METHODS OF RESEARCH

ED 802: Advanced Methods of Educational

Research
Research Methods

are the strategies, processes or techniques

utilized in the collection of data or
evidence for analysis in order to uncover
new information or create better
understanding of a topic.
 What is the difference between Research Design and
Research Method?

Research design is a plan to answer your research question.

A research method is a strategy used to implement that
plan. It is what you actually do in order to collect your data
and carry out your investigations.

Research design and methods are different but closely

related to each other, because good research design ensures
that the data you obtain will help you answer your research
question more effectively.
Primary data is any original information that you
collect for the purposes of answering your research
question (e.g. surveys, observations and
experiments).

Secondary data involves the collection of

quantitative data from existing data sources like the
internet, government resources, libraries, research
reports, etc. Secondary quantitative research helps to
validate the data that is collected from primary
quantitative research as well as aid in strengthening
or proving or disproving previously collected data.
RESEARCH METHODS

Qualitative Quantitative
Method Method
Qualitative Research Method

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:
 The purpose of the research interview is to explore the views,
experiences, beliefs and/or motivations of an individual on specific
matters.
 They are also particularly appropriate for exploring sensitive topics,
where participants may not want to talk about such issues in a
group environment.
 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 and ask 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.
 This discussion is guided, monitored and recorded by a researcher
(sometimes called a moderator or facilitator).
 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.
 Focus groups are usually recorded, often observed and sometimes
videotaped.
 The main aim of the focus group is to find answers to the “why”
“what” and “how” questions.
 One advantage of focus groups is, you don’t necessarily need to
interact with the group in person
Ethnographic Research

 Ethnographic research is an in-depth form of research

where people are observed in their natural environment.
 Instead of conducting interviews, a researcher
experiences the normal setting and daily life of a group
of people.
 An ethnographic study involves traditional or digital
ethnography,
 In the traditional approach, this method pricey,
demanding and time consuming.
 This type of research method can last from a few days to
a few years, as it involves in-depth observation and
collecting data on those grounds.
Text Analysis

 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 type of research is used in fields like the education
sector, philosophical studies, and psychological studies.
 It is useful when researchers want to get a detailed
contextual view of an individual’s life or of a particular
phenomenon.
 However, it only involves a single individual or just a
few and therefore may not be representative of the
general group or population.
 Quantitative Research Method

It deals 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. It often
requires the use of statistical tools to analyze data
collected. This type of data can be represented using
graphs and tables.
Survey Research

 The ultimate goal of survey research is to learn about a

large population by deploying a survey.
 Surveys used to ask questions to a sample of
respondents, using various types such as online polls,
online surveys, paper questionnaires, web-intercept
surveys, etc.
 A prerequisite for this type of research is that the sample
of respondents must have randomly selected members.
 Traditionally, survey research was conducted face-to-
face or via phone calls but with the progress made by
online mediums such as email or social media, survey
research has spread to online mediums as well.
Experimental Research

 Also known as true experimentation, this

research method is reliant on a theory.
 This research method is used in natural sciences.
 It determines cause-and-effect relationships
Correlational Research

 Correlational research examines the relationship

between two or more variables and how one
impacts the other and what are the changes that
are eventually observed.
 Ex. 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.
 Qualitative Research Methods vs
Quantitative Research Methods
Attributes Qualitative Research Methods Quantitative Research Methods

This research method focuses on Quantitative research method

Analytical objectives describing individual experiences and focuses on describing the
beliefs. characteristics of a population.

Types of questions asked Open-ended questions Closed-ended questions

Use semi-structured methods such as Use highly structured methods

Data collection
in-depth interviews, focus groups, and such as structured observation
Instrument
participant observation using questionnaires and surveys

Form of data produced Descriptive data Numerical data

Participant responses do not

Participant responses affect how and
Degree of flexibility influence or determine how and
which questions researchers ask next
which questions researchers ask n
 Which research method should I choose?

It depends on your research goal. It depends on

what subjects (and who) you want to study. Let's
say you are interested in studying what makes
people happy, or why some students are more
conscious about recycling on campus. To answer
these questions, you need to make a decision about
how to collect your data.
What other factors should I consider when
choosing one method over another?
Time for data collection and analysis is
something you want to consider. An observation
or interview method helps you collect richer
information, but it takes time. Using a survey
helps you collect more data quickly, yet it may
lack details. So, you will need to consider the time
you have for research and the balance between
strengths and weaknesses associated with each
method (e.g., qualitative vs. quantitative).
REFERENCES
 https://libguides.newcastle.edu.au/researchmethods
 https://www.questionpro.com/blog/qualitative-research-methods/
 https://guides.lib.vt.edu/researchmethods/design-method
 https://www.scribbr.com/category/methodology/
 https://www.questionpro.com/blog/what-is-research/
 https://up-za.libguides.com/c.php?g=485435&p=3917773
 www.nature.com
 https://www.mindomo.com/mindmap/the-five-research-methods-
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