Quantitative Research Example: Chapters 1 to 5 With Annotations and Free PDF Samples (2026)
A complete quantitative research example from Chapter 1 to 5, annotated for Practical Research 2, with a format table, statistics guide and free PDF studies.
Quick answer
A quantitative research example is a study that measures variables with numbers (surveys, tests, scores) and analyses them with statistics. In the Philippines it usually follows five chapters: The Problem and Its Background, Review of Related Literature, Methodology, Presentation and Analysis of Data, and Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations. Below is a short annotated example of all five chapters plus real free PDF studies.
What Is Quantitative Research?
Quantitative research answers questions with numbers. You measure variables (for example, hours of study, a Likert-scale score, a general weighted average), collect data from a group of respondents, and use statistics to describe the data or test a relationship. It is the main type of research taught in Practical Research 2 in Senior High School and in most college research and thesis courses in the Philippines.
Updated October 2026.
Quantitative research is different from qualitative research. Qualitative studies collect words and experiences (interviews, focus groups) and look for themes. Quantitative studies collect numbers and test hypotheses. If your teacher asked for a qualitative paper instead, see our qualitative research example.
Jump to: Types · Chapter 1–5 format · Full example · Statistics · Free PDF examples · Mistakes · FAQ
Types of Quantitative Research (With Examples)
Practical Research 2 usually teaches five quantitative research designs. The design decides how you collect data and which statistics you can use. Pick the design after you write your research question, not before.
The key difference: descriptive and correlational designs only observe; experimental and quasi-experimental designs change something (a treatment or intervention) and measure the effect. Only a true experiment, with random assignment, can strongly claim cause and effect.
| Feature | What it does | Example student title | Typical statistics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Descriptive | Describes the level or frequency of a variable in one group | Level of Screen Time Among Grade 11 Students | Frequency, percentage, mean, SD |
| Correlational | Tests whether two variables move together (no manipulation) | Study Habits and Academic Performance of Grade 12 STEM Students | Pearson r, Spearman rho |
| Causal-comparative (ex post facto) | Compares groups that already differ to find possible causes | Academic Performance of Working vs Non-Working Students | t-test, ANOVA |
| Experimental | Randomly assigns respondents to treatment and control groups | Effect of Spaced Practice Quizzes on Biology Test Scores | Independent t-test, ANOVA |
| Quasi-experimental | Like an experiment but uses intact groups (sections) without random assignment | Effect of Game-Based Learning on Grade 9 Math Scores (pretest–posttest) | Paired t-test, ANCOVA |
Quantitative Research Format: Chapters 1 to 5
Most Philippine schools use the same five-chapter format for quantitative research papers and theses. Headings can differ slightly by school (some put the conceptual framework in Chapter 1), so always follow your teacher's or adviser's template first. The table below shows the standard parts of each chapter.
Chapters 1 to 3 are written before data collection (this is your proposal or "research plan"). Chapters 4 and 5 are written after you collect and analyse the data. For help with the proposal stage, see our research proposal example.
For detailed models of single chapters, see our Chapter 1 research example, review of related literature example and research methodology example.
| Feature | Parts to include | Main question it answers |
|---|---|---|
| Chapter 1: The Problem and Its Background | Background of the study, statement of the problem, hypotheses, significance of the study, scope and delimitation, definition of terms | What problem are you studying and why? |
| Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature and Studies | Related literature (local and foreign), related studies (local and foreign), synthesis, theoretical framework, conceptual framework (often an IPO or independent–dependent variable diagram) | What is already known, and what gap does your study fill? |
| Chapter 3: Methodology | Research design, respondents and sampling technique, research instrument (and its validity and reliability), data gathering procedure, statistical treatment of data, ethical considerations | How exactly will you collect and analyse the data? |
| Chapter 4: Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data | Tables in the order of the statement of the problem, each followed by analysis and interpretation, linked to Chapter 2 studies | What did the data show? |
| Chapter 5: Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations | Summary of findings, conclusions (one per research question), recommendations (for students, teachers, school, future researchers) | So what, and what should be done next? |
Quantitative Research Example: Chapter 1 to 5 (Annotated)
Below is a short, original illustrative example written by our team to show what each chapter looks like. It is not a real study: the school, respondents and all numbers are made up for teaching purposes. Do not cite it or copy it as your own work. Use it to understand the structure, then write your own study.
