Indeed, quantitative research is synonymous with rigorous implementation; without rigor, then quantitative studies could be considered flawed or faulty, and in effect, not credible for use or application (Van Zomeren, 2008:507).
Another hallmark of quantitative research is that data and findings must be reliable -- that is, results can be repeated to a different group, population, or geographic area. While the results may not be the same, but the general findings must still hold true to another population or geographic area. This is an interesting and attractive feature of quantitative research: methods, analyses, frameworks and theories are constantly tested to different scenarios, populations, and areas that in the end, results and recommendations developed are truly relevant and responsive to the needs or issues confronted by the target population or area.
Similar to qualitative research, quantitative research's hallmarks include the ethical implementation of its studies. Like qualitative research, participants must not be coerced to join a study or research endeavor....
More importantly, there must be faithfulness and complete compliance to the methods and systems established during the research proper to ensure that there is very little room for error, which are inevitable but could be minimized with careful and conscientious planning and respect for the rigors of quantitative research from the researcher's end.
References
Balnaves, M. And P. Caputi. (2001). Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods. CA: Sage.
Creswell, J. (2006). Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design. CA: Sage.
Sale, J. (2002). "Revisiting the quantitative-qualitative debate: implications for mixed-methods research." Quality & Quantity, Vol. 36.
Thompson, B. (2002). "What future quantitative social science research could look like: confidence intervals for effect sizes." Research News and Comment.
Van Zomeren, M. (2008). "Toward an integrative social identity model of collective action: a quantitative research synthesis of three socio-psychological perspectives." Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 134, No. 4.
