8 Types of Research Methods: Definitions

In this article, you will learn about the different research methods and their definitions. Research methods are techniques used to answer a research question.

A research method is a way of gathering information about a topic that aids in answering a given question or set of questions. Research methods can be categorized into primary, secondary, qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods.

Each method has its own pros and cons depending on the type of data being collected and the problem being researched. How you go about researching your topic is key to coming up with a solution. Let’s take a look at each one in detail:

What is a Research Method?

A research method is a process or set of procedures used to conduct research. A researcher may use one or more methods to collect and analyze data for a research study. A research method is also known as a research design.

When you conduct research, you aim to answer a question or series of questions. To answer these questions, you need to collect data. There are different methods you can use to collect data. The method you choose depends on the type of data you need to collect and the type of research you are doing.

Types of research methods:

1. Primary Research

2. Secondary Research

3. Qualitative Research

4. Quantitative Research

5. Mixed Methods

6. Descriptive Research

7. Experimental Research

8. Market Research

Research is conducted with the purpose of achieving several goals:

1. Identify potential and new customers: By understanding market trends and demographics, research helps in pinpointing potential customer segments and new market opportunities.
2. Understand existing customers: Research helps in gaining insights into the behavior, preferences, and needs of current customers, allowing businesses to tailor their products or services to better meet those needs.
3. Set pragmatic goals: Through research, businesses can gather data and analyze market conditions to set realistic and achievable goals that align with their capabilities and resources.
4. Develop productive market strategies: Research provides the necessary information to develop effective marketing strategies, including product positioning, pricing strategies, and promotional tactics, to reach target audiences and achieve business objectives.
5. Address business challenges: Research helps in identifying and understanding challenges or obstacles faced by the business, enabling informed decision-making and strategic planning to overcome them.
6. Put together a business expansion plan: By analyzing market trends, consumer behavior, and competitive landscape, research aids in formulating expansion plans that capitalize on growth opportunities while mitigating risks.
7. Identify new business opportunities: Research helps in identifying emerging trends, niche markets, or untapped segments that present opportunities for diversification or expansion of business operations.

What are the characteristics of research?

Good research involves a systematic approach to ensure the collection of accurate data. Researchers must adhere to ethical standards and codes of conduct while observing or drawing conclusions.

Analysis is grounded in logical reasoning and employs both inductive and deductive methods. Real-time data and knowledge are acquired through direct observations in natural settings. There is a thorough examination of all collected data to prevent any anomalies.

Research stimulates the generation of new questions, leveraging existing data to explore further avenues. It is analytical, utilizing all available data to avoid ambiguity in interpretation.

One of the most important parts of research is accuracy. The data needs to be precise and up to date. For instance, labs offer a controlled environment for data collection. The instruments utilised, the tools’ calibrations, and the outcome of the experiment are all used to measure accuracy.

purpose of research

The purpose of research can be categorized into three main types:

1. Exploratory Research: This type of research is conducted to explore new problem areas or questions. It aims to gather initial insights and lay the groundwork for further investigation. The findings may not provide definitive conclusions but help in identifying areas for more focused study.
2. Descriptive Research: Descriptive research aims to expand knowledge on current issues by collecting data and describing the behavior of a sample population. It focuses on describing, explaining, and validating findings related to a specific topic or phenomenon. Only one variable is typically examined in descriptive studies.
3. Explanatory Research: Also known as causal research, this type seeks to understand the impact of specific changes or interventions on existing standard procedures. Experiments are commonly used in explanatory research to establish causal relationships between variables. For example, it may investigate the effects of rebranding on customer loyalty to determine the causal relationship between the two variables.

How to start research?

The research process starts by formulating the right questions and selecting an appropriate method to investigate the problem at hand. Once data is collected, analyzing the findings or observations enables drawing reasonable conclusions.

In customer and market studies, the comprehensiveness of your questions directly impacts the quality of analysis. By gathering customer data through surveys and questionnaires, you gain valuable insights into brand perception and product needs. These insights empower informed decision-making regarding marketing strategies to effectively position your business.

Utilizing a research repository can streamline the study’s interpretation and expedite insight generation. Centralizing research data in a single source of truth within your organization facilitates efficient management and accessibility of research findings.

1. Primary Research

Primary research refers to information derived from a new investigation, including a survey, experiment or the generation of hypotheses.

These methods are used when no information has been gathered from the topic before or the existing data is insufficient to draw conclusions. Primary research is used when there is no published information about the topic being studied, when there is a need for a new perspective, or when the existing data is insufficient.

Primary research can be either quantitative (e.g., focus groups, surveys) or qualitative (e.g., observations, in-depth interviews). The data collected during primary research is original and has not been published before. Primary research can be conducted in any industry, but it is most often used in social sciences and humanities.