Title: Study Habits and Academic Performance of Grade 12 STEM Students
Design: Correlational · Instrument: Likert-scale survey · Main statistic: Pearson r
Each excerpt is shortened. A real paper would be longer, especially Chapter 2. After each excerpt, a note explains what the chapter is doing and why.
Chapter 1: The Problem and Its Background
Background of the study (excerpt). Many senior high school students say they "study hard" but still receive low grades. Study habits, such as time management, note-taking, test preparation and concentration, are often named as a factor in academic success. However, few studies have measured these habits among Grade 12 STEM students in our division, where the strand's workload is heavy and grades decide college admission.
Statement of the problem. This study aims to determine the relationship between study habits and the academic performance of Grade 12 STEM students of [School Name], S.Y. 2025–2026. Specifically, it seeks to answer the following:
- What is the level of study habits of the respondents in terms of: (a) time management, (b) note-taking, (c) test preparation, and (d) concentration?
- What is the academic performance of the respondents based on their first-semester general weighted average (GWA)?
- Is there a significant relationship between the respondents' study habits and their academic performance?
Hypothesis. H₀: There is no significant relationship between the study habits and academic performance of Grade 12 STEM students.
Significance of the study. The results will help students identify which habits to improve, teachers plan study-skills activities, the guidance office design interventions, and future researchers build on the findings.
Scope and delimitation. The study covers 120 Grade 12 STEM students enrolled in S.Y. 2025–2026. It measures only four study-habit areas and uses first-semester GWA as the only measure of academic performance. It does not include other strands or grade levels.
Definition of terms. Study habits – operationally, the respondent's mean score on the 20-item Study Habits Questionnaire. Academic performance – the respondent's first-semester GWA as recorded by the registrar.
Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature and Studies
Related studies (excerpt). A cross-sectional survey of 336 medical students in Saudi Arabia found significant associations between some study habits, such as motivation and recall strategies, and academic achievement (Aljaffer et al., 2024). Bin Abdulrahman et al. (2021) surveyed 675 medical students and reported a significant correlation between study habits and academic accomplishment, with effective students managing time and removing distractions. Local studies on senior high school students are fewer and mostly descriptive.
Synthesis. The reviewed studies agree that study habits are related to academic performance, but most were done with college or medical students abroad. There is a gap for Grade 12 STEM students in the Philippine setting, which this study addresses.
Theoretical framework. The study is anchored on Zimmerman's self-regulated learning theory, which holds that learners who plan, monitor and evaluate their own learning tend to achieve more.
Conceptual framework. Independent variable: study habits (time management, note-taking, test preparation, concentration) → Dependent variable: academic performance (GWA).
Chapter 3: Methodology
Research design. This study used a descriptive-correlational design to describe the respondents' study habits and determine their relationship with academic performance.
Respondents and sampling. From a population of 172 Grade 12 STEM students, 120 respondents were selected using stratified random sampling by section. The sample size was computed with Slovin's formula at a 5% margin of error.
Research instrument. The researchers used a 20-item Study Habits Questionnaire with a 4-point Likert scale (4 – Always, 3 – Often, 2 – Sometimes, 1 – Never), five items per area. The questionnaire was validated by three experts and pilot-tested on 30 non-respondents; Cronbach's alpha was 0.86, showing good reliability.
Data gathering procedure. After approval from the principal and consent from parents and students, the questionnaires were distributed during homeroom period and retrieved the same day. GWAs were obtained from the registrar with permission.
Statistical treatment. Weighted mean and standard deviation for Problem 1; mean and frequency distribution for Problem 2; Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient (r) for Problem 3, tested at the 0.05 level of significance.
