Deductive & Inductive Research

1. Deductive and Inductive Research
From reading through some information we have been provided with
throughout our time during this course so far I have received a number of
different booklets that contain a lot of information, which will be very
valuable to read through and use for different blog posts so this is one of
the first ones from a booklet.
There are two commonly known types of research, which are deductive
and inductive. The deductive research is known as a top to bottom
approach, where as the inductive is known as a bottom to top approach.
Within the deductive research approach there are four main a stages these
include:
Theory – hypothesis – observation- confirmation or rejection
This method differs from inductive because it works from the general to
the specific.
Within the inductive research approach there are also four main stages of
the research:
Observation – pattern – tentative hypothesis – theory
This method differs from deductive because this research form works from
specific observations to broader generalisations or theories.
There are many different reasons to use each of these research forms
some examples can include epistemological, theoretical concerns or from
the kinds of research question one in the exam is asking. By presenting
these forms of research isn’t suggesting that only one will be used whilst
researching into just one subject. They are both frequently used as both

2. processes in a circular sort of way cause theories to lead to observations,
which then in time lead to identification of new patterns, which lead to the
development of new theories.