Different methods of research are applied in different areas of research. Different Scholars and researchers have classified the research methods in different ways. Summary of all kinds of classifications is given here.

1. METHODS OF
RESEARCH
By
PROF. SATISHPRAKASH S. SHUKLA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,
GUJARAT UNIVERSITY, NAVRANGPURA, AHMEDABAD - 380009

2. Research method is a design that shows the ways of
performing all activities right from the stage of
formulating the hypotheses or forming the research
questions till the stage of data analysis. In other words a
lay out, describing the steps of performing activities to
realise the objectives of research is called research
method.
MEANINIG OF RESEARCH METHOD

3. TYPES OF RESEARCH METHOD
RESEARCH
METHODS
DESCRIPTIVE
EXPERIMENTAL
HISTORYCAL
SURVEY
CONTENT ANALYSIS
INTERRELATIONAL
ETHNOGRAPHIC
DEVELOPEMNTAL
LONGITUDINAL
CROSS-SECTIONAL
CASE STUDY
CORRELATIONAL
CAUSAL COMPARATIVE

4. Descriptive research describes, clarifies, analyses and
interprets present situation, current trends, attitudes and
opinions of people, existent differences, and
interrelationship, in relation to person, institute,
structure, object, place, event and processes. In short,
descriptive research describes, clarifies and interprets
current situation.
In other words, descriptive research inquires what exists
at present.
DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH METHOD

5. Survey research method is such a typical descriptive
method, through which current metaphoric, emblematic,
behavioural, mental or physical situation or phenomenon
is described, analysed or interpreted. The situation may
be personal, sociological, psychological, political,
educational, institutional, natural, man-made or may be
related to some physical or typical matter.
SURVEY RESEARCH METHOD

6. • To study what exists at present.
• To compare present situation with established norms
and standards.
• To give suggestions to improve the present situation.
OBJECTIVES OF SURVEY

7. Analysing the content of communication in order to study
it scientifically is called content analysis. The content is
analysed logically, deeply, systematically and in an
objective and scientific way in order to clarify its intention
and meaning or to describe it.
CONTENT ANALYSIS METHOD

8. Content for analysis is found in the sources as follows.
CONTENT ANALYSIS METHOD
 Verbal Printed Material: Newspaper, book, periodical, story, brochure, government
document, novel, circular, notification, court judgment, agenda, resolution,
biography, autobiography, article etc.
 Verbal Written Material: Letter, diary, personal calendar, answers of open ended
questionnaire, annual account.
 Verbal Oral Material: Lecture, Speech, radio programme, radio news, audio CD,
debate, song, argument done in court, oral instruction, interview, preaching.
 Visual Material: Drawings, painting, diagram, sketch, photograph, slide, silent movie,
signal, artistic material, statue, sculpture, stone inscription, body language etc.
 Audio Visual Material: Cinema, tele vision programme, television news, drama, role
play etc.

9. This is such a research method, in which the researcher
examines scientifically the behaviours, transactions,
culture, and life of any social unit or group by being a
member of that group.
This method can be defined as follows.
Ethnography is a method of research in which the
researcher investigates the practices, culture and life of a
community by becoming one of its members.
ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH

10. The developmental research intends to study the
progressive changes that occur in an organism with
passage of time. It studies deeply about such changes that
are found in characteristics, traits and physique of an
individual or an organism in the context of time period. It
helps in understanding a pattern of development in the
context of certain characteristics of subject.
DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH
There are two types of developmental research.
1. Cross-sectional Research
2. Longitudinal Research

11. Cross Sectional Research Method
Some characteristic of individuals and living being changes with the
passage of time. Some natural, social, mental, physical or environmental
factors have been responsible for such changes. To know the pattern of
such changes, subjects of different age groups are studied in the same time
period in the context of change in a particular characteristic. For that, the
subjects of different age groups are selected in the same time period. The
research method used to study a pattern of development in this way, is
called cross sectional research method.
DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH

12. Cross Sectional Research Method
Some characteristic of individuals and living being changes with the
passage of time. Some natural, social, mental, physical or environmental
factors have been responsible for such changes. To know the pattern of
such changes, subjects of different age groups are studied in the same time
period in the context of change in a particular characteristic. For that, the
subjects of different age groups are selected in the same time period. The
research method used to study a pattern of development in this way, is
called cross sectional research method.
DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH

13. Longitudinal Research Method
If subjects of a particular age group are selected once and
they all are studied at different time period to understand
the pattern of changes that occur in their certain trait, it is
called longitudinal research method.
DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH

14. It is a typical descriptive research, which studies existing cause and
effect relationship between variables. It tends to find out the factors
responsible for existence or magnitude of particular variable
characteristics on the basis of prevailing situation. It does not check
the effect of any treatment on the variable characteristic in controlled
situation. It does not tend to make any change in variable
characteristics but tends to find out the cause of some events in given
situation.
INTERRELATIONAL RESEARCH
There are two types of inter-relational research.
1. Case Study
2. Correlational
3. Causal Comparative (Ex-Post Facto Design)

15. MEANING OF CASE
Any individual, organization, group, union, community, caste, object,
event, phenomenon or family, which has some remarkable special
features is known as case in research.
CASE STUDY
Case study tends to concentrate on such a specific case that is found
remarkably different in its group. Highly successful or unsuccessful, very
healthy or unhealthy, very clever or dull, social or antisocial, well-adjusted
or maladjusted, very popular or unpopular individual may be considered as
a case for study. In the same way, anything that has any peculiar property
can be considered as a case. It may be an event like terrorist attack or
vehicle like bullet train or natural phenomenon like tsunami or an app like
Face Book or WhatsApp or monument like Taj Mahal or may be an
institution like Gujarat University etc.

