Quantitative Research Methods for Applied Communications - Strengths and Limitations

SURVEY RESEARCH
Strengths
Insight into communicative behaviors that may reveal solutions within a setting/population.
Explores issues across a variety of applied settings.
Uncovers statistical correlations between variables.
Variables of interest are measured in a manner as precise as possible.
Identifies target populations that exhibit characteristics they want to measure.

Limitations
Does not indicate causal relationships.
Often relies on self-reporting.
Subject to the adverse impact of social desirability.
Target population may not be familiar with survey format.
Can impose investigators’ priorities and values.
Compels use of numerical values.

EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
Strengths
Conducted to discover causal relationships between independent and dependent variables.
Allows examination of the effects of the independent variables studied and simultaneously control for the influence of extraneous variables – i.e. ecological validity.
Random assignment of participants to treatment and comparison/control conditions (randomization); thus creating equivalent groups prior to administration of the independent variables manipulation.

Limitations
Not being able to assign participants randomly.
Not being able to manipulate the independent variable(s)
Ethical concerns raised about control group members not receiving the potential research benefits, leading to the use of comparison groups that receive the same form of the independent variable.


CONTENT ANALYSIS AND INTERACTION ANALYSIS
Strengths
Relatively unobtrusive.
Can handle large volumes of data.
Can be used separately or in conjunction with other quantitative methods.

Limitations
Difficulty in precisely defining the unit of analysis.
Obtaining a representative sample.
Training coders to achieve the high reliability needed if to obtain useful data.


META ANALYSIS
Strengths
Summarizes the results of several quantitative research studies conducted on the same topic.

Limitations
Overestimate the effects demonstrated by studies since only those in which significant effects were discovered were included in the analysis.
Effect sizes frequently have been misreported because computer statistical programs vary.
Journals only publish studies that find a significant effect.