First of all, research is necessary and valuable in society because, among other things, 1) it is an important tool for building knowledge and facilitating learning; 2) it serves as a means in understanding social and political issues and in increasing public awareness; 3) it helps people succeed in business; 4) it enables us to disprove lies and support truths; and 5) it serves as a means to find, gauge, and seize opportunities, as well as helps in finding solutions to social and health problems (in fact, the discovery of COVID-19 vaccines is a product of research).
Now, quantitative research, as a type of research that explains phenomena according to numerical data which are analyzed by means of mathematically based methods, especially statistics, is very important because it relies on hard facts and numerical data to gain as objective a picture of people’s opinion as possible or an objective understanding of reality. Hence, quantitative research enables us to map out and understand the world in which we live.
In addition, quantitative research is important because it enables us to conduct research on a large scale; it can reveal insights about broader groups of people or the population as a whole; it enables researchers to compare different groups to understand similarities and differences; and it helps businesses understand the size of a new opportunity. As we can see, quantitative research is important across fields and disciplines.
Let me now briefly discuss the importance of quantitative research across fields and disciplines. But for brevity’ sake, the discussion that follows will only focus on the importance of quantitative research in psychology, economics, education, environmental science and sustainability, and business.
First, on the importance of quantitative research in psychology.
We know for a fact that one of the major goals of psychology is to understand all the elements that propel human (as well as animal) behavior. Here, one of the most frequent tasks of psychologists is to represent a series of observations or measurements by a concise and suitable formula. Such a formula may either express a physical hypothesis, or on the other hand be merely empirical, that is, it may enable researchers in the field of psychology to represent by a few well selected constants a wide range of experimental or observational data. In the latter case it serves not only for purposes of interpolation, but frequently suggests new physical concepts or statistical constants. Indeed, quantitative research is very important for this purpose.
It is also important to note that in psychology research, researchers would normally discern cause-effect relationships, such as the study that determines the effect of drugs on teenagers. But cause-effect relationships cannot be elucidated without hard statistical data gathered through observations and empirical research. Hence, again, quantitative research is very important in the field of psychology because it allows researchers to accumulate facts and eventually create theories that allow researchers in psychology to understand human condition and perhaps diminish suffering and allow human race to flourish.
Second, on the importance of quantitative research in economics.
In general perspective, the economists have long used quantitative methods to provide us with theories and explanations on why certain things happen in the market. Through quantitative research too, economists were able to explain why a given economic system behaves the way it does. It is also important to note that the application of quantitative methods, models and the corresponding algorithms helps to make more accurate and efficient research of complex economic phenomena and issues, as well as their interdependence with the aim of making decisions and forecasting future trends of economic aspects and processes.
Third, on the importance of quantitative research in education.
Again, quantitative research deals with the collection of numerical data for some type of analysis. Whether a teacher is trying to assess the average scores on a classroom test, determine a teaching standard that was most commonly missed on the classroom assessment, or if a principal wants to assess the ways the attendance rates correlate with students’ performance on government assessments, quantitative research is more useful and appropriate.
In many cases too, school districts use quantitative data to evaluate teacher effectiveness from a number of measures, including stakeholder perception surveys, students’ performance and growth on standardized government assessments, and percentages on their levels of professionalism. Quantitative research is also good for informing instructional decisions, measuring the effectiveness of the school climate based on survey data issued to teachers and school personnel, and discovering students’ learning preferences.
Fourth, on the importance of quantitative research in Environmental Science and Sustainability.
Addressing environmental problems requires solid evidence to persuade decision makers of the necessity of change. This makes quantitative literacy essential for sustainability professionals to interpret scientific data and implement management procedures. Indeed, with our world facing increasingly complex environmental issues, quantitative techniques reduce the numerous uncertainties by providing a reliable representation of reality, enabling policy makers to proceed toward potential solutions with greater confidence. For this purpose, a wide range of statistical tools and approaches are now available for sustainability scientists to measure environmental indicators and inform responsible policymaking. As we can see, quantitative research is very important in environmental science and sustainability.
But how does quantitative research provide the context for environmental science and sustainability?
Environmental science brings a transdisciplinary systems approach to analyzing sustainability concerns. As the intrinsic concept of sustainability can be interpreted according to diverse values and definitions, quantitative methods based on rigorous scientific research are crucial for establishing an evidence-based consensus on pertinent issues that provide a foundation for meaningful policy implementation.
And fifth, on the importance of quantitative research in business.
As is well known, market research plays a key role in determining the factors that lead to business success. Whether one wants to estimate the size of a potential market or understand the competition for a particular product, it is very important to apply methods that will yield measurable results in conducting a market research assignment. Quantitative research can make this happen by employing data capture methods and statistical analysis. Quantitative market research is used for estimating consumer attitudes and behaviors, market sizing, segmentation and identifying drivers for brand recall and product purchase decisions.
Indeed, quantitative data open a lot of doors for businesses. Regression analysis, simulations, and hypothesis testing are examples of tools that might reveal trends that business leaders might not have noticed otherwise. Business leaders can use this data to identify areas where their company could improve its performance.