Types of Research Methods

Different Types of Research

• Research methods vary, each with unique approaches.
• Scientific research aims to explain naturally occurring phenomena through credible theories.
• Examples include research on climate change and gene therapy.
• Humanities research seeks to understand the purpose of human existence by examining historical facts and possibilities.
• Examples include relationships between religion and politics.
• Artistic research provides alternative approaches to established concepts through practical methods instead of theoretical ones.

General Forms of Research

• Research design is crucial for organizing research components for effective problem-solving.

Scientific Research

• Seeks to explain natural phenomena using credible theories.

• Examples of areas include climate change and gene therapy research.

Research in the Humanities

• Seeks to define the purpose and meaning of humanity through historical facts and future possibilities.

• Examples include the relationship between religion and politics.

Artistic Research

• Offers alternative approaches to established concepts, using practical methods instead of theoretical ones.
• It broadens the understanding of existing ideas and opens them to further interpretation.

Examples of Research Designs

• Research design structures the components of a study to effectively address a problem.

Action Research

• Utilizes a cyclical process where a problem is identified, an action plan developed and implemented, and the data collected analyzed to understand the problem better and assess the effectiveness of solutions.

Causal Design

• Investigates how particular changes affect a situation, revealing cause-and-effect relationships between variables.

Descriptive Design

• Answers questions related to a research problem (who, what, when, where, how) to present context from a particular time frame.
• It provides insights into a relevant phenomenon at a specific moment to better understand certain phenomena.

Exploratory Design

• Focuses on topics or problems where limited research has been conducted.
• Aims to collect data and generate initial insights for future research.

Experimental Design

• Involves controlling factors and variables to understand how changes affect certain phenomena.
• Researchers manipulate variables to observe the associated outcomes.

Cohort Design

• Studies groups of people sharing common traits over a certain period to understand how influencing factors impact the group’s changes and how these changes relate to the initial/studied problem.

Cross-Sectional Design

• Examines a large group of individuals with diverse characteristics, with data collected over a specific period.
• It determines how individuals are affected by a particular variable.

Longitudinal Design

• Tracks individuals or groups over a sustained period to understand causal relationships and their impacts.
• It also establishes the duration of these relationships and their influence on the group.

Mixed-Method Design

• Combines various research designs and methods.
• Qualitative and quantitative methods are often incorporated to create a comprehensive understanding of the research issue.

Research Methods

• Determines how the researcher approaches data identification, collection, and analysis.

Quantitative Research

• Collects and analyzes numerical data.
• Focuses on testing theories, explaining phenomena, and drawing conclusions based on quantified information.

Qualitative Research

• Collects and analyzes non-numerical data.
• Explores human behaviors, social dynamics, and personal experiences to understand phenomena.
• Aims to gain insights and understanding of an individual's interpretation of events and phenomena.

Characteristics of Qualitative Research

• Flexibility in data collection and analysis methodologies.
• Focuses on collecting information and insight through various mediums or methods.
• It provides rich information and data from various perspectives in a thorough and immersive manner.
• It's used to fully grasp and understand a phenomenon by gathering qualitative information from its environment and exploring different contexts.

Phenomenological Study

• Seeks to understand the essence and structure of experiences by clarifying how complex meanings arise from basic experiences.
• Focuses on lived experiences described by participants.

Ethnographic Study

• Examines cultural groups or minorities by collecting and analyzing relevant data through immersion within their culture.

Historical Study

• Examines past events to identify, locate, evaluate, and synthesize information.
• It connects past experiences to the present and future.

Sources of Data for Historical Study

• Includes documents (printed materials), relics/artifacts (physical remains from a specific historical period), and oral reports (passed-down information).

Classification of Data

• Primary Sources: Materials providing firsthand information.
• Secondary Sources: Accounts or materials based on primary sources.

Case Study

• In-depth examination of individuals, groups, or institutions.
• Provides information to assess the impact of significant events.

Grounded Theory Study

• Compares collected data to create categories, properties, and hypotheses.

• Generates theoretical explanations from observations on various collected data.

Narrative Analysis

• Analyzes stories to understand how individuals experience and communicate occurrences of interest.
• Uses personal life accounts as the primary data source based on participants’ personal experiences.

Common Types of Narrative Analysis

• Psychological: Focuses on internal thoughts and motivations.
• Biographical: Considers societal and class issues in relation to the subject's background and insights.
• Discourse: Investigates the use of language in texts and its contexts.

Critical Qualitative Research

• Aims to initiate change and empower individuals by analyzing and critiquing social, cultural, and psychological perspectives on contemporary events.

Postmodern Research

• Examines established truths, the validity of research and science, and the validity of generalizations and typologies.

Basic Interpretative Qualitative Study

• Explores how individuals assign meaning to situations and phenomena.

Strengths of Qualitative Research

• Requires fewer participants.
• Useful for detailed descriptions of complex phenomena.
• Allows for detailed and in-depth exploration of research subjects.
• Interviews can be flexible and adaptable.
• Detailed analysis of individual cases and personal experiences.
• Offers rich insights into the significance of contextual and setting factors.
• Grounded theory can generate a tentative but explanatory theory for diverse phenomena and subjects.
• Adaptable to various local settings, conditions, and stakeholders’ needs.

Weaknesses of Qualitative Research

• Findings may not be broadly applicable.
• Maintaining consistency and inflexibility can be challenging in data collection and analysis.
• Data analysis is often time-consuming.
• Less well understood and accepted, sometimes perceived as less rigorous than quantitative methods in certain academic contexts.
• Researcher's presence can impact participant responses.
• Difficulty creating universal/quantitative predictions.
• Issues with anonymity and confidentiality can complicate data presentation and analysis.
• Less suitable for researching large-scale or diverse populations.
• Results can be susceptible to researcher bias and idiosyncrasies.
• Less credibility with some individuals and certain programs.
• Takes more time to perform than other research types