Out of the two main classifications of dissertation methodologies, the quantitative one is the more organized one. For the same reason it is more preferred by science subjects more than arts subjects. But you will also come across assignments in arts which require the use of quantitative method. You will have to decide which methods suits you the best depending upon the dissertation guidelines as well as the objective of your assignment.
As is obvious from the name, the base of quantitative dissertation methodology is the use of numerals or quantitative measures for analyzing the question. But the most unique aspect about a quantitative research is that you will be working towards reaching a particular result. The answer will be known before-hand, towards which you will proceed using the quantitative method.
Quantitative methodology is a highly organized research method where the methods adopted for research would be properly laid out. The questions will be presented as well-planned questionnaires or survey forms. Since you will be working towards a particular result it is necessary to be fully focused while preparing a dissertation using quantitative methods. Unlike qualitative method, in a quantitative research, the data gathered by the research will not change the final report. Instead it will be prepared in such a way that the thesis is confirmed by the data. This makes the quantitative research somewhat totally inflexible in nature and methods.
The use of numerical evaluation is a specific feature of quantitative research. The data gathered will be sorted out and classified using numerical criteria, in this dissertation methodology. Due to the fact that quantitative method has a better lay out, there are dissertations which use this method in addition to qualitative methods. In such cases the research would be done using qualitative method and the sorting of the data and the presentation will be done using quantitative methods. This will make the research process easier as the qualitative method will help in gathering the necessary information and reaching a conclusion and the quantitative method will lay it out neatly.
Quantitative research cannot be done while you are seeking answer to a question. If you do not have a specific idea of what the answer is, you will need to find the answer first, before using quantitative research to prove how you got the answer. Without a very specific aim you cannot work using quantitative methods. Also, in quantitative research you need to provide precise data in the form of numerical or graphical presentation. Vague information or data which does not complement the expected conclusion will have no use in a quantitative method. But since it deals with more accurate and precise data than qualitative research you can plan it better and finish it faster than qualitative research.
The dissertation methodology you choose influences the outcome of your research to a big extent. Hence it is important to make the right choice of methodology while handling a dissertation project. If you are not sure of how to go about doing your dissertation using quantitative methods, you may check out some dissertation samples or opt to get a custom dissertation written by professional writers.