What is research? And it’s purpose?

Research is the process of studying and investigating something

in a detailed and organized way to find answers, solve problems,
or discover new information. It involves asking questions,
collecting data, analyzing it, and drawing conclusions.

Purpose of Research:

1. Gain Knowledge: To understand a subject better or learn

new things.

2. Solve Problems: To find solutions to specific challenges or

issues.

3. Discover Facts: To uncover new information or confirm

existing ideas.

4. Support Decisions: To provide evidence that helps in

making informed choices.

5. Innovation: To develop new technologies, ideas, or

methods.
 6. Improve Society: To address societal needs and contribute
to progress.

In simple terms, research helps us understand the world better

and make it a better place to live.
The difference between research method and research
methodology lies in their focus and scope:

1.Research Method:

Refers to specific techniques or procedures used to collect and

analyze data.

Example: Surveys, interviews, experiments, or observations.

Focus: How data is gathered and analyzed.

Practical: Concerned with the tools and processes of research.

2.Research Methodology:
Refers to the overall approach or framework of research,
including the philosophy behind the methods.

Example: Deciding whether to use qualitative or quantitative

approaches, and why.

Focus: Why particular methods are chosen and how they align
with the research objectives.

Theoretical: Concerned with the rationale and strategy of

research.

The difference between sample and population lies in their size

and scope in research:

1. Population:

Refers to the entire group of individuals or items that the

researcher wants to study.

Example: All college students in a country.

Scope: Large, often too big to study completely.

Use: Represents the whole group the researcher is interested in.

2.Sample:

Refers to a subset of the population that is selected for the study.

Example: 500 college students chosen from different

universities.

Scope: Smaller, more manageable group.

Use: Represents the population and is used to draw conclusions

about it.

Key Difference:

Population includes everyone or everything, while a sample

includes only a part of the population selected for practical
reasons.

The difference between research questions and research

hypotheses lies in their purpose and structure:
 1. Research Questions:

Definition: Open-ended questions that guide the focus of the

research.

Purpose: To explore, investigate, or identify relationships or

phenomena.

Nature: Often broader and exploratory in nature.

Example: What is the impact of social media on students’

academic performance?

2.Research Hypotheses:

Definition: A specific, testable statement or prediction about the

relationship between variables.

Purpose: To provide a clear expectation or assumption to test

through research.

Nature: More focused, often based on prior knowledge or theory.

Example: Students who spend more than 3 hours on social
media daily have lower academic performance than those who
don’t.

Research Approaches:

There are three main research approaches:

1. Inductive Approach:

Starts with specific observations and moves toward forming

broader theories or generalizations.

Example: Observing that students who sleep more tend to score

higher and then developing a theory about sleep and academic
performance.

2.Deductive Approach:
Begins with a theory or hypothesis and tests it through data
collection and analysis.

Example: Testing the hypothesis that “exercise improves mental

health” by collecting data.

The difference between qualitative and quantitative research lies

in their focus, data type, and approach:

1.Qualitative Research

Definition: Focuses on understanding concepts, experiences, or

behaviors in-depth.

Data Type: Non-numerical data like words, images, or

observations.

Purpose: To explore and interpret.

Methods: Interviews, focus groups, observations, case studies.

Example: Exploring how people feel about climate change

through interviews.

2.Quantitative Research

Definition: Focuses on measuring and analyzing numerical data

to identify patterns or relationships.

Data Type: Numerical data like statistics, percentages, or counts.

Purpose: To quantify and test hypotheses.

Methods: Surveys, experiments, statistical analysis.

Example: Measuring the percentage of people who recycle in a

city.

Types of Research (Simplified)

Here’s an overview of common research types with examples:

1. Basic Research:

Definition: Focuses on increasing knowledge without immediate

practical use.

Purpose: To understand fundamental principles.

Example: Studying how memory works in the human brain.

2.Applied Research:

Definition: Solves specific, real-world problems using existing

knowledge.

Purpose: To address practical issues.

Example: Developing a vaccine for a new virus.

 3.Descriptive Research:

Definition: Describes characteristics or events without exploring

causes.

Purpose: To provide a detailed snapshot.

Example: Conducting a survey to find out the average age of

smartphone users.

4.Analytical Research:

Definition: Examines data or facts to understand relationships or

patterns.

Purpose: To analyze “why” or “how” something happens.

Example: Analyzing the relationship between exercise and stress
levels.

5.Narrative Research:

Definition: Focuses on storytelling to study individual

experiences.

Purpose: To explore personal histories and experiences.

Example: Writing a detailed life story of a war survivor.

6.Exploratory Research:

Definition: Investigates a topic with little prior knowledge to

generate new ideas.

Purpose: To explore and identify new insights.

Example: Studying how people use AI tools in their daily lives.

7.Experimental Research:

Definition: Tests hypotheses by manipulating variables in a

controlled setting.

Purpose: To determine cause-and-effect relationships.

Example: Testing whether a new teaching method improves

student performance.

8.Correlational Research:

Definition: Examines the relationship between two or more

variables without proving causation.

Purpose: To find patterns or associations.

Example: Studying the link between screen time and sleep
quality.

9. Phenomenology:

Definition: Studies people’s lived experiences of a phenomenon.

Purpose: To understand how people experience specific events

or conditions.

Example: Exploring the feelings of patients living with chronic

pain.

10. Ethnographical Research:

Definition: Studies cultural or social groups by immersing in

their environment.

Purpose: To understand cultural practices or behaviors.

Example: Living in a remote village to study its traditions and
lifestyle.