Research

Qualitative

Data in the form of recorded descriptions rather than numerical measurements. Observations, interviews, negotiation, open ended questions. Gauging understanding and uncovering people's experiences, thoughts, and perceptions.

Quantitative

relating to, measuring, or measured by the quantity of something rather than its quality. Numbers, statistics, grounded figures. Patterns can be identified and interpreted.

Historical Research

Studying, understanding, and interpreting past events. Done by Scouring documents, diaries, and first-hand accounts.

Limitations of historical research?

Criticism, exposing bias, and omissions.

Historiographical Research

Relates to the study of how history is written and interpreted. The study of historical writing rather than history itself

Ethnographic research

Uncovering the shared values, beliefs, behaviours, and language of a culture-sharing group. Researcher spends periods of time in the natural setting combining active observation with interviews and artifact examination.

Purpose of ethnographic research

To produce a "thick description" that translates an insider view (emic) into an analytical outsider explanation (etic).

Advantages of ethnographic research

gives voices to marginalised groups, authentic, rich and detailed context, uncovers the unexpected

Narrative Inquiry

Exploring human experience through individual storytelling, biography, and chronological accounts. The focus is deeply personal, centring on how a person sequences, interprets, and gives meaning to events over the course of their life.

Purpose of narrative inquiry

To understand how personal identity and social context are shaped through the stories people tell, often co-created directly between the storyteller and the researcher.

Advantages of narrative inquiry

humanises research, deep rich data, collaborative relationship between researcher and participant

Phenomenological research

Understanding the lived experience of a specific phenomenon. Researchers interview a group of individuals who have all gone through the same event or state. Putting aside their own preconceptions so they can see the phenomenon strictly through the eyes of the participants.

Advantages of phenomenological research

deep rich data, participant centred, challenges understanding

What are some challenges of ethnographic research, narrative inquiry, and phenomenological research

time-consuming, time consuming, lack of generalisability, subjective, ethical complexities, hard to replicate

Case-Study

An in-depth examination of an extensive amount of information about very few units or cases.

Advantages of case study research

It involves detailed analysis and It can be useful for real-world application.

Limitations of case study research?

Limited generalisability, Researcher bias.

Research in action

If you want to understand something, try to change it. identify the problem, devise a plan, act to implement plan, observe collect and analyse data, reflect and share

In Depth Interview

A 1:1 conversation with open-ended questions. To explore personal experiences, emotions, and motivations.

Advantages of In Depth Interviews

Creates Rich data and they are flexible and offer deep insights into individuals.

Limitations of In Depth Interviews

They can be time-consuming and may have interviewer bias.

Focus Group

A group discussion, usually about 6-10 participants led by a moderator.

Advantages of focus groups

To gather diverse opinions and facilitate idea generation. Can also reveal group dynamics.

Limitations of focus groups

Dominant voices can skew the discussion.There may be less depth per person

Content Analysis

Systematic coding and analysis of texts or media. Studies communication patterns and media trends. It can handle large data and can be both quantitative and qualitative.

limitations of content analysis

It may miss nuance and depends on code accuracy. Can also lead to context loss.

Grounded Research

a methodological approach in which a researcher engages in analysis and data collection concurrently, working back and forth between these processes to develop theoretical explanations of the data

surveys and questionnaires

Structured tools to collect data from a large population using closed-ended questions.

Best uses of surveys and questionnaires

Large-scale studies, public opinion, customer feedback.

advantages of surveys and questionnaires

Cost-effective, scalable, fast, and easy to analyse.

limitations of surveys and questionnaires

May have low response rates or superficial or biased answers.

experimental research

Controlled studies to test cause-and-effect relationships by manipulating variables.

Best uses of experimental research

Scientific research, behavioral studies, and product testing.

advantages of experimental research

Establishes causality, High reliability and repeatable results.

limitations of experimental research

Artificial settings and Ethical concerns with human studies.

Observational Research

Based on the observation of a subject over a period of time. Behaviour is observed and recorded. Choices and decisions are documented and used to inform research

longitudinal study

Observing the same subjects over a long period to track change.

advantages of longitudinal studies

Best for studying development, health outcomes, and behaviour change; captures trends over time; strong internal validity.

disadvantages of longitudinal studies

Can be expensive, time-consuming, and have participant dropout risks.

Cross-sectional studies

Data collected at a single point in time for snapshot analysis.

Best uses of cross-sectional studies

Market research and demographic profiling

advantages of cross-sectional studies

Quick, efficient, and less resource-intensive

limitations of cross-sectional studies

Does not capture change or establish causation

correlational research

Relationships between variables without manipulation. Identifies Patterns through natural observation.

best uses of correlational research

Predictive analysis and early-stage exploration.

advantages of correlational research

It is easy to run.

limitations of correlational research?

It cannot prove causation. Can be influenced by external variables.

Axiology

The study of values and ethics in research.

Methodology

a system of methods used in a particular area of study or activity used to gain knowledge.

Ontology

the branch of metaphysics dealing with the nature of being.

Epistemology

The branch of philosophy that studies knowledge, asks what knowledge is, where it comes from, how we justify it, and the limits of it. About the nature of justification and evidence and helps you evaluate whether information you encounter is reliable or merely an assumption.

Realism / The Realist

believes that one truth exists, the truth doesn't change and can only be discovered through objective measurements.

Relativism / The Relativist

A belief in multiple versions of reality, truth doesn't exist without meaning and truth is shaped by context.

Emic

of, relating to, or involving analysis of cultural phenomena from the perspective of someone who participates in the culture being studied. Subjective, insider perspective, awareness and integration of context and contextual factors, inductive.

Etic

of, relating to, or involving analysis of cultural phenomena from the perspective of someone who does not participate in the culture being studied. Objective measurement, outsider perspective, no context, deductive.