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WHAT IS RESEARCH – DEFINITION, METHODS, TYPES & EXAMPLES

by Adi Bhat
Global VP - Sales and Marketing at QuestionPro

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What is Research: De nition

A careful consideration of study regarding a particular concern or problem using scienti c
methods. According to the American sociologist Earl Robert Babbie, “Research is a systematic
inquiry to describe, explain, predict, and control the observed phenomenon. Research involves
inductive and deductive methods.”

Inductive research methods are used to analyze an observed event. Deductive methods are used
to verify the observed event. Inductive approaches are associated with qualitative research and
deductive methods are more commonly associated with quantitative research.

Research is conducted with a purpose to understand:

What do organizations or businesses really want to nd out?

What are the processes that need to be followed to chase the idea?

What are the arguments that need to be built around a concept?

What is the evidence that will be required for people to believe in the idea or concept?

Characteristics of research
1. A systematic approach must be followed for accurate data. Rules and procedures are an
integral part of the process that set the objective. Researchers need to practice ethics and a
code of conduct while making observations or drawing conclusions.

2. Research is based on logical reasoning and involves both inductive and deductive methods.

3. The data or knowledge that is derived is in real time from actual observations in natural
settings.

4. There is an in-depth analysis of all data collected so that there are no anomalies associated
with it.

5. Research creates a path for generating new questions. Existing data helps create more
opportunities for research.

6. Research is analytical in nature. It makes use of all the available data so that there is no
ambiguity in inference.

7. Accuracy is one of the most important aspects of research. The information that is obtained
should be accurate and true to its nature. For example, laboratories provide a controlled
environment to collect data. Accuracy is measured in the instruments used, the calibrations
of instruments or tools, and the nal result of the experiment.

What are the types of research?

Following are the types of research methods:

Basic research: A basic research de nition is data collected to enhance knowledge. The main
motivation is knowledge expansion. It is a non-commercial research that doesn’t facilitate in
creating or inventing anything. For example: an experiment to determine a simple fact.

Applied research: Applied research focuses on analyzing and solving real-life problems. This type
refers to the study that helps solve practical problems using scienti c methods. Studies play an
important role in solving issues that impact the overall well-being of humans. For example:
nding a speci c cure for a disease.

Problem oriented research: As the name suggests, problem-oriented research is conducted to

understand the exact nature of a problem to nd out relevant solutions. The term “problem”
refers to multiple choices or issues when analyzing a situation.

For example, revenue of a car company has decreased by 12% in the last year. The following
could be the probable causes: there is no optimum production, poor quality of a product, no
advertising, or economic conditions.

Problem solving research: This type of research is conducted by companies to understand and
resolve their own problems. The problem-solving method uses applied research to nd solutions
to the existing problems.

Qualitative research: Qualitative research is a process that is about inquiry. It helps create in-
depth understanding of problems or issues in their natural settings. This is a non-statistical
method.

Qualitative research is heavily dependent on the experience of the researchers and the
questions used to probe the sample. The sample size is usually restricted to 6-10 people. Open-
ended questions are asked in a manner that encourages answers that lead to another question
or group of questions. The purpose of asking open-ended questions is to gather as much
information as possible from the sample.

The following are the methods used for qualitative research:

1. One-to-one interview

2. Focus groups

3. Ethnographic research

4. Content/Text Analysis

5. Case study research

Learn more: Qualitative Research Methods

Quantitative research: Qualitative research is a structured way of collecting data and analyzing it
to draw conclusions. Unlike qualitative methods, this method uses a computational and
statistical process to collect and analyze data. Quantitative data is all about numbers.

Quantitative research involves a larger population — more people means more data. With more
data to analyze, you can obtain more accurate results. This method uses close-ended
questions because the researchers are typically looking to gather statistical data.

Online surveys, questionnaires, and polls are preferable data collection tools used in
quantitative research. There are various methods of deploying surveys or questionnaires.

Online surveys allow survey creators to reach large amounts of people or smaller focus groups
for different types of research that meet different goals. Survey respondents can receive surveys
on mobile phones, in emails, or can simply use the internet to access surveys.

Learn more: What is Quantitative Research?

What Is the Purpose of Research?

