Introduction to Types of Research Methodology
Research methodology refers to the methods and techniques used to portray the research effectively. It concerns the systematic design of a study to guarantee results that meet the aims and objectives of the study. The researcher is primarily responsible for presenting the idea and explaining different research methodology types.
Key Takeaways
- Researchers employ various types of research methods to ensure that the data gathered is valuable and reliable.
- Researchers categorize research methodology types according to different criteria. They are a general category, the nature of the study, the purpose of the study, the research design, and the data types.
- Surveys and case studies are two of the most frequent data collection tools in research.
- Employing research methods has many merits, including assisting the researcher in developing the study field and conducting the research more efficiently. Both contribute to the researcher’s knowledge of the subject matter.
List of Types of Research Methodology
Research methodology is classified based on different categories. They include a general category, nature of the study, purpose, research design, and data type. There are also interviews and case studies based on research methodology. In some research, the researcher combines more than two and very few methods.
Based on General Category:
1. Quantitative Research
As the name suggests, Quantitative data relies on quantifying a certain amount or quantity of a specific phenomenon. It focuses on gathering and analyzing numerical data and can be used to find averages and patterns or to predict outcomes.
Quantitative Research falls within the two primary categories of research and relies on numbers. It draws a conclusion using tables, facts, and graphs. Many scientific and field-based studies primarily use this form of research.
Some pros and cons of Quantitative Research are as follows:
Pros:
It allows for larger sample sizes, enables thorough analysis of the findings, and helps draw broader conclusions about your target audience.
Since quantitative research uses surveys, experiments, and real-time data collection, there are minimal delays in gathering the data under study. Therefore, the researcher analyzes the information under study quite rapidly compared to other research methodologies.
Due to anonymity, researchers frequently use quantitative data while examining sensitive topics. Consequently, this setting lowers the possibility of producing inaccurate data.
Cons:
Since the researcher may be unable to conduct the research in the subjects’ natural environments, it may appear artificial and regulated. Participants’ responses are claimed and may not reflect their actual real-life behavior.
Because survey responses are limited, you cannot go beyond that in delving more deeply into the behaviors, attitudes, and motives as you can with qualitative research.
There is a financial element to consider with quantitative research because it can be costly.
2. Qualitative Research
It refers to the non-numerical elements in the research. Qualitative research comes to the rescue when the researcher cannot grasp the information or data regarding numbers. Though not as reliable as Quantitative research, qualitative research helps to form a better summary of theories in the data.
Moreover, this type of research is interested in discovering the motivating factors behind human behavior, i.e., why people act or think in a particular way. Through this research, one can understand the variables driving people to behave in a certain way or which govern their inclinations toward one specific thing.
Its pros and cons are as follows:
Pros:
Studies can be performed more quickly since qualitative research use a smaller sample size than other research methodologies. Social scientists can efficiently gather data from participants using this framework, resulting in a generalization that will be helpful to the general public.
It enables a more in-depth exploration of attitudes and behavior because it’s more intimate and can go into specifics to better comprehend their thoughts and actions to formulate or examine a hypothesis.
It allows for flexibility because the interviewer can go into the subject and probe any questions they feel are relevant, and they can even alter the setting.
Cons:
The people you select to participate in the qualitative research may all have a particular opinion about the subject matter rather than a group with different views, implying bias in the sample selection.
It takes a long time to gather the data since it takes time to filter through the elements to decide what is useful and what is not.
Some participants may be concerned about privacy, particularly when discussing sensitive matters.
Based on the nature of the research:
3. Descriptive Research
Descriptive research is a type of analysis that outlines the features of the population or issues under study. This type of methodology focuses more on the “what” of the research problem than the “why.” Since the researcher cannot influence the variables in this research design, they can only report the facts precisely as they occurred or are occurring.
The primary methods used in descriptive research include observations, surveys, and case studies. One can use many variables in descriptive research to explain the facts.
Its advantages include a) being effective at analyzing topics and issues that cannot rely on numbers, b) being observable in an unaltered natural environment, and c) taking less time than quantitative experiments.
4. Analytical Research
Analytical research uses proven facts to form the basis for the research. Researchers frequently research to find supporting data that strengthens and authenticates their earlier findings. Also, it helps to develop new concepts related to the research subject. Thus, analytical research combines minute details to produce more tenable hypotheses. The analytical study thus explains why a claim is valid.
There are various ways to conduct this research, including meta-analysis, literary or scientific trials, and learning about public opinion.
Moreover, the researcher carries out a critical evaluation of the material in this method. Analytical methods also often make use of quantitative methods.
Based on the purpose of the study:
5. Applied Research
Action research that only studies one domain and usually generalizes the findings is called applied research. The researcher regards the variables as constant, and the researcher forecasts, making the methods easy to find in applied research.
Applied research aims to solve a current issue facing society or a business/industrial organization. Applied research is considered non-systematic inquiry; a business, government body, or individual typically conducts this research to address a particular issue.
An instance would be a study of marketing tactics to appeal to Millennial’s’ goals in China.
6. Fundamental Research
Formulating a theory and generalizations are the primary concerns of fundamental research. It seeks to discover facts with various applications, supplementing the ideas already known in a specific field or industry.
Several domains are connected, aiming to discover how one can change traditional things or develop something new. One can find the summary in everyday language and apply logical findings in the research.
Some examples of fundamental research are research on generalizing human behavior or research on pure mathematics.
Based on the research design:
7. Exploratory Research
Theories and their explanation are the basis of Exploratory Research. Its goal is only to investigate the study questions, not to provide definitive and conclusive solutions to current problems.
Exploratory research seeks to increase our understanding of the issue rather than offering conclusive evidence. The structure is improper, and the methods offer a flexible and investigative approach. Therefore, one does not test the hypothesis, and the results do not help the outside world. The findings are usually a related topic, which helps improve the research.
Exploratory research is usually qualitative, but a large-sample exploratory study can also be quantitative. Due to its flexible and open-ended nature, it is often known as interpretive research or a grounded theory approach.
8. Conclusive Research
Conclusive research has a clear design in the methodology and intends to answer the research question. A well-thought-out structure helps formulate and solve the hypotheses and gives the results. The results are generic here.
Furthermore, it is essential to establish this study’s research objectives and data requirements, as conclusive research findings typically have a specific purpose. The results of exploratory studies can be validated and quantified using a conclusive research design.
A conclusive research design typically employs quantitative methods of data collection and analysis. In addition, conclusive research frequently takes a deductive research approach.
Based on the type of data: