The goal of this literature review is to Compare and contrast the types of quantitative research approaches used to conduct studies on the relationship between motivation and IT project success. Additionally, the secondary goal is to Examine and discuss the issues of sampling, validity, reliability, and bias within these contexts. Wester, Borders, Boul, and Horton (2013) define research as, "An activity conducted to increase knowledge by systematically collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data to answer carefully formulated questions about publicly observable phenomena." (p. 280). Research is a critical part of the scientific method that allows our society and species to understand the world around us. Research can be divided into multiple categories. The two predominant research categories are qualitative and quantitative. Simply making the choice between quantitative and qualitative research is a challenge that deadlocks many research projects. Students struggle with this very dilemma, often changing the direction of their research multiple times before settling on a solid direction.