A Brief Introduction to Types of Research Methods

A research methodology is a set of methods and techniques used to present the research clearly. In addition to enhancing the research process, they allow more insight into how research is carried out. A good methodology statement explains the methods used in research and presents an idea in a way that’s easy to understand and can vary from researcher to researcher. There are various ways to explain ideas in the research, and we will look at some of them in this article. The type of method selected by the researcher depends purely on their skill and the selection has no requirements. The methods must satisfy the researchers.

Types of Research Methodology

Methods of research can be classified based on a variety of criteria. Among these are a general category, the type of study, the purpose of the study, and the research design. A Pinewriters research methodology section includes interviews as well as case studies. Depending on the research study, one or more methods may be combined, while in others only a few methods are considered.

• Quantitative Research

It is a type of analysis in which data is collected based on numerical values, and the results are summarized by numbers. The use of graphs in quantitative research helps to quantify the results.

• Qualitative Research

The qualitative element in research refers to the elements that are not numerical. Qualitative research comes to the rescue when data or information cannot be grasped in numerical terms. Quantitative research has higher reliability than qualitative research, however qualitative research can form a more comprehensive picture through understanding the theories in the data.

• Descriptive Research

Facts are clarified through survey and case study methods which are descriptive methods. In addition to determining and explaining with examples, they provide facts that can’t be rejected.   It is possible to use many variables to explain the facts in descriptive research.

• Analytical Research

Based on established facts, analytical research uses those as the basis for its investigation; critical analysis is used to assess the evidence. Quantitative methods can also be incorporated into analytical methods.

• Applied Research

Action research involves a single domain and generalized facts, whereas applied research focuses only on one domain. Applied research can easily be found out using the methods since variables are assumed constants in forecasting. In the research, technical language is used, and in the summary, technical facts are utilized.

• Fundamental Research

It is important to realize that fundamental research is the study of something that has never been studied before. This project connects several different domains and shows how traditional things can be transformed into new ones or how new things can develop. There is no technical language used in the summary, just common language and logical conclusions are drawn from the research.

• Exploratory Research

An exploratory study is based on theories and their explanations but does not provide any conclusions for the topic under study. A flexible and investigative approach was offered by the methods and the structure does not correspond to the objectives. Because the hypothesis has not been tested, the results are not very useful to other people. Research findings will revolve around a particular topic that will contribute to improving the study more.

• Conclusive Research

The goal of conclusive research is to provide a wide range of knowledge on the research topic with an adequate methodology. In the formulation and solution of hypotheses, a well-designed structure gives the results. This will be a generic result that will help the rest of the world. The researchers will have inner satisfaction in resolving problems and improving society in general.

• Surveys

Surveys are a crucial part of any research methodology, not to mention the least considered piece. Researchers benefit from it because it enables them to collect vast amounts of real-time data. This method is easy and inexpensive and can be performed quicker than any other method. It is possible to conduct surveys quantitatively and qualitatively. Qualitative surveys should always be preferred over quantitative ones since they provide numerical data and the results are real. Business surveys are usually conducted to determine market demand for a particular product and to estimate production quantities based on the results.

• Case Studies

An alternative method of research is case studies, which consider different cases before selecting one that is suitable for the research. Studying case studies gives researchers an understanding of the research and helps them to form the research’s foundation. The case studies provide a wealth of facts and theories that can be considered while reviewing the topic. Literature reviews from studies allow researchers to specify or generalize the topic. It is possible to gain a proper understanding of the research by looking at the case study.

To know the research methods in a well-defined way, we also conducted focus groups and research interviews. Various methods can be used to follow structured and unstructured methods.

Benefits of Using Different Research Methodologies

• The critical evaluation of a topic is essential to the analysis and verification of the research. Research can be explored more effectively in this way. The research is explored from a variety of perspectives and the results are analyzed factually in a fact-driven manner using various methods.
• Surveys and quantitative methods provide quantitative results that aid in all the research. By using numbers, the thesis can be formed very easily without much explanation.
• It is important to use reliable researches and methods for making them applicable and relevant to the topic and in a general sense. Researchers use numerous techniques to formulate their research area and enhance their knowledge.

Conclusion

The following statements make clear that when conducting any type of research, there are certain methods to follow to ensure good or accurate results. Research Methodology, i.e., the use of Research Methodology, as well as types of Research Methodology, is essential for knowing all of the ‘how’s of any given Research. 

A researcher can systematically design the study using any of the types of Research Methodology to obtain reliable results. The Research Methodology section should also argue that the method selected is the best one for obtaining the desired result. When a research methodology is sound, it leads to scientifically sound results, but if the methodology is flawed, it does not. Thus, according to this, the researcher has to apply a reliable and sound type of research methodology in their research to get an accurate result.