There are three purposes of research:

1. Exploratory: As the name suggests, exploratory research is conducted to explore a group of

questions. The answers and analytics may not offer a nal conclusion to the perceived
problem. It is conducted to handle new problem areas which haven’t been explored before.
This exploratory process lays the foundation for more conclusive research and data
collection.

2. Descriptive: Descriptive research focuses on expanding knowledge on current issues

through a process of data collection. Descriptive studies are used to describe the behavior
of a sample population. In a descriptive study, only one variable is required to conduct the
study. The three main purposes of descriptive research are describing, explaining, and
validating the ndings. For example, a study conducted to know if top-level management
leaders in the 21st century possess the moral right to receive a huge sum of money from the
company pro t.

3. Explanatory:Explanatory research or causal research is conducted to understand the impact

of certain changes in existing standard procedures. Conducting experiments is the most
popular form of casual research. For example, a study conducted to understand the effect
of rebranding on customer loyalty.

To understand the characteristic of research design using research purpose here is a

comparative analysis:

Exploratory Research Descriptive Research Explanatory Research

Research approach
Unstructured Structured Highly structured
used

Research conducted Asking research Asking research By using research

through questions questions hypotheses.

Early stages of decision Later stages of decision Later stages of decision

When is it conducted?
making making making

Learn More: Primary Research – Examples, Methods and Purpose

Research method is de ned as the tools or instruments used to accomplish the goals and
attributes of a study. Think of the methodology as a systematic process in which the tools or
instruments will be employed. There is no use of a tool if it is not being used ef ciently.

Research begins by asking the right questions and choosing an appropriate method to
investigate the problem. After collecting answers to your questions, you can analyze the ndings
or observations to draw appropriate conclusions.

When it comes to customers and market studies, the more thorough your questions, the better.
By thoroughly collecting data from customers through surveys and questionnaires, you get
important insights into brand perception and product needs. You can use this data to make
smart decisions about your marketing strategies to position your business effectively.

Types of research methods and research example

Research methods are broadly classi ed as Qualitative and Quantitative.

Both methods have distinctive properties and data collection methods.

Qualitative Methods

Qualitative research is a method that collects data using conversational methods. Participants
are asked open-ended questions. The responses collected are essentially non-numerical. This
method not only helps a researcher understand what participants think but also why they think
in a particular way.

Types of qualitative methods include:

One-to-one Interview: This interview is conducted with one participant at a given point in
time. One-to-one interviews need a researcher to prepare questions in advance. The
researcher asks only the most important questions to the participant. This type of interview
lasts anywhere between 20 minutes to half an hour. During this time the researcher collects
as many meaningful answers as possible from the participants to draw inferences.

Focus Groups: Focus groups are small groups comprising of around 6-10 participants who
are usually experts in the subject matter. A moderator is assigned to a focus group who
facilitates the discussion amongst the group members. A moderator’s experience in
conducting the focus group plays an important role. An experienced moderator can probe
the participants by asking the correct questions that will help them collect a sizable amount
of information related to the research.

Ethnographic Research: Ethnographic research is an in-depth form of research where people

are observed in their natural environment without This method is demanding due to the
necessity of a researcher entering a natural environment of other people. Geographic
locations can be a constraint as well. Instead of conducting interviews, a researcher
experiences the normal setting and daily life of a group of people.

Text Analysis: Text analysis is a little different from other qualitative methods as it is used
to analyze social constructs by decoding words through any available form of
documentation. The researcher studies and understands the context in which the
documents are written and then tries to draw meaningful inferences from it. Researchers
today follow activities on a social media platform to try and understand patterns of
thoughts.

Case Study: Case study research is used to study an organization or an entity. This method
is one of the most valuable options for modern This type of research is used in elds like
the education sector, philosophical studies, and psychological studies. This method
involves a deep dive into ongoing research and collecting data.

Quantitative Research Methods

Quantitative methods deal with numbers and measurable forms. It uses a systematic way of
investigating events or data. It is used to answer questions in terms of justifying relationships
with measurable variables to either explain, predict, or control a phenomenon.

