Conducting research, whether it is quantitative or qualitative, must exhibit the researcher investigator¡s passion, commitment and enthusiasm for the phenomenon, event, or occurrence being explored and scrutinized. Research of any type is a scientific endeavor that is defined, organized, and subjected to critical scrutiny and, above all, requires a scientific approach (Senter, 1969). Research is not simply a collection of random thoughts or data reduced to paper (Van Dalen, 1966) and must follow a best-fit practice research format in order to achieve the desired research results. The remainder of this paper will focus on establishing a prudent research format ¡V one that is deemed quantitative in design and how quantitative research is brought about. Specific reference will be made to the following research components: research cycle, samples and population, frequency data distributions variable identification, and a combination thereof.

             Research Cycle. As stipulated earlier quantitative research is not merely a hodgepodge collection of data. Research is a highly sophisticated process wherein the first step in the attainment of a research goal is the establishment of developing a scientific approach toward that which is being investigated. No research question can be answered if first the question is not stated in testable terms. For example, should a social scientist be interested in knowing whether or not juvenile delinquent behavior impacts upon an adolescent¡s ability to communicate or self-disclose to some identified target person the issue must be placed in testable research and hypothesis form. For the example just cited the scientific research question would be similar to the following: Will there exist a statistically significant impact upon measurable communication to pre-identified types of targeted persons as a result of an adolescent being identified as a juvenile delinquent? The accompanying null hypothesis would be as follows: There will exist no statistically significant impact, at the ƒÑ <0.