StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Descriptive Research - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The design allows for a detailed investigation about one subject because it can effectively determine its unique characteristics…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER91.8% of users find it useful
Descriptive Research
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Descriptive Research"

Descriptive Research Methods Case study: Unlike most research methodologies that investigate a group of people, a case study is concerned with one individual or one case. The design allows for a detailed investigation about one subject because it can effectively determine its unique characteristics. (Thomas, Nelson & Silverman, 2010, p. 20) Because of this, the data generated to describe events or situations are more accurate. Its main limitations include lack of objectivity because there is no statistics involved, potential error in selecting cases and the cost of the research.

Archival Research: This descriptive research technique is all about investigating existing records and documents, examining them for an entirely new purpose. (Myers & Hansen, 2011, p. 85) The beauty of this method is that it combines all information and data collected previously, resulting to a comprehensive and authoritative descriptive study. There is a wealth of information available and they can be cross-referenced and compared even from different periods. As with the case of historical research, the main problem for this model is the quality of the source.

Historians, scholars and researchers have their respective biases or selective memory resulting in redacted, misinterpreted or wrong information.Observational Research: This method observes behaviors in the participants natural setting and the data gathered are then analyzed. (Thomas, Nelson & Silverman, p. 20) The fundamental advantage is that instead of merely relying on what was said by the research subjects, the researchers actually see what they are doing. The main drawback is the inability of the researcher to determine motivations and intentions behind behaviors as well as the subjects feelings.

It is clear that each of these methods have their own strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, in choosing the most effective descriptive research method, it is important to determine the nature and objectives of a research. For example, case studies are more appropriate for researching little known phenomena, while archival research is more effective in describing crime statistics or observational research in psychological studies.ReferencesMyers, A. and Hansen, C. (2011). Experimental Psychology.

New York: Cengage Learning.Thomas, J., Nelson, J. and Silverman, S. (2010). Research Methods in Physical Activity. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Descriptive Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words”, n.d.)
Descriptive Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/psychology/1588576-descriptive-research
(Descriptive Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 Words)
Descriptive Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 Words. https://studentshare.org/psychology/1588576-descriptive-research.
“Descriptive Research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/psychology/1588576-descriptive-research.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Descriptive Research

Second Chance Holidays

On the other hand, Descriptive Research is mostly used to identify or establish the reasons behind one particular type of behavior and how they change over a period of time.... While the outcome of Descriptive Research involves exploring one particular type of field, exploratory research might involve exploring more than one particular type of behavior.... This research paper "Second Chance Holidays" claims that in order to go ahead with the new initiative, we need to take into account a number of factors crucial for the successful implementation of the initiative....
6 Pages (1500 words) Research Paper

Ecotourism: Principles, Practices & Policies for Sustainability

The procedure thus followed in this project is mainly secondary and Descriptive Research followed by primary research.... The approach followed in this paper is primary research to see whether the principles of ecotourism are… The data collected is a combination of quantitative and qualitative data.... The literature survey includes past studies that have been done and this is where secondary research comes in.... ? But one disadvantage of primary research is that, it may not be always possible for individuals to travel due to time and financial constraints....
9 Pages (2250 words) Research Paper

State Laws on Corporal Punishment: Students Discipline in the United States Public Schools

In order to understand the subject of discipline in the US and particularly on state laws position on corporal punishment in relation to students conduct and discipline in the US public schools, this research will employ Descriptive Research design.... Babbie (2010) notes that Descriptive Research design is primarily used to collect and obtain information about the current status of a phenomenon under study.... In respect to research methodology, this research will use mixed research methodology....
2 Pages (500 words) Research Paper

Equal pay and work rights

he research will use Descriptive Research design.... Human resource departments try to make sure that their employees' rights are respected, and they are paid in the best standards possible… Green technologies intend to conduct a research to know if their employees' rights are respected.... The research also intends to determine if employees are contented with their pay. The research will ask employees questions in the form of a questionnaire....
1 Pages (250 words) Research Proposal

Causal-Comparative Research Design & Descriptive Design

Descriptive Research design on the other hand has been explained to focus only directly on the need for the researcher to describe specific behavior... Casual-comparative research design and descriptive design are sometimes used interchangeably due to the similarities that they have but in actual fact, the two are noted not to be the same thing.... The confusion arises because both casual-comparative research design and… Going close up with the two however, quote (year) explained that casual-comparative research seeks to determine reasons or causes that back the occurrence of existing conditions....
1 Pages (250 words) Research Paper

International Development Is Best Helped Through Free Trade

In spite of research efforts to understand, the concept of free trade, definitive findings on the subject are still limited.... Compared to related areas such as business management, diplomacy, and foreign relations, free trade has received less research recognition and attention and deserves better.... In addition, the research shows that when all conditions are constant, the relationship between international development and free trade is directly proportional....
7 Pages (1750 words) Research Paper

Exploring the influence of Corporate Social Responsibility on customer buying behavior

roposal Methodology and MethodsThe research will employ a Descriptive Research design because it is the most suitable for examining relationships between phenomena.... Descriptive Research methods such as observation, case study and surveys will be used to collect data, and then the relevant analysis tools – SPSS – and other statistical methods will be used to analyze the collected data.... The writer intends… Over the years, research has shown that identify and, if possible, predicting customer behavior is critical to meeting their needs Exploring the Influence of Corporate Social Responsibility on Buying Behaviour research Question and Aims Aims The aim of this paper is to examine the influence of corporate social responsibility on customer buying behavior....
2 Pages (500 words) Research Proposal

Product and Pricing of the Energy Drink

The author of this research paper "Product and Pricing of the Energy Drink" highlights that marketing is an essential activity for generating profit that ensures the sustainability of the business.... The tastes and preferences of customers tend to change with time and hence to understand their preferences, the organization must conduct a proper market research.... Kotler defines marketing research as “the function that links the consumer and public through information- information used to identify and define marketing opportunities and problems; generate, refine and evaluate marketing actions; monitor marketing performance; and improve understanding of the marketing process” (Axelbym, p146)....
7 Pages (1750 words) Research Paper
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us