Good Essay About Quantitative Research

Part 1

Quantitative research designs are primarily used for scientific studies. For instance, in a research study published January 30, 2015 two fluorescent agents were evaluated for use in differentiation of brain tumors in mice. The agents are called CLR1501 and CLR 1502. The research was published in the February 2015 issue of Neurosurgery and uses quantitative methods in the research design.
The methodology involved administering CLR1501, CLR1502, and 5-ALA were administered to mice. Magnetic resonance imaging verified xenografts that were derived from orthotopic U251 gliobastoma multiforme- and glioblastoma stem cells. The brains of the mice were harvested and imaged with one of three systems. The Fluobeam near-infrared fluorescence imaging system was used for the CLR1502. The IVIS Spectrum imaging system was used for the CLR1501, CLR 1502, and 5-ALA. Confocal microscopy was used for the CLR1501. In addition, quantitative analysis and imaging of T:N fluorescence ratios was conducted.
There advantages and disadvantages to using a quantitative research design. Advantages include objectivity and the ability to make comparisons with measurements. If methods are explained in detail, replication is possible and lends to high reliability. Numerical statistics allow results to be expressed in a few statements. It is possible to discover stakeholders in the program who may have been initially overlooked. Quantitative assessments correct for perceptions by the researcher that every aspect of a situation are congruent even though only interviewed participants hold to a belief. Quantitative instruments allow for verification of observations.
Disadvantages include bias by the researchers, requiring distance from participants. Settings for research are often unnatural because an artificial environment is needed to try to control variables; this restricts real-world application. Measurements detail a small portion of the concept under study, requiring additional research; therefore, quantitative research has a low rate of validity. Due to a static method, the process is inflexible.

Part 2.

Question 1. How do you select a control group for your research? The use of a control group during quantitative research is essential to establish baseline data for reliability (Kumar, 2011). They also reduce the chance of false negative results. When collecting a control group for quantitative analysis, the researcher is looking for only one variable. The goal of selection of control group subjects is to verify they are free of the variable being tested, while the comparison group possesses the variable to be studied. For instance, in the study by Swanson et al. (2015) mentioned previously, the control group was mice without tumors and the comparison group was mice with tumors. The research sought to detect the tumors in the diseased mice while not detecting them in the control group. In the event the control group fails, for instance if a tumor was detected in the control group, the design is flawed.
Question 2. How do you use comparative data in nursing research? Nursing research started with Florence Nightingale and continues to this day. Nursing research is based on Clinical Nurse Specialist and Clinical Nurse Researcher (Larrabee, 2009). These individuals seek to improve the care of single patients and groups. Evidence-based practice uses evidence such as theory, research findings, and research reviews to integrate the information with clinicians, administrators, educators, policy makers, and students.
Quantitative research for nurse researchers is based on logical positivism, analyzing clinical results for measurable statistics (Innovations.ahrq.gov, 2015). The usual method is the use of randomized controlled trials.

References

Innovations.ahrq.gov. (2015). What Is the Evidence Rating? | AHRQ Health Care Innovations
Exchange. Retrieved 31 January 2015, from https://innovations.ahrq.gov/help/evidence-rating
Kumar, R. (2011). Research methodology. Los Angeles: SAGE.
Larrabee, J. (2009). Nurse to nurse. New York: McGraw-Hill Medical.
Swanson, K., Clark, P., Zhang, R., Kandela, I., Farhoud, M., Weichert, J., & Kuo, J. (2015).
Fluorescent Cancer-Selective Alkylphosphocholine Analogs for Intraoperative Glioma
Detection. Neurosurgery, 76(2), 115-124. doi:10.1227/neu.0000000000000622
Wolters Kluwer Health: Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. (2015, January 30). Fluorescent dyes
'light up' brain cancer cells. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 31, 2015 from
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/01/150130121617.htm