Types of Research Methods:

Research methods can be defined as “a systematic ad scientific procedure of data collection,

compilation, analysis, interpretation, and implication pertaining to any business problem”.
In methodology chapter of your dissertation, you are expected to specify and discuss the type of
your research according to the following classifications.

General Classification of Types of Research Methods:

1. Quantitative research “describes, infers, and resolves problems using numbers.
Emphasis is placed on the collection of numerical data, the summary of those data and
the drawing of inferences from the data”.
2. Qualitative research, on the other hand, is based on words, feelings, emotions, sounds
and other non-numerical and unquantifiable elements. It has been noted that “information
is considered qualitative in nature if it cannot be analysed by means of mathematical
techniques. This characteristic may also mean that an incident does not take place often
enough to allow reliable data to be collected”.

Types of Research Methods According to Nature of the Study:

1. Descriptive research usually involves surveys and studies that aim to identify the
facts. In other words, descriptive research mainly deals with the “description of the
state of affairs as it is at present”, and there is no control over variables in
descriptive research.

2. Analytical research, on the other hand, is fundamentally different in a way that

“the researcher has to use facts or information already available and analyse these
in order to make a critical evaluation of the material”.

Types of Research Methods According to the Purpose of the Study:

1. Applied research is also referred to as an action research.
2. Fundamental research is sometimes called basic or pure research.
Similarities between applied and fundamental (basic) research relate to the adoption of a
systematic and scientific procedure to conduct the study.
Applied   Research Fundamental Research

§   Tries to eliminate the theory by adding to the basics §   Aims to solve a problem by adding to the field
of a discipline of application of a discipline
 §   Often several disciplines work together for
§   Problems are analysed from the point of one solving the problem
discipline
§   Often researches individual cases without the
§   Generalisations are preferred aim to generalize.
§   Forecasting approach is implemented §   Aims to say how things can be changed
§   Assumes that other variables do not change §   Acknowledges that other variables are constant
by changing
§   Reports are compiled in a language of technical
language of discipline §   Reports are compiled in a common language

Differences between applied and fundamental research

Types of Research Methods according to Research Design:

1. Exploratory studies only aim to explore the research area and they do not attempt
to offer final and conclusive answers to research questions.
2. Conclusive studies, on the contrary, aim to provide final and conclusive answers
to research questions.

Exploratory research Conclusive research

Well structured and systematic in

Structure Loosely structured in design design

Have a formal and definitive

methodology that needs to be
Methodology Are flexible and investigative in methodology followed and tested

Most conclusive researches are

carried out to test the formulated
Hypotheses Do not involve testing of hypotheses hypotheses

Findings might be topic specific and might not have Findings are significant as they have
Findings much relevance outside of researcher’s domain a theoretical or applied implication
Main differences between exploratory and conclusive research
Data collection is the process of gathering and measuring information on targeted variables in
an established system, which then enables one to answer relevant questions and evaluate
outcomes.
 OVERVIEW OF DIFFERENT DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES  
Technique Key Facts Example
 Interviews can be conducted in
person or over the telephone One-on-one
 Interviews can be done formally conversation with
(structured), semi-structured, or parent of at-risk youth
informally who can help you
Interviews  Questions should be focused, clear, understand the issue
and encourage open-ended
responses Click here to see a
 Interviews are mainly qualitative in sample key informant
nature interview.

Results of a
satisfaction survey or
opinion survey
 Responses can be analyzed with
quantitative methods by assigning Click here to see an
numerical values to Likert-type example of a survey
scales created using the
Questionnaires
 Results are generally easier (than CYFERnetSEARCH
and Surveys
qualitative techniques) to analyze Interactive Survey
 Pretest/Posttest can be compared Builder feature.
and analyzed
Click here to see a
sample survey on
middle school youth
risk behavior.
Observations  Allows for the study of the Site visits to an after-
dynamics of a situation, frequency school program to
counts of target behaviors, or other document the
behaviors as indicated by needs of interaction between
the evaluation youth and staff within
 Good source for providing additional the program
information about a particular
group, can use video to provide
documentation
 Can produce qualitative (e.g.,
narrative data) and quantitative
data (e.g., frequency counts, mean
length of interactions, and
instructional time)
  
 A facilitated group interview with
individuals that have something in A group of parents of
common teenagers in an after-
 Gathers information about school program are
Focus Groups combined perspectives and opinions invited to informally
 Responses are often coded into discuss programs that
categories and analyzed might benefit and help
thematically their children succeed

Shadowing a family
while recording
extensive field notes
 Involves studying a single
to study the
phenomenon
experience and issues
 Examines people in their natural
associated with youth
settings
who have a parent or
Ethnographies,  Uses a combination of techniques
guardian that has
Oral History, such as observation, interviews,
been deployed
and Case and surveys
Studies  Ethnography is a more holistic
Click here for an
approach to evaluation
example of an oral
 Researcher can become a
history.  
confounding variable
Click here for an
additional example of
an oral history.
To understand the
primary reasons
 Consists of examining existing data students miss school,
in the form of databases, meeting records on student
minutes, reports, attendance logs, absences are collected
Documents and financial records, newsletters, etc. and analyzed
Records  This can be an inexpensive way to
gather information but may be an Click here for an
incomplete data source example of a
searchable database of
aggregate data on
youth risk behavior.