect the relationship between your dependent and independent variables. By investigating these influences, you can uncover additional layers of complexity and gain deeper insights into the dynamics of your research.

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Remember, the key to successful research is not just collecting sufficient data but also designing a research framework that allows you to explore the data from multiple angles. Using one or more of the above ’spicing-up’ strategies will help you create a more robust and nuanced analysis, ultimately enhancing the quality of your dissertation.

If you like to 'spice-up' your research design but are unsure about how to do it, consider getting my support.