Classification of Research

Classification of Research

• Descriptive Research
• Exploratory Research
• Applied Research
• Fundamental Research/Pure Research
• Quantitative Research
• Qualitative Research
• Conceptual Research
• Empirical Research
• Experimental Research
• Historical Research

Descriptive Research

Descriptive research seeks to provide an accurate description of observations of a phenomenon. It is a fact finding investigation with adequate interpretation. It is the simplest type of research which focuses on particular aspects or dimensions of the problem studied. It is designed to gather descriptive information and provide information for formulating more sophisticated studies. The objective of descriptive research is to map the terrain of a specific phenomenon.

A descriptive study identifies relevant variables but does not aim at testing hypothesis. It applies simple statistical techniques like averages and percentages. In social science and business research the term “Ex Post Facto Research” is used for descriptive research studies.

A study of this type could start with questions such as: ‘What similarities or contrasts exist between A and B? where A and B are different departments in the same organisation, different regional operations of the same firm or different companies in the same industry. Such descriptive comparisons can produce useful insights and lead to hypothesis-formation. Descriptive studies are valuable in providing facts needed for planning social action programmes. Example: A detailed set of data on the profile of clients would be an example of this type of research. By understanding the customer better, sales and marketing management will be able to take better decisions on new product development.

Exploratory Research

Exploratory research is a preliminary study of an unfamiliar problem about which the researcher has little or no knowledge. It involves a literature search or conducting focus group interviews. The exploration of new phenomena in this way may help the researcher’s need for better understanding, may test the feasibility of a more extensive study or determine the best methods to be used in a subsequent study. For these reasons, exploratory research is broad in focus and rarely provides definite answers to specific research issues.

Exploratory means which are not known to us before but has existence. Just if anything discover or unearth or unveil that thing then it will be exploratory research. Exploratory research not only include the things about which man cannot think before but also include the things which are already has been described by someone but you are describing it from different angle or different view point.

The objective of exploratory research is to identify key issues and key variables. For example, one outcome might be a better system of measurement for a specific variable. If the researcher defines the study as exploratory research, then there is a need to clearly define the objectives. e.g.: An example in the business environment might be an exploratory study of a new management technique in order to brief a management team. This would be a vital first step before deciding whether to embrace the technique.

The purpose of an exploratory study may be:

• To generate new ideas.
  
  
• To increase the researcher’s familiarity with the problem.
  
  
• To make a precise formulation of the problem.
  
  
• To gather information for clarifying concepts. (v) To determine whether it is feasible to attempt the study.

Applied Research

Applied research refers to scientific study and research that seeks to solve practical problems. Applied research is used to find solutions to everyday problems, cure illness, and develop innovative technologies.

It is designed to solve practical problems of the modern world, rather than to acquire knowledge for knowledge sake. It is also known as action research. The goal of applied research is to improve the human condition. It focuses on analysis and solving social and real life problems.

This research is generally conducted on a large scale basis. As such, it is often conducted with the support of some financing agency like government, public corporations, World Bank, UNICEF, UGC etc. According to Hunt, “Applied research is an investigation for ways of using scientific knowledge to solve practical problems”. For example: Improve agriculture crop production, treat or cure a specific disease, improve energy efficiency homes and offices, improving communication among workers in large companies.

Applied research can be further classified as problem oriented and problem solving research.

• Problem oriented research: Research is done by industry apex body for sorting out problems faced by all the companies. For example, WTO does problem oriented research for developing countries, In India, agriculture and processed food export development authority (APEDA) conduct regular research for the benefit of Agri-industry
  
  
• Problem solving research: This type of research is done by an individual company for the problem faced by it. Marketing research and market research are typical problem solving research. For example, Videocon international conducts research to study customer satisfaction level. In short, the main aim of applied research is to discover some solution for some pressing practical problem.

