Describe The Types of Research And Explain Their Fundamental Characteristics

1. Advanced Research Methodology
By
Gebre Miruts (Ph.D.)

4. Describe The Types of Research
And
Explain Their Fundamental Characteristics

6. Types/Approaches of Research
 Based on the nature of the Research Enquiry, researches can be
classified as:
Exploratory
Descriptive
Explanatory
Predictive

7.  Exploratory Research is very important (Aims) to:
Explore an issue or a topic to identify a problem
Clarify the nature of the problem or define the issue involved
Develop propositions (hypothesis)
Gain new insights and a greater understanding of an issue,
especially when little is known about the issue.
A. Exploratory Research

8. Flexible research design
More of qualitative rather than quantitative
Carried out in small-scale, not in large-scale
Provides answers to: “what”, “how”, “why”
Hypothesis development rather than testing
It could be conducted as a pre-study
 Literature, Focus group, Experience survey, Brainstorm
It could also be conducted as main study
 Observation, Case-study
 Characterstics of Exploratory Research

9.  Descriptive Research is very important to:
Describe the characteristics of a particular individual or group
Determine the frequency with which something occurs
Determine the association of some phenomenon or variable
B. Descriptive/Diagnostic Research

10. Carried out in large-scale (surveys) to answer more
clearly defined research questions.
Provides answers to questions: “who”, “where”, “how
often” and “how much”
Concerned with hypothesis testing rather than hypothesis
development
Rigid and not flexible research design
Fact-finding, describing the state of affairs as it exists
Researcher has no control over variables, can only report
what happened or what is happening
 Characterstics of Descriptive Research

11.  Types of descriptive Research
I. Longitudinal: studying different units (e.g. households) over time
(e.g. over several years). This study could be based on:
• True panel: Measuring repeatedly over time with respect to the same variables
• Omnibus panel: Measuring repeatedly over time with respect to the different variables
II. Cross sectional: studying different units (e.g.households, subcities,
regions, etc) at a given point in time.

12. C. Causal or Explanatory Research
 Explanatory Research is very important to:
develop causal explanations about variables/factors by addressing
the ‘why’ questions
why do people chose brand A and not brand B?
why are some customers and not others satisfied with a product of
a firm?
why do some celebrities and not others use drags?
 The researcher tests the hypotheses of causal relationships between
variables.
 Such studies require procedures that will not only reduce bias and
increase reliability, but will permit drawing inferences about
causality.

13.  The researcher concerned with hypothesis testing rather than
hypothesis development.
 Sample must be representative to be able to generalize about
the population.

14. D. Predictive Research (if...then)
 Predictive Research is very important to:
predict a phenomenon. If..., then.....
 Characterstics Predictive Research
Carried out in large-scale
Provides answers to questions: “how often”, “how
much” and “how much if”
Concerned with hypothesis testing, not hypothesis
development
Inolves the development & use of models (e.g.,
econometric models)

15. Group Discussion
1. What is the theoretical significance of scientific research
in public policy processes?
2. What limitations do you observe in your organization
or sector regarding the practical link between research
and policy formulation, implementation or evaluation?