Qualitative and Quantitative Research

On the other hand, quantitative research entails a study that is conducted to quantify a certain theory or opinion using collected numerical data and results analysis to validate or explain the problem. In both types of research, there are various types of variables that are applied or used as well as various forms of data. Variables may include continuous or categorical variables while data may be categorized into nominal or interval data. In this section, the focus will be on defining and illustrating the categorical and continuous variables as well as the nominal and interval data. Both categorical and continuous variables are variables that are found in quantitative data (Rice & Lumley, 2016). Nominal data serves the purpose of naming or labeling the variable in a data group.

On the other hand, interval data is the type of data that has the same value difference between two points or values. That is the difference between each data values of equal and similar in value. For instance, the distance can be illustrated as an interval data type whereby the distance between 0-10km is equal to the distance between 20-30 km. This can also be similar in the case of temperature difference. For the research, a questionnaire was used as a tool for data collection. The Oxford Happiness questionnaire was used to collect the happiness values from each of the respondents. The Oxford happiness questionnaire is a structured questionnaire with statements regarding happiness that the respondents use a scale of 1 to 6 to quantify their levels of happiness with the respective statements.

The scale used entailed the following; 1 to mean strongly disagree, 2 to indicate moderately disagree, 3 to denote slightly disagree, 4 to mean slightly agree, 5 to mean moderately agree, 6 to indicate strongly agree. Additionally, the research entailed the evaluation of the respondents’ physical activity intensity and frequency. This was in light of the fact that in the United States, and especially in the public school, there are school children with varied behaviors and even disorders that sideline their social activities. The study entailed three research questions which included; (1) the extent to which the school administrators have access to the behavior data to make informed decisions regarding the success of the students, (2) the degree to which the school administrators use the available school behavior data to bolster the students’ success and finally (3) the steps that the school administrators have taken to ensure and enhance the success of the students (Pamela, 2011).

There were two major variables under this study. This included the school behavior among school children and the performance of the children. The relation between these two variables was on the basis of how school behavior affects or rather impacts the performance of the students and hence their success. Concerning data analysis, data was analyzed systematically and concurrently. The researcher applied the Creswell’s six steps of data analysis as outlined in the research details (Pamela, 2011). One major ethical issue that was well accounted for entailed the transcription of the interviews. As explained earlier, the interviews entailed a face to face exercise with the participants and an audio record of the interview proceeds. The researcher adhered to the ethical research guidelines whereby there were consent and permission sought from the participants to record the interview.