Research Methods and Data Types

Research Data Types

• Secondary Data: Collected from descriptions or interpretations by others regarding observable phenomena.
• Primary Data: Directly gathered from the observable phenomena itself.

Research Methodologies

• Quantitative Research: Involves numerical data or information easily quantifiable.
• Qualitative Research: Focuses on non-numerical data, providing deep insights into complex phenomena.

Validity in Research

• External Validity: Measures how well research findings apply to broader contexts beyond the study.
• Internal Validity: Determines accuracy of conclusions regarding cause-and-effect relationships within the research.

Applied Research

• Action Research: Targets local problems and seeks solutions tailored to specific contexts.
• Case Study: In-depth qualitative analysis of a single individual, program, or event to explore poorly understood situations.

Analytical Approaches

• Content Analysis: Systematic examination of materials to identify patterns, themes, or biases.
• Ethnography: In-depth qualitative inquiry studying cultural groups in their natural environments.

Experimental Designs

• Experimental Research: Participants are randomly assigned to groups to assess the impact of various treatments or interventions.
• Ex Post Facto Research: Investigates already occurred conditions to determine relationships with subsequent behaviors or characteristics.
• Quasiexperimental Research: Similar to experimental but lacks random assignment of participants to groups.

Theory Development

• Grounded Theory Research: Aims to generate theories through extensive data collection and analysis stages.
• Phenomenological Research: Understands participants’ interpretations of their physical or social realities.

Historical and Survey Research

• Historical Research: Reconstructs or interprets past events by gathering historical documents or oral histories.
• Survey Research: Assesses incidence and frequency of characteristics in a population, common in various research fields such as business and sociology.