16. CASE STUDY
MEANING OF CASE STUDY
Case study refers to a careful and deep study of current position,
history and all aspects related with the development or existence
of any individual, social or special unit, object or anything that
can be considered as a case. It tends to study the factors like
surrounding environment, current situation, past events and past
experiences of a case, which are responsible for its emergence or
existence in a particular situation. For that, interrelationship
among all factors, associated with the case, is studied. That is why
case study is considered as relational study.

17. Correlational study tends to find out the cause of some events in
given situation. Correlational research is a typical inter-relational
research. Moreover it also finds the direction and strength of the
cause and effect relation between dependent (effect) and
independent (cause) variables.
CORRELATIONAL STUDY

18. The research method, in which the reasons or factors, responsible for
occurrence of a particular event or characteristic are inquired after the
occurrence of that event or characteristic is called causal comparative
research method. It means, it establishes the cause and effect relationship
between two variables without conducting an experiment. For that, after
occurrence of a particular characteristic, it is inquired that whether any
independent variable (IV) is there that brings change in that particular
characteristic. In this way, it establishes relationship between cause (that is
IV) and effect (Event or dependent variable).
This method is also known as Ex-Post Facto Research Design that means a
method of inquiring pre-existent facts. In short, this method inquires the
reasons after happening of event or occurrence of facts.
CAUSAL COMPARATIVE RESEARCH

19. APPROACHES OF CCR METHOD
Approaches of applying Causal Comparative Research Method (CCRM) are
as follows.
• Retrospective Approach
• Prospective Approach
APPROACHES OF CAUSAL COMPARATIVE RESEARCH METHOD

20. Retrospective Approach
In this approach, first of all, existent difference prevailing between two or
more groups in terms of a particular characteristic is identified. Then
reasons of such difference are found. It means, in this approach, the
affected Dependent Variable is identified first, then inquiry is made to find
out Independent Variable (reason). In this way, research proceeds from
Dependent Variable to Independent Variable.
APPROACHES OF CAUSAL COMPARATIVE RESEARCH METHOD

21. Prospective Approach
In this approach of CCRM, such an IV is identified first, that can make
changes in DV. Then it is inquired whether DV is affected by an IV or not.
First, probable cause (IV) is identified in this approach, then its effect (DV)
is checked out. In this way, this approach proceeds from Independent
variable to Dependent Variable.
APPROACHES OF CAUSAL COMPARATIVE RESEARCH METHOD

22. MEANING OF EXPERIMENT
In general, we can say that observing the effect of certain factors on
something in controlled situation is called experiment. Such a factor, of
which the effect is to be checked is called independent variable (IV) and
the object or characteristic, which is affected by it, is called dependent
variable (DV). The effect of all extraneous variables, which can affect DV,
are controlled or their effect is eradicated in an experiment to know the
clear effect of IV on DV.
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH METHOD

23. MEANING OF EXPERIMENT RESEARCH
A research, carried out in a specific environment that is created by
controlling external and extraneous variables in order to examine the
effect of one or more IVs on DV is called experimental research.
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH METHOD

24. IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
• Controlling Extraneous Variables
• Manipulation of Independent Variable
• Measurement of Dependent Variable
• Replication of Experiment
EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH METHOD

25. MEANING OF HISTORY
History is a chronological and descriptive record of the past events
happened with mankind, living beings, natural or manmade object, thing,
system or with any recordable unit.
HISTORICAL RESEARCH METHOD

26. MEANING OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH
Historical research refers to the critical study that is carried out in order to
establish facts and to derive conclusions regarding the past event or the
combination of the past events.
Thus, the past event is studied critically in a historical research in order to
understand the factors responsible for that event and to understand its
consequences.
HISTORICAL RESEARCH METHOD

27. OBJECTIVES OF HISTORICAL RESEARCH
• To study the past events deeply.
• To understand the factors responsible for such events.
• To check the impact of such factors on the event.
• To find better and effective solutions of current problems on the basis
of the study of the past events.
• To predict the future events on the basis of the study of the past.
• To give guiding suggestions to solve the current problems and to
prevent future problems or to find the remedies, well in advance, for
the solution of future problems.
HISTORICAL RESEARCH METHOD

28. REFERENCE
Shukla, Satishprakash, (2018) Research Methodology and
Statistics, Ahmedabad: SSS Publications
PROF. SATISHPRAKASH S. SHUKLA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION,
GUJARAT UNIVERSITY, NAVRANGPURA,
AHMEDABAD – 380009
E-MAIL: srrshukla@gmail.com