Fundamental Research/Pure Research

Pure research advances fundamental knowledge about the human world. It focuses on refuting or supporting theories that explain how this world operates, what makes things happen, why social relations are a certain way and why society changes. Pure research is the source of most new scientific ideas and ways of thinking about the world. It can be exploratory, descriptive or explanatory.

Pure research generates new ideas, principles and theories, which may not be immediately utilized; though are the foundations of modern progress and development in different fields. Today’s computers could not exist without the pure research in mathematics conducted over a century ago, for which there was no known practical application at that time.

It is concerned with generalizations and formulation of theories. It involves developing and testing theories and hypotheses that are intellectually challenging to the researcher but may or may not have practical application at the present time or in the future. “Gathering Knowledge for Knowledge’s sake” is termed as pure research. Research concerning some natural phenomenon or relating to pure mathematics are examples of pure or fundamental research. The knowledge produced through pure research is sought in order to add to the existing body of scientific knowledge.

Quantitative Research

Quantitative research is generally associated with the positivist/post-positivist paradigm. It usually involves collecting and converting data into numerical form so that statistical calculations can be made and conclusions drawn.

Quantitative research is based on measurement of quantity or amount. It aims to measure the quantity or amount and compares it with past records and tries to project for future periods. In social sciences, “Quantitative research refers to the systematic empirical investigation of quantitative properties and phenomena and their relationships”.

The process of measurement is central to quantitative research because it provides fundamental connection between empirical observation and mathematical expression of quantitative relationships. Statistics is the most widely used branch of mathematics in quantitative research. Statistical methods are used extensively in fields such as economics and commerce.

Quantitative research involves the use of structured questions, where the response options have been pre-determined and large number of respondents are involved. For example, Total sales of soap industry in terms of rupees and quantity in terms of for a particular year, say 2012, could be researched, compared with past 5 years and then projection for 2013 could be made.

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research involves looking in-depth at non-numerical data. This is a method of inquiry employed in many different academic disciplines, traditionally in the social sciences, but also in market research and further contexts.

Qualitative research is concerned with qualitative phenomenon.It presents non-quantitative type of analysis. Qualitative research is collecting, analyzing and interpreting data by observing what people do and say. Qualitative research refers to the meanings, definitions, characteristics, symbols, metaphors, and description of things.

Qualitative research is much more subjective and uses very different methods of collecting information, mainly individual, in-depth interviews and focus groups. The nature of this type of research is exploratory and open ended. Small numbers of people are interviewed in depth or a relatively small number of focus groups are conducted. Other techniques include word association tests, sentence completion tests and other projective techniques. Qualitative research is specially important in behavioral sciences.

Qualitative research can be further classified as:

• Phenomenology: A form of research in which the researcher attempts to understand how one or more individuals experience a phenomenon. Example: Researcher might interview 20 victims of Bhopal gas tragedy.
  
  
• Ethnography: This type of research focuses on describing the culture of a group of people. A culture is the shared attributes, values, norms, practices, language and material things of a group of people. Example: Researcher might decide to go and live with the tribals in Andaman island and study the culture and the educational practices.
  
  
• Case study: It is a form of qualitative research that is focused on providing a detailed account of one or more cases.

Conceptual Research

Conceptual research is involves investigation of thoughts and ideas and developing new ideas or interpreting the old ones based on logical reasoning. A conceptual framework is used in research to outline possible courses of action or to present a preferred approach to an idea or thought.

For example, the philosopher Isaiah Berlin used the “hedgehogs” versus “foxes” approach; a “hedgehog” might approach the world in terms of a single organizing principle; a “fox” might pursue multiple conflicting goals simultaneously.

Alternatively, an empiricist might approach a subject by direct examination, whereas an intuitionist might simply intuit what’s next. It is that related to some abstract idea or theory. It is generally used by philosophers and thinkers to develop new concepts or to reinterpret existing ones. Conceptual analysis is the preferred method of analysis in social sciences and philosophy.

