Types of Research Methods Research methods can be defined as a systematic and scientific procedure of data collection, compilation, analysis, interpretation, and implication pertaining to any business problem. Types of research methods can be classified into several categories according to the nature and purpose of the study and other attributes.
1.Descriptive research : Descriptive research tries to explain systematically a research problem, phenomenon or service or gives information about community or population, or describes attitude about a subject. This type of research describes, interprets and clarifies what in the present. It is conducted through surveys, observations, questionnaires or schedules.
…show more content…
Fundamental research: Fundamental research is mainly concerned with generalizations and with the formulation of a theory. “Gathering knowledge for knowledge’s sake is termed ‘pure’ or ‘basic’ research.” Research concerning some natural phenomenon or relating to pure mathematics are examples of fundamental research. Similarly, research studies, concerning human behaviour carried on with a view to make generalizations about human behaviour, are also examples of fundamental research. Basic research is directed towards finding information that has a broad base of applications and thus, adds to the already existing organized body of scientific knowledge.
Following are the main differences between applied research and fundamental research. Similarities between applied and fundamental (basic) research relate to the adoption of a systematic and scientific procedure to conduct the study.
Applied Research tries to eliminate the theory by adding to the basics of a discipline, problems are analysed from the point of a discipline, forecasting method is implemented, generalizations are preferred, assumes that variables do not change and reports are complied in a technical language of a discipline.
Fundamental research tries to solve a problem by including the field of discipline, several disciplines work together for solving a problem, individual cases
…show more content…
Qualitative research: Qualitative research is concerned with qualitative aspects involving quality or kind. For instance, when we are interested in investigating the reasons for human behaviour (i.e., why people think or do certain things), we quite often talk of ‘Motivation Research’, an important type of qualitative research. This type of research aims at discovering the underlying motives and desires, using in depth interviews for the purpose. Other techniques of such research are word association tests, sentence completion tests, story completion tests and similar other projective techniques. Attitude or opinion research i.e., research designed to find out how people feel or what they think about a particular subject or institution is also qualitative research. Qualitative research is specially important in the behavioral sciences where the aim is to discover the underlying motives of human behaviour. Through such research we can analyse the various factors which motivate people to behave in a particular manner or which make people like or dislike a particular
Qualitative research aims to gather information from data collection methods and transform it into written words. Such as transcribing recorded interviews, taking field notes from observations, using words to outline images (Denscombe, 1998, p. 174). On the other hand, quantitative research aims to gather information from data collection methods and transform it into numbers. Such as analysing conducted surveys and pulling numbers to transform it into statistics, tables and graphs (Denscombe, 1998, p.174-177).
Research can be quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative research is objective and involves measuring the phenomena under investigation. Qualitative research is subjective, explores experiences and feelings, and involves the recording of phenomena that cannot easily be quantified (Toates, 2010, pp. 5-6). Both are empirical since they involve data collection (OU, n.d.).
...primary research that gathers vast amounts of information. Quantitative research is a derivative of secondary research and is associated with the gathering of data, as in numbers, height, weight etc. In order for either research to effective, the proper research tool must be used in its right context. If not, the research will prove to be a less adequate one.
Research methodology is a systematic way to solve a problem, it is a science of studying how research should be carried out. The way in which researchers go about their work of describing, explaining and predicting phenomena are called research methodology. This is also defined as the study of methods where knowledge is gained (arxiv.org, 2015).
According to Smith (1983) quantitative research is to explain, predict and develop laws that can be universally applied and Qualitative research is the interpretation and understanding of what people give to their situation. The researchers clearly stated the purpose of their studies, aim, objectiv...
Research aims at establishing new information. It is a systematic approach of collecting and interpreting information aimed at improving the knowledge base (Suanders et al: 2009, p 5). Research strategy implies a broad orientation as to how to conduct any research. According to Creswell 2004(cited in Duffy & Chenail: 2008), research could be classified into quantitative research and qualitative research. At its simplest form, the former transforms human encounters into numbers while the latter transforms such experiences into words.
We seek knowledge to assist us in living quality and productive life. Research helps us to correctly define social issues and human actions. Every day we are faced with matters such as poverty, crime, and unemployment, hence we need continual research to find causes and solutions to aid in changing these social problems. Sociological Researchers use different methods and designs to study the society and social behaviors. Research methods vary according to the source of information, information collection tools (types) and how the information was sampled. Fieldwork or Ethnography is the most used type of sociological research, it helps in analyzing the characteristics of the population. Ethnography was the main form of sociological research
Quantitative Research is used to quantify the problem by way of generating numerical data or data that can be transformed
Quantitative research uses a deductive reasoning also known as top to bottom or (top down approach) starting with a theory, then the hypothesis, followed by observation and finally confirmation , going from the general to the more specific. Quantitative methods use numbers and statistics to show the results of the research exercise and mainly are concerned with mathematics and statistics. In quantitative research there are levels of measurement being firstly nominal which are names of things followed by ordinal sequence of things, interval where the sequence has equal distance between each item, and ratio where there is a true zero (Alston & Bowles, 2003, p. 7-9).
A Research is a thorough, scholarly or scientific investigation that is performed extensively in a systematic way in order to accurately gather, analyze and establish information which may lead to new conclusions on a subject.
Analyze of research in averagely can be accounted as an aim for understanding or a systematic study in search of information to shape or accept achievable facts. There are two mainly different ways of research. First, there is the basic research that appears not to go into the study field and the second, way is the applied research that studies given area into the aspect. It applies to resolve, understand and advance the methods and systems that are used in the search for human understanding of abnormal matters to do with the society. Research also can apply to advance the scientific and technical levels of knowledge that are applicable in the society. Other research challenges may apply to raise the information and knowledge about nature, the galaxy and life. Scientific Research as a part of research anticipates on the function of scientific knowledge and built theories in arrange to explain the properties of nature, the world and life in general. Research challenges can be more distanced into abnormal classes depending on the area of function. One of these classes is academic research that seeks to access the knowledge within the academic area. (Becker 1994, 53-71)
By definition, qualitative research is the study towards social reality and description experiences, feelings, perspectives of human lives. Qualitative research is an empirical research under the non-numeric form, concerned with collecting and analysing information on many forms, words samples. It is likely associated with inductive approach, which generates theories, develops and interprets qualitative data to understand the social world. In qualitative research methods, studies focus deeply on understanding insider of the field, which is beneficial to researchers who examine forms of knowledge. In term of collecting qualitative data, there are three typical ways: interviews, observation from director participating such as participant characteristics,
Research is an organized and systematic way of finding results to the problems. Research is, thus, an original contribution to the existing stock of knowledge making for its advancement. It is the pursuit of fact with the help of study, observation, comparison and experiment. In short, the search for knowledge throughout objective and systematic method of finding solution to a problem is research. The systematic approach concerning overview and the formulation of a theory is also research (Kothari, 2004).
Basic research is mainly concerned with generalizations and the formulation of theory. It is driven by curiosity or interest in a subject. The main motivation is to expand man’s knowledge, not to create or invent something. Many scientists believe that basic research