Critical Comparison between Questionnaires and Focus Groups - Essay Example

This research will begin with the definition of research as a systematic or scientific way of searching for knowledge. Research provides answers to questions by uncovering hidden truths. An individual can conduct a research to familiarise with a certain phenomenon or discover new insights on a familiar phenomenon. Research can also be conducted to test formulated hypothesis on a phenomenon or describe the characteristics of the object under study. Therefore, the kind of research approach that an individual utilises is based on the purpose and objective of the research.

Research can be categorised in many ways. One such way is descriptive versus analytical research. Descriptive research is conducted to investigate various aspects of a phenomenon. A researcher in this case aims at finding out facts about research objects. It may include surveys and enquires on the current situation in the researcher’s area of interest. In a descriptive research, the researcher simply reports facts about variables. The researcher has no control of over variables and cannot manipulate them in the study.

Therefore, the researcher gives a description of variables as they exist in their natural environment. Descriptive research is useful in measuring objects. In this kind of research, different methods are used depending on the nature of the study and the researcher’s preferences. Comparative and correlation research methods are used in descriptive research. Analytical research involves using the facts collected on a phenomenon to evaluate that phenomenon. Therefore, the researcher does not just gather facts about research objects but also uses those facts to analyse or make judgements about the objects under study (Kumar 2008, p.

6; Kothari 2008, p.2). Research can also be categorised as fundamental or applied research. Applied research differs from fundamental research in that it seeks to provide an immediate solution to an existing problem. Fundamental research will generalise a problem and develop theories of how the problem began or how it can be solved. Thus, multiple solutions may be generated and analysed in fundamental research but the researcher gives his or her recommendation on the ideal solutions. Fundamental research is often referred to as basic research because an individual gathers facts for the sake of adding to their level of knowledge.

Applied research is conclusive and provides solutions to research questions or actual problems in the area of study. Therefore, basic or fundamental research adds to the existing body of scientific knowledge while applied research provides solutions to problems (Ethridge 2004, p. 20). Research can be categorised as conceptual or empirical. Conceptual research is based on theories and is used to develop new concepts about a phenomenon. This research can also be used to reinforce or interpret existing concepts and theories.

Empirical research does not consider the existing theories but relies on observation. This type of research is based on data collected and conclusions are drawn based on observations. Empirical research is experimental and a researcher collects firsthand information on phenomenon. The research may manipulate things in an environment to achieve the desired results. Empirical research in most cases starts with a hypothesis or expected results from an experiment. The data collected in this case will be used to test hypothesis.

Empirical research is used to describe relationships between two or more variables (Kumar 2008, p. 8; Burns 1992, p. 195). Research can be categorised as either quantitative or qualitative. This is the most common categorisation of research. Quantitative research is based on measurable variables. The main objective in quantitative research is to generalise collected data. Qualitative research focuses on collecting information on immeasurable variables such as human behaviour, emotions and feelings among