Here, a researcher breaks down a theorem or concept into its constituent parts to gain a better understanding of the deeper philosophical issue concerning the theorem. Though this method of analysis has gained popularity, there are sharp critiques of the method. However, most agree that conceptual analysis is a useful method of analysis but should be used in conjunction with other methods of analysis to produce better results.

Empirical Research

It relies on experience or involves observation alone, often without due regard for system and theory. It is data-based research, with analyses coming up with conclusions, which are capable of being verified by observation or experiment. Such research is thus, characterized by the experimenter’s control over the variables under study and his deliberate manipulation of one of them to study its effects.

Empirical research is appropriate when proof is sought that certain variables affect other variables in some way. Evidence gathered through experiments or empirical studies is today considered to be the most powerful support possible for a given hypothesis. Research design varies by field and by the questions being investigated. Many researchers combine qualitative and quantitative forms of analysis to better answer questions which cannot be studied in laboratory settings, particularly in the social sciences and in education.

Experimental Research

Experimental research is designed to assess the effects of particular variables on a phenomenon by keeping the other variables constant or controlled. It aims at determining whether and in what manner variables are related to each other. The factor which is influenced by other factors is called a dependent variable and the other factors which influence it are known as independent variables. It is conducted mostly in laboratories in the context of basic research. The principle advantage of experimental designs is that it provides the opportunity to identify cause and effect relationships.

Non-experimental research (case studies, surveys, correlation studies) is non-manipulative observational research usually conducted in natural settings. While laboratory controlled experimental studies tend to be higher in internal validity, non-experimental studies tend to be higher in external validity. One major limitation of experimental research is that studies are typically conducted in contrived or artificial laboratory settings.

Results may not generalize or extrapolate to external settings. Two exceptions to this rule are natural experiments and field experiments. Natural experiments document and compare the behaviors of subjects before and after some natural event; e.g., floods, tornadoes, hurricanes. Field experiments involve manipulating conditions in the natural setting for the purpose of determining their influence on behavior. The field experiment is unique as it tends to be moderately high on both external and internal validity.

In experimental research, the investigator manipulates conditions for the purpose of determining their effect on behavior. Subjects should be unaware of their membership in an experimental group so that they don’t act differently (Hawthorne Effect). In the simplest experimental design, investigators administer a placebo to the control group and a treatment to the experimental group. Experimental designs vary in terms of subjects’ assignments to different groups, whether subjects were pre-tested, whether different treatments were administered to different groups, and the number of variables being investigated.

Experiments are typically structured in terms of independent, organism, and dependent variables. The independent variable is a manipulated environmental stimulus dimension, the organism- variable is some dimension (e.g., sex, race) of more or less stable characteristics of the organism, and the dependent variable is a behavioral dimension that reflects the influence of the independent and organism-variables. The general objective in experimental research is to define the relationship between the antecedent (independent and organism) variables and the consequent (dependent) variables.

Historical Research

It refers to the induction of principles through research into the past and social forces which have shaped the present. It is the process of systematically studying past records with a view to reconstruct the origin and development of an institution or a movement or a system and discovering trends in the past.

It is not a mere accumulation of facts and dates or even a description of past events. It is a flowing, dynamic account of past events which involves an interpretation of these events in an attempt to recapture the nuances, personalities and ideas that influenced these events. One of the goals of historical research is to communicate an understanding of past events. It is a difficult task as it must often depend on inference and logical analysis of recorded data and indirect evidences rather than upon direct observation.

The following gives five important reasons for conducting historical research:

• To uncover the unknown (i.e., some historical events are not recorded).
  
  
• To answer questions (i.e., there are many questions about our past that we not only want to know but can profit from knowing).
  
  
• To identify the relationship that the past has to the present (i.e., knowing about the past can frequently give a better perspective of current events).
  
  
• To record and evaluate the accomplishments of individuals, agencies or institutions. To assist in understa