Introduction to Research Methods: Choosing the Effective Method for the Research - Essay Example

? Introduction to Research Methods Introduction Research Questions Different types of research methods are taken into consideration in terms of conducting a project. Research methods that are generally chosen one over the other or in forming a combination are Secondary, Primary, Qualitative and Quantitative. Similarly another type of a research method chosen relates to the Case Study type. In the light of the above statement the project tends to focus on understanding on the following research questions highlighted as follows. What points should be taken into consideration on deciding on the type of research methodology or combination of them to be incorporated? What procedure enhances the applicability of the research methodology processes relating to the research conducted? Background to the Storyline Hucker (2001) observes that a researcher tends to make definite choices over different types of research methods in the course of conducting a research in an effective fashion. The researcher may focus on gathering information all by oneself from the larger market or may depend on large amount of data sets whether published physically or available online to conduct the research needed. The course of gathering information from the larger available market through the identification of a target population holds to be Primary Research while that which focuses on gathering information rendered by others relating to the same topic holds to be of Secondary Research type. Hucker (20001) further states that available information relating to Secondary Research methods is gained through the avid study of large number of journals, books, articles, government publications and other type of data sources available whether in print and online form. These data sources help the researcher to gain hold of authentic information related to the research question where information is obtained from different peers. Secondary research also helps the researcher to save both cost and time related to the research activity. Similarly Primary Research methods are found to be in use through the construction of questionnaires through which interview is conducted over a sample population. Herein the researcher is required to understand and evaluate on the type of questionnaire to be constructed whether structured or semi-structured or fully unstructured in nature to assist in gaining the right type of information sought. Qualitative and Quantitative Research methods gain emergence on the pattern of research activity taken depending on non-statistical or incorporation of statistical research conducts. However in many cases as Hucker (2001) states that the process of triangulation is followed where the researcher is required to incorporate or combine different research methods for conducting a total project (Hucker, 2001, p.8-11). Literature Review Types of Research Methods Kothari (2009) observes reflects that based on the needs of different types of researches a variety of research methodologies have come into existence. Firstly where the researcher is required to conduct the research based on historical or already existing information focus is rendered from gaining the same through library research techniques. Herein the researcher tends to use contents gained from literary sources or other information sources like recordings audio or print to formulate the research. Similarly where the researcher is required to gain current information from the field the research types are generally experimental or exploratory in nature. Herein the researcher is required to formulate different questions whether structured or unstructured to conduct interviews on a targeted sample population and thereby to gain needed inferences and information. Questionnaires are rendered either by mailers or telephonic interview is conducted over the target population. Similarly, Kothari (2009) also focuses on the use of Case Study based research where the focus of the research is narrowed down to a particular issue that bears representation to the research objectives (Kothari, 2009, p.7). Colwell (2006) states that the emergence of different types of research methodologies sparks out in relation to the nature of queries framed in the course of the research taken. In general the category or nature of research methodologies are taken to be either historical or experimental in nature. In that the researcher is required to understand and evaluate as what type of research methods would be the best in providing the information required for rendering effective inferences to the research taken. Similarly the researcher is also required to explore whether a combination of the different research methods available would be suitable to gain the needed knowledge. Colwell (2006) also reinstates that different research methods tend to present the picture of the reality ought to be explored in a variegated fashion. Therefore to gain the most effective and relative picture the researcher is required to have effective control on the manner of choosing and incorporating the research methods (Colwell, 2006, p.6). Focusing on Choosing the Effective Method for the Research Steinberg and Steinberg (2005) states that a researcher focuses on selecting the right research method through relating the same to the goals and objectives stated pertaining to the research carried out. The researcher herein is required to understand whether the research can be conducted based on existing data sets or new and current information from the market or field is required to be obtained. Similarly the researcher needs to strike a balance pertaining to the mode of use of qualitative and quantitative methods in drawing needed inferences. Steinberg and Steinberg (2005) further states the process of triangulation is incorporated in a research through the combined incorporation of research methods like secondary and primary such that they highlighting on the same type of results tends to enhance the assertiveness of the research findings (Steinberg and Steinberg, 2005, p.60-61). Andrew, Pederson and McEvoy (2011) observe that different types of research methodologies whether descriptive or experimental in approach tend to reflect different amounts of advantages and disadvantages. The researcher is thereby required to continually evaluate the impacts and the efficacy of the same in gaining useful and potential findings to the research taken before incorporating the same in the research pursuits (Andrew, Pederson and McEvoy, 2011, p.46). Sebastian et al (2010) observes that the researcher suffering from lack of experience and knowledge tends to get confused about choosing the right research method that would contribute to the specific findings required for the research incorporated. Thus an effective research team needs to be designed that would help in minimization of the risks involved relating to the different research methodologies incorporated in a combined fashion to meet the research objective (Sebastian et al, 2010, p. 463). Advantages or the Applicability of the Research Methods Stewart and Kamins (1992) observe that Secondary Research methodology tends to have distinct set of advantages over its near counterpart, Primary Research methodology. In that the most specific advantages relate to the parameters of time and cost factors. A large amount of literary information being available on the internet in the form of books, journals, periodicals and other types of publishing help the researcher to gain such in a highly fast manner. Thus the researcher also does not require gaining hold of external parties that would help them in gaining needed information thereby also saving on cost. Further secondary research is also found to help the researcher in gaining the needed support and background in conducting an effective research activity (Stewart and Kamins, 1992, p.5). Onkvisit and Shaw (2008) observe that Primary Research is incorporated by the researcher focusing on some specific efficacies related to it. Primary Research helps the researcher to gain the current information related to the research question. Being exploratory it also helps in rendering the right feedback of the targeted audience relating to the research question and thus helps in drawing needed inferences. Finally the research process helps in gaining of current and required data thereby limiting the existence of large volumes of unused data that enhances the quality of the research (Onkvisit and Shaw, 2008, p.216). Stanley (2006) observes that the mode of Qualitative based research gains application in areas where the mode of research focuses on conducting an exploratory search in understanding the behavioral responses of the selected sample towards the issue drawn. Thus the mode of Qualitative research gains application through the designing of open-ended or unstructured questionnaires that would help in gaining inferences based on an in-depth analysis (Stanley, 2006, p.94). Block (2006) focuses that like qualitative research methodology the pattern of quantitative research methodology gains more applicability in a situation where the research tends to render statistical inferences in the paper thereby enhancing the meaningfulness of the same. Moreover the use of quantitative research methodology focuses on the construction of structured questionnaires thereby helping in gaining ratings of the different responses (Block, 2006, p.98). Zechmeister, Zechmeister and Shaughnessy (2009) state that the process of case study based research is best applicable when the researcher focuses to gain information pertaining to different angles in relation to the research objectives or questions underlined. It helps in narrowing down the research to the study of a definite case that in turn opens avenues to the researcher for further research (Zechmeister, Zechmeister and Shaughnessy, 2009, p.215). The Process of Triangulation Jamison (2006) observes that through the process of triangulation the researcher tends to combine different research methods pertaining to both experimental and descriptive type thereby asserting on the authenticity of the inferences drawn. Moreover the combination of qualitative and quantitative research methods contributes in enhancing the mode of probe or investigation rendered (Jamison, 2006, p.2). Nykiel (2007) states the process of triangulation rendered in the use of qualitative and quantitative research methodology helps the researcher to address the gaps gained had such research processes been used in a singular fashion. Similarly the use of secondary research in addition to the primary research enhances the parameter of authenticity of the findings (Nykiel, 2007, p.72-73). Results In general different types of research methods exist both of descriptive and experimental type that are incorporated by the researcher from time to time pertaining to the drawing of needful inferences to the research question. However the pattern of dealing with different types of methodologies tends to reflect on different types of reality over which the researcher requires to have adequate control to effectively fulfill the research objectives. Thus as Colwell (2006) puts it, “….different types or modes of research yield different pictures of reality….we also need to be clearer about what realities we are interested in exploring through research” (Colwell, 2006, p.6). Effectiveness of the research is ensured in the fashion where the researcher becomes able to identify the right research process or methodology that would help in generating effective and needful inferences and thereby in meeting the objectives taken to fulfill through the research pursued. In the light of the above situation, Steinberg and Steinberg (2005) reflect on a specific pattern of research methodology where the researcher ideally gains the potential of incorporating two or more types of research methods in fulfilling the research objective. The authors put, “When data collected using multiple methods points to a similar result, your confidence in your results is strengthened” (Steinberg and Steinberg, 2005, p.61). The main aim of the researcher is to focus on the understanding of incorporating which research methodology for the research process such that it helps in meeting the objectives of the research. Thus where the pattern of research requires gaining view of the behavior and attitudes of the respondents relating to the issue of the research the mode of qualitative research is taken to be the best. This is further reinstated by Stanley as he puts it, “Qualitative research uses field-based approaches to understand human experiences in settings where context is significant” (Stanley, 2006, p.94). Similarly the use of Primary Research gains acceptance where the researcher is required to gain current information from the field relating to the research questions and objectives formulated in course of the research. Moreover the incorporation of the Primary Research activities helps the researcher in gaining hold of needed data and information