Mean score interpretation: 3.26–4.00 Very Good; 2.51–3.25 Good; 1.76–2.50 Fair; 1.00–1.75 Poor.
Chapter 4: Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data
Table 1. Level of study habits of the respondents (n = 120) — illustrative, made-up numbers
- Time management: mean 2.48, SD 0.61, Fair
- Note-taking: mean 3.12, SD 0.54, Good
- Test preparation: mean 2.89, SD 0.58, Good
- Concentration: mean 2.41, SD 0.66, Fair
- Overall: mean 2.73, SD 0.49, Good
Analysis and interpretation (excerpt). The respondents' overall study habits were "Good" (M = 2.73, SD = 0.49). Note-taking had the highest mean, while concentration had the lowest, which suggests that students record lessons well but are easily distracted while studying at home.
Table 2. Correlation between study habits and GWA — illustrative, made-up numbers. Pearson r = 0.46, p < 0.001. Decision: reject H₀. Interpretation: moderate positive relationship.
The result means that students with better study habits tended to have higher GWAs. This agrees with Bin Abdulrahman et al. (2021), who also found a significant correlation between study habits and achievement. Note that correlation does not prove that study habits cause higher grades.
Chapter 5: Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations
Summary of findings. (1) The respondents' overall study habits were Good (M = 2.73); concentration was lowest (M = 2.41). (2) The mean GWA was 88.6, described as Very Satisfactory. (3) There was a significant moderate positive relationship between study habits and GWA (r = 0.46, p < 0.001). (All figures illustrative.)
Conclusions. (1) Grade 12 STEM students have generally good study habits but weak concentration and time management. (2) Most respondents perform at a very satisfactory level. (3) Study habits are significantly related to academic performance; the null hypothesis is rejected.
Recommendations. Students may use a weekly study schedule and keep phones away while studying. Teachers may include short study-skills sessions in homeroom. The guidance office may run a time-management workshop for STEM students. Future researchers may include other strands, use a larger sample, or test a study-skills intervention with a quasi-experimental design.
Statistical Tools in Quantitative Research: When to Use Each
Choosing the wrong statistic is one of the most common reasons a panel asks students to revise Chapter 3. Use this table to match your research question to a tool. If you are unsure, ask your statistician or teacher before data collection, not after.
| Feature | Use it when you want to… | Example question |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency and percentage | Describe a profile (sex, age, strand) | What is the profile of the respondents? |
| Mean (weighted mean) | Describe the average level of a Likert or test score | What is the level of study habits? |
| Standard deviation (SD) | Show how spread out the scores are around the mean | How varied are the respondents’ scores? |
| Pearson r | Test the relationship between two interval/ratio variables | Is there a significant relationship between study habits and GWA? |
| t-test (independent or paired) | Compare means of two groups, or pretest vs posttest | Is there a significant difference between male and female respondents? |
| ANOVA (one-way) | Compare means of three or more groups | Is there a significant difference in GWA across four sections? |
| Chi-square test | Test association between two categorical variables | Is gadget ownership associated with passing or failing? |
Quantitative Research Example PDF: Real Free Studies
Want to see complete, published quantitative studies? These are real open-access papers on study habits, sleep, social media and academic performance, free to download as PDFs from PubMed Central. They are written in journal format (Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion) rather than Chapters 1–5, but they map directly: Introduction ≈ Chapters 1–2, Methods ≈ Chapter 3, Results ≈ Chapter 4, Discussion and Conclusion ≈ Chapter 5. Look at how each one reports sample size, instruments, and statistics.
For more examples across fields, see our research paper samples, and use our abstract examples when you write your own abstract.
- The impact of study habits and personal factors on the academic achievement performances of medical students — Aljaffer, M. A., Almadani, A. H., AlDughaither, A. S., et al. (2024), BMC Medical Education. Cross-sectional survey. A questionnaire study of 336 medical students in Saudi Arabia linking study habits and personal factors to GPA. Very close to the illustrative example above: same variables, a survey instrument, and tests of association.
