Quantitative Research Designs, a Review of Extant Literature

Most students find it difficult to identify appropriate research design as they undertake their research. The objective of this study was to review extant literature by defining quantitative and qualitative research designs and then focusing on quantitative research starting with general definitions of quantitative research design, delineating the generic quantitative designs including survey, experimental and ex post facto designs. It furthers looks at the subgroups in detailing their definitions and characteristics. The Methodology adopted by the paper is extant literature review which permits review of existing literature on the topic in question. This paper will help researchers and scholars to make the right choices of research design depending on different parameters which are of interest to the researcher. The review found out that survey   design is the friendliest because of its ability to handle large samples from the population with ease of generalizing the findings. Those with limited time should opt for cross sectional studies which would save on time and cost. For panel, cohort and retrospective studies, as much as they are quantitative in nature they would fit more in a qualitative type of study because at one point in time, there would be a lot of reflection and emotional involvement. Finally, the review of this literature leads to the recommendation that experimental, quasi experimental and ex post factor studies would be useful in the social sciences context but more useful in the medical and other scientific disciplines which rely much on laboratories settings.