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![]() Getting Started with Quantitative Methods in Physics Education Research
written by
Lin Ding and Xiufeng Liu
published by the American Association of Physics Teachers edited by Charles R. Henderson and Kathleen A. Harper
In this article we provide a brief overview of three groups of quantitative research methods commonly used in physics education research (PER): descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, and measurement instrument development and validation. These quantitative research methods are used respectively in three major types of PER, namely survey research, experimental/quasi-experimental studies, and measurement and evaluation studies. In order to highlight the importance of the close alignment between research questions and selected quantitative research methods, we review these quantitative techniques within each research type from three perspectives: data collection, data analysis, and result interpretation. We discuss the purpose, key aspects and potential issues of each quantitative technique, and where possible, specific PER studies are included as examples to illustrate how these methods fulfill specific research goals.
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![]() <a href="https://www.per-central.org/items/detail.cfm?ID=12601">Ding, Lin, and Xiufeng Liu. "Getting Started with Quantitative Methods in Physics Education Research." In Getting Started in PER. 3 ed. Edited by Charles Henderson, and Kathleen Harper. College Park: American Association of Physics Teachers, 2012.</a>
![]() L. Ding and X. Liu, , in Getting Started in PER, edited by C. Henderson and K. Harper, (American Association of Physics Teachers, College Park, 2012), Vol. 2, WWW Document, (https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12601&DocID=3196).
![]() L. Ding and X. Liu, Getting Started with Quantitative Methods in Physics Education Research, in Getting Started in PER, edited by C. Henderson and K. Harper, (American Association of Physics Teachers, College Park, 2012), Vol. 2, <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12601&DocID=3196>.
![]() Ding, L., & Liu, X. (2012). Getting Started with Quantitative Methods in Physics Education Research. In Henderson, C., & Harper, K. (Eds.), Getting Started in PER (3, 2). College Park: American Association of Physics Teachers. Retrieved February 8, 2025, from https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12601&DocID=3196
![]() Ding, Lin, and Xiufeng Liu. "Getting Started with Quantitative Methods in Physics Education Research." In Getting Started in PER. 3 ed. Edited by Charles Henderson, and Kathleen Harper. College Park: American Association of Physics Teachers, 2012. https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12601&DocID=3196 (accessed 8 February 2025).
![]() Ding, Lin, and Xiufeng Liu. "Getting Started with Quantitative Methods in Physics Education Research." Getting Started in PER. Eds. Henderson, Charles, and Kathleen Harper. 3 ed. Vol. 2. College Park: American Association of Physics Teachers, 2012. 1 Dec. 2012. 8 Feb. 2025 <https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12601&DocID=3196>.
![]() @incollection{
Author = "Lin Ding and Xiufeng Liu",
Editor = "Charles Henderson and Kathleen Harper",
Title = {Getting Started with Quantitative Methods in Physics Education Research},
BookTitle = {Getting Started in PER},
Publisher = {American Association of Physics Teachers},
Address = {College Park},
Volume = {2},
Edition = {3},
Month = {December},
Year = {2012}
}
![]() %A Lin Ding %A Xiufeng Liu %T Getting Started with Quantitative Methods in Physics Education Research %B Getting Started in PER %S Reviews in PER %E Charles Henderson %E Kathleen Harper, (eds) %V 2 %N 3 %D December 1, 2012 %I American Association of Physics Teachers %C College Park %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12601&DocID=3196 %O 3 %O application/pdf ![]() %0 Book Section %A Ding, Lin %A Liu, Xiufeng %D December 1, 2012 %T Getting Started with Quantitative Methods in Physics Education Research %E Henderson, Charles %E Harper, Kathleen %B Getting Started in PER %C College Park %I American Association of Physics Teachers %V 2 %N 3 %7 3 %8 December 1, 2012 %U https://www.compadre.org/Repository/document/ServeFile.cfm?ID=12601&DocID=3196 Disclaimer: ComPADRE offers citation styles as a guide only. We cannot offer interpretations about citations as this is an automated procedure. Please refer to the style manuals in the Citation Source Information area for clarifications.
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The AIP Style presented is based on information from the AIP Style Manual. The AJP/PRST-PER presented is based on the AIP Style with the addition of journal article titles and conference proceeding article titles. The APA Style presented is based on information from APA Style.org: Electronic References. The Chicago Style presented is based on information from Examples of Chicago-Style Documentation. The MLA Style presented is based on information from the MLA FAQ. Getting Started with Quantitative Methods in Physics Education Research:
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Getting Started in PER
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