- The relationship between sleep quality and academic achievement among students in health-related disciplines: a cross-sectional study — Okur, A., Keskin, A., Aydın Berktaş, Ö. (2026), BMC Medical Education. Correlational / cross-sectional. A survey of 315 students selected by stratified sampling, using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Shows how to report sample-size computation, correlation coefficients (r and p) and logistic regression.
- Facebook addiction and affected academic performance among Ethiopian university students: A cross-sectional study — Dule, A., Abdu, Z., Hajure, M., et al. (2023), PLOS ONE. Cross-sectional survey. A study of 422 students using systematic random sampling and validated scales, including a Study Habit Questionnaire. Useful for topics on social media and grades, and for seeing mean ± SD and multiple regression reporting.
Common Mistakes in Quantitative Research Papers
- Questions that cannot be measured. "How do students feel about online classes?" is qualitative. Ask "What is the level of…" or "Is there a significant relationship between…".
- No hypothesis for inferential questions. Every relationship or difference question needs a null hypothesis.
- Statistics that do not match the question. Do not use Pearson r to compare two groups, or a t-test to test a relationship.
- Saying correlation means causation. A correlational study can only say variables are related, not that one causes the other.
- Copying an instrument without permission or validation. Cite adapted questionnaires, and report validity and reliability (e.g., Cronbach's alpha).
- Chapter 4 tables in the wrong order. Follow the order of your statement of the problem.
- Conclusions that just repeat numbers. Conclusions explain meaning; the summary holds the numbers.
- Recommendations unrelated to findings. Each recommendation should come from a specific result.
- Weak RRL. Listing studies without a synthesis or a clear gap. Use recent, real, traceable sources.
FAQ
What is an example of quantitative research?
"Study Habits and Academic Performance of Grade 12 STEM Students" is a quantitative research example. It measures study habits with a Likert survey, uses GWA as academic performance, and tests the relationship with Pearson r. Any study that measures variables with numbers and analyses them with statistics is quantitative.
What are the chapters of a quantitative research paper (Chapter 1 to 5)?
Chapter 1: The Problem and Its Background. Chapter 2: Review of Related Literature and Studies. Chapter 3: Methodology. Chapter 4: Presentation, Analysis and Interpretation of Data. Chapter 5: Summary, Conclusions and Recommendations. Check your school's template, as some put the frameworks in Chapter 1.
Where can I find a quantitative research example PDF?
PubMed Central and other open-access journals publish thousands of free quantitative studies. The three PDFs listed above are real cross-sectional studies on student performance. You can also search free PDFs by topic on Ocean of Papers.
What is a good Practical Research 2 example title?
Good titles name the variables, respondents and setting: for example, "Screen Time and Sleep Quality of Grade 11 Students" or "Effect of Game-Based Learning on Grade 9 Mathematics Scores." See our research title examples for more.
What statistical tool should I use in my quantitative research?
Use mean and SD to describe levels, Pearson r for relationships between two numeric variables, a t-test to compare two groups, ANOVA for three or more groups, and chi-square for associations between categories.
What is the difference between quantitative and qualitative research?
Quantitative research collects numbers and tests hypotheses with statistics. Qualitative research collects words, such as interview answers, and finds themes. See our qualitative research example to compare.
How many respondents do I need for a quantitative study?
It depends on your population and design. Many Senior High School studies use Slovin's formula with a 5% margin of error. Correlational studies generally need at least about 30 respondents; follow your teacher's guidance.
Can I copy the example on this page for my research?
No. The example here is illustrative and its numbers are made up. Use it to understand the format, then write your own study with your own data and real, cited sources.
Related guides
- Qualitative research example (Chapters 1–5)
- Research title examples for students
- Research paper examples (annotated, free PDFs)
- Research proposal example (annotated) + free PDFs
- Abstract examples for research papers
- Chapter 1 research example (background of the study)
- Research methodology (Chapter 3) example
- Statement of the problem examples
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