2. Secondary Research

Secondary research is research that has already been conducted by others. This type of research is used when an important amount of information is already available. Secondary research can be conducted on data from a variety of sources, from academic journals to government reports to newspapers.

Secondary research takes data from published sources and analyzes it further to draw new conclusions. This can be done for any type of data, whether it comes from surveys, experiments, or observations. This can be helpful when you are working on a short time frame, have a limited budget, or are working in a new industry.

3. Qualitative Research

Qualitative research refers to the process of gathering data that is focused on understanding people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This type of research explores the “why” behind people’s actions and is often used when conducting behavioral research.

Qualitative researchers often use open-ended questions and unstructured interviews. This allows them to explore a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in more depth than quantitative researchers.

Qualitative research methods encompass various types, including:

1. Focus Groups
2. One-to-one Interviews
3. Ethnographic Studies
4. Case Studies
5. Text Analysis

4. Quantitative Research

Quantitative research refers to gathering data that is focused on measuring and analyzing facts with numbers.

This method is used when you want to uncover facts, such as the percentage of people who are satisfied with a product or service. This type of research is often used in exploratory research or when you want to test a hypothesis or make predictions.

Quantitative researchers often use structured interviews or questionnaires to explore a larger group of people. They use numbers to analyze the data they gather. Quantitative researchers also use standardized scales to measure a person’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. They often use numbers to represent facts.

Quantitative research methods include:

1. Descriptive Research
2. Correlational Research
3. Survey Research

5. Mixed Method

Mixed methods research employs more than one type of research in the same study. Typically, one type of research is qualitative and the other quantitative, but the relationship between the two may vary.

One advantage of mixed methods research is the ability to address the limitations of one method by combining it with another. Mixed methods is often used for exploratory research, as you are more likely to discover new information when using more than one method.

6. Descriptive Research

Descriptive research refers to the process of collecting data to describe a current situation or condition. This type of research is often conducted in the beginning stages of the research process to gather information about the topic.

Descriptive research can be used in any industry, but it is most commonly used in social sciences and humanities research. It can be used to describe the demographics of a group, the health of a group, the effectiveness of a treatment, or any other relevant information.

7. Experimental Research

Experimental research refers to the process of gathering data that has been manipulated and controlled to determine cause and effect relationships. This type of research is often used when the researcher wants to draw conclusions about a certain group of people or when they want to test a hypothesis or theory.

Experimental researchers often use random sampling and control groups to gather accurate data. They may also manipulate one or more variables to prove that one thing causes another. Experimental researchers are often found in the hard sciences.

8. Market Research

Market research is the process of gathering data about current and future demand for a product or service.

This type of research is often used in the product development process. Market research often begins with the creation of a market research plan. A research plan lays out how the data will be collected, who will collect it, how long the research will take, and how much it will cost.

Market research is often conducted by gathering data from surveys, focus groups, customer interviews, and data analysis. Market researchers use the data they gather to inform business decisions, such as what to make, where to sell it, and when to sell it.

tips for conducting research

Here are tips for conducting research:

1. Define Research Goals: Clearly identify the main trends, issues, opportunities, and problems relevant to your study. Write a concise sentence describing each observation.
2. Track Findings: Keep a record of how frequently each main finding appears during your research process.
3. Prioritize Findings: Create a list of your findings, arranging them from most to least common.
4. Conduct SWOT Analysis: Evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats identified in your research using a SWOT analysis.
5. Draw Conclusions and Recommendations: Based on your findings, prepare conclusions and recommendations for your study.
6. Implement Strategies: Take action on the conclusions and recommendations derived from your research.
7. Address Information Gaps: Identify any gaps in the information and consider conducting additional inquiries if necessary to fill those gaps.
8. Review and Analyze Results Efficiently: Plan to review the results and employ efficient methods to analyze and interpret them.
9. Align with Research Goals: Before concluding your study, review your initial goals. Ensure that the process and data collected effectively address your research questions, facilitating the identification of conclusions and recommendations.

Conclusion

The best research method for you to use depends on the type of data you need to collect and the type of research you are doing.

Ultimately, you want to choose a research method that is best for your situation. There are many considerations to keep in mind when planning your research project. From defining your research question to choosing a research method that fits your situation, there are many things to keep in mind.

When conducting research, it is important to keep an open mind and avoid coming to conclusions too soon. While there are benefits to being organized and methodical, it is also important to be flexible and open to new ideas as you learn more about your topic.

Other articles

Please read through some of our other articles with examples and explanations if you’d like to learn more about research methodology.