Research methods for Dummies
Types of data Qualitative data: Qualitative data is used within market research and generally in the social sciences. This type of data involves a lot more depth, looking at expression of thoughts, feelings, attitudes and values, to compare and make links.
Quantitative data: This is data that is presented through numbers and statistics, generally used to compare and identify trends between people and their behaviour/attitude. This type of research allows the researcher to produce hard facts, and is reliable as it can be reproduced.
Typesofresearch Primary research: This is research done by the researcher. This includes research methods such as experiments, questionnaires, interviews (informal/ formal) and many more.
Secondary research: This is research is also known as desk research, it is used by a researcher but it is not original as it is someone else’s findings. This includes research methods such as health figures, births and deaths, crime figures and others.
Advantages-Primary
There are many advantages to using primary research. The main advantage is the fact that it is reliable, as it is a first hand account and is carried out by the researcher themselves. Another advantage is the fact that funds will be spent effeciently, as opposed to secondary research where the researcher may spend for material that is not relevant. Participant and non - participant observation - This is observation where the researcher is involved, and non - participant observation is where the researcher observes. The most effective would be participant observation, as the researcher can gain an insight into the chosen topic. Within observation, comes covert and overt observation. Covert - This is where the participants are not aware of the researcher’s identity. Overt - This is where the participants are aware of the researcher’s identity.
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Disadvantages-Primary As well as advantages, there are disadvantages to primary research. Although there is the fact that funds will be spend effeciently, there is the matter of expenses for the primary research carried out. It will also be time consuming as the researcher will have to search for and gather information by themselves. Also, if research is covert, there are ethical issues such as deception, as the researcher is not telling the participants of the experiment, their real identity. However, if the research is overt, there is the issue that the participants may change their behaviour as they know they are being studied; this is known as the Hawthorne effect.
Advantages-Secondary In comparison to primary research, secondary research also has many advantages. Secondary research can be conducted through the gathering of information from articles from newspapers or magazines, extracts from books or memoires or access to government official statistics such as police records. One main advantage is the ease of access to things such as newspapers, books and other public means of research. Secondary research is also a lot more cost effective if research is done by the researcher alone, as any information needed is easily accessable, and little to no time needs to be spent researching, so it is less time consuming.
Disadvantages-Secondary Like the primary methods of research, secondary research has a few disadvantages. This type of research is deemed unreliable as it is not written by the researcher and it can not be guaranteed that it is reliable and valid sources have been used. The information may also not be relevant and specific to the researcher’s needs. Secondary research can have proprietary issues such as previous researchers copyrighting their work and information, causing issues for the current researcher as they would have to contact the owner for permission, which can be time consuming.