such that it can help in reducing the amount of passive data gained from different sources. Thus as Onkvisit and Shaw (2008) puts it, “…major advantage of primary data is that the information is specific, relevant and up-to-date” (Onkvisit and Shaw, 2008, p.216). Thus it is found that combination of different research methods like quantitative along with the qualitative contributes to the gaining of much detailed inferences in the course of the research taken. Both the methods tied together helps in reducing gaps that tend to emerge for as Nykiel (2007) puts it, “it is also possible to follow a quantitative study with a qualitative one, where the objective is to build upon the survey findings by examining the sample in greater depth” (Nykiel, 2007, p.72). Discussion There are various kinds of research methods, which can be used for the process of accomplishment and generation of outputs and the results for the desired set of population or respondents. The most important factor is to maintain the level of high efficiency as well as applicability in regards to the research objective. Like as mentioned in the earlier part of this project, research methods which can vary widely depending on the circumstances and the topic can be either secondary or primary in nature. In general it can be said that if the researcher is having a research topic with regards to a subject where vast amount of previously handled and executed valid data from reliable sources are available, then it is always effective and incredible wise to first research the secondary data that is available and then opt for gathering primary data. Hence it can be increasingly stated that the secondary research methods often enables the researcher to decide about whether to proceed for the purpose of obtaining primary data or whether he or she can simply settle down and proceed with the next phase of the research on the basis of the data that has been collected from the usage of secondary research methods and techniques. (Stewart & Kammins, 1993, p. 14). Care has to be taken in this case by the researcher not to discard consistently valid information from the data sources of the secondary category without the proper evaluation of the data. The important factor in this case is the timeline about when the data for the secondary source has been collected. Usage of secondary data has significant level of benefits ranging from the availability of information at a very low cost or for free. Also, a vital factor that also needs to be taken in to account is that the researcher does not have to waste the various essential resources like the finance and the manpower which is considered as highly critical assets in the recent times. Apart from the process of using the secondary research methods, the researchers have the ability to focus on the primary research methods. This is what can be termed essentially as the process of triabulation. Essentially it can be said that the primary research methods are employed by the researcher with an effort to gather real time data from the related environment of the target audience for the sole purpose of better understanding of the behavioral patterns of the respondents as well as the intended target audience at large. However, one vital factor that has to be taken in to account by the researcher is the fact that the process of selection of primary research methods will lead to the expense related to finance as well as the necessary manpower. It can be mentioned in this context, there are various nature of primary data that can be proposed to be collected by the researcher. The researcher can opt for the qualitative or the quantitative kind of primary data. The qualitative research brings into foray the open ended nature of discussion from the respondents which help the researchers to interpret the attitude of the respondents with regards to a particular topic or subject. On the other hand, it can be said that the process of usage of quantitative nature of primary research leads to the gathering of selective responses from the respondents by the process of using a potential and pretested survey instrument, which makes the primary nature of this sort a close ended one. The researcher needs to interpret and evaluate the responses provide by the respondents of the survey instrument by the process of using various statistical tools and techniques for the purpose of getting the results related to the research topic. (Malhotra & Dash, 2009, p. 143) Conclusion On a concluding note, it can be said that the researcher needs to increasingly take into account the various possible consequences that may affect the outcome of the research by the process of their selection of the research methods and techniques. The researcher can increasingly choose to opt for the either the secondary or primary research methodology depending on the need of the project. Another factor that has to be increasingly taken into account is the fact that the researcher needs to evaluate the requirements of the primary research methodology with relation to the project or research topic only after careful evaluation of the available secondary research from various secondary sources. This will increasingly benefit the researcher from the process of incurring unnecessary and additional expense of time, energy, manpower as well as finance. Thus, the researcher needs to justify the need for the conduction of a primary market research based methodology on the basis of the availability of information from the secondary research methods. In case the researcher feels the data that has been collected as a process of the secondary market research is not sufficient enough to support the related research project and that there is a tremendous need for a primary market research methodology, he or she needs to decide on the kind or the nature of primary research that will be instrumental in the process of generating value for the related research or project topic. Also by using the process of triangulation, the researcher can simply integrate the data and the various related insights and information, that they have gained as the process of the conduction of various kinds of research methodology which may be increasingly a combination of both primary and secondary in nature. References Andrew, D.P.S., Pederson, P., and McEvoy, C. (2011). Research Methods and Design in Sport Management. United States: Human Kinetics. Block, D. J. (2006). Healthcare Outcomes Management: Strategies for Planning And Evaluation. 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