Quantitative Research Methods: Graduate Students' Attitudes and Perceptions

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Abstract

This paper reports findings from a study that investigated graduate students’ attitudes to and perceptions of quantitative research methods. Students taking such a course completed a questionnaire at the start and end of the course. Scales were used to measure students’ motivation for taking the course, their attitude to quantitative research and their levels of mathematic anxiety. Results indicate that at the start of the course, students were more strongly intrinsically than extrinsically motivated to do the course. They reported moderate levels of mathematics anxiety, which was a significant predictor of attitudes to quantitative research methods. Furthermore, after completing the course, there was no significant change in the students’ attitudes to and perceptions of quantitative research methods in general.

Author

• Coreen Jasmine Leacock, The University of the West Indies - Cave Hill