There are three methods that are often used by researchers:

Survey Research — The ultimate goal of survey research is to learn about a large population
by deploying a survey. Today, online surveys are popular as they are convenient and can be
sent in an email or made available on the internet. In this method, a researcher designs a
survey with the most relevant survey questions and distributes the survey. Once the
researcher receives responses, they summarize them to tabulate meaningful ndings and
data.

Descriptive Research — Descriptive research is a method which identi es the characteristics

of an observed phenomenon and collects more information. This method is designed to
depict the participants in a very systematic and accurate manner. In simple words,
descriptive research is all about describing the phenomenon, observing it, and drawing
conclusions from it.

Correlational Research— Correlational research examines the relationship between two or

more variables. Consider a researcher is studying a correlation between cancer and married
Married women have a negative correlation with cancer. In this example, there are two
variables: cancer and married women. When we say negative correlation, it means women
who are married are less likely to develop cancer. However, it doesn’t mean that marriage
directly avoids cancer.

Identifying Research Methodology

To choose the appropriate types of research, you need to clearly identify the objectives. Some
objectives to take into consideration for your business include:

Find out the needs of your clients.

Know their preferences and understand what is important to them.

Find an appropriate way to make your customers aware of your products and services.

Find ways to improve your products or services to suit the needs of your customers.

After identifying what you need to know, you should ask what research methods will offer you
that information.

Organize your questions within the framework of the 7 Ps of marketing that in uence your
company – product, price, promotion, place, people, processes, and physical tests.

A well-organized customer research process produces valid, accurate, reliable, timely, and
complete results. Results that rigorously re ect the opinions and needs of your clients will help
you grow your sales and improve your operations. To obtain the results, you need to establish
and follow the processes that you have detailed out for your organization:

Set your goals

Consider the client’s objectives and de ne those that identify with yours. Make sure that you set
smart goals and objectives. Do not presume the results of your surveys.

Plan your research

Good planning allows the use of creative and logical approaches to select the methods that
gather the most accurate information. Your plan will be in uenced by the type and complexity of
the information you need, the skills of your market research team, and how soon you need the
information. Your budget also plays a large role in your ability to collect data.

Collect and collate your results

Make a list of how you are going to carry out the research process, the data you need to collect,
and collection methods. This will help you keep track of your processes and make sense of your
ndings. It will also allow you to verify that your research accurately re ects the opinions of your
clients and your market. Create a record table with:

The consumer research activity

The necessary data

The methods for data collection

The steps to follow for data analysis.

Remember, research is only valuable and useful when it is valid, accurate, and reliable. Relying
on imperfect research is dangerous. Incorrect results can lead to customer churn and a decrease
in sales.

It is important to obtain information about how the collection of customer information was
carried out, and to ensure that your data is:

Valid – founded, logical, rigorous, and impartial.

Accurate – free of errors and including required details.

Reliable – that can be reproduced by other people who investigate in the same way.

Timely – current and collected within an appropriate time frame.

Complete – includes all the data you need to support your business decisions.

Analyze and understand your research

Analysis of the data can vary from simple and direct steps to technical and complex processes.
Adopt an approach, and choose the method of data analysis based on the methods you have
carried out.

Keep the ndings ready

Choose a spreadsheet that allows you to easily enter your data. If you do not have a large
amount of data, you should be able to manage them with the use of basic tools available in
survey software. If you have collected more complete and complex data, you may have to
consider using speci c programs or tools that will help you manage your data.

Review and interpret the information to draw conclusions

Once you have gathered all the data, you can scan your information and interpret it to draw
conclusions and make informed decisions. You should review the data and then:

Identify the main trends and issues, opportunities, and problems you observe. Write a
sentence describing each one.

Keep track of the frequency with which each of the main ndings appears.

Make a list of your ndings from the most common to the least common.

Evaluate a list of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that have been
identi ed in a SWOT analysis.

Prepare conclusions and recommendations about your research.

Review your goals before making any conclusions about your research. Keep in mind how the
process you have completed and the data you have gathered help answer your questions. Ask
yourself if what your research revealed facilitates the identi cation of your conclusions and
recommendations. Review your conclusions and, based on what you know now:

Choose some strategies that will help you improve your business

Act on your strategies

Look for gaps in the information, and consider doing additional research if necessary

Plan to review the results of the research, and consider ef cient strategies to analyze and
dissect results for interpretation.

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