Truthfully, there are two (2) main types of research in almost every field of study. However, there are about thirteen (13) more kinds of research projects that student and even lecturer or any other set of researchers embark on. These researches are categorizrd based on theor scopes of studies. As I initially stated, the two major types of researches are none but basic, core, fundamental or micro, pure research and applied, functional, macro or pragmatic research.
Truthfully, there are two (2) main types of research in almost every field of study. However, there are about thirteen (13) more kinds of research projects that student and even lecturer or any other set of researchers embark on. These researches are categorizrd based on theor scopes of studies. As I initially stated, the two major types of researches are none but basic, core, fundamental or micro, pure research and applied, functional, macro or pragmatic research.
Basic Research
This is concerned with the process by which the present frontiers of knowledge are expanded so that people could gain a better understanding of their environment. Its primary goal is to provide useful information, for future application thereby contributing meaningfully to the existing body of knowledge in a particular discipline. Usually, Basic Research is associated with producing generalizations and principles as well as development and refinement of theories (Issa, 2006, p. 27). An instance of Project topic is “The chemical reaction of the addition of hydrogen with nitrogen and oxygen.
Applied Research
Unlike the Basic Research, Applied Research is concerned with finding solutions to practical problem with an immediate effect. The main goal of Applied Research is to improve a process or a product; since its target is finding solution(s) to the problem at hand; hence its immediate problem-solving goal (Issa, 2006, p. 27). Project topic sample is “the impact of okrika (second-hand clothing) business in the profits of brand new clothing industry.”
Both basic and applied research use sampling techniques and make inferences about target population. It sets to improve a product or a process by testing concepts in actual problem situations.Action Research
A special type of applied research is known as Action Research whose primary objective is to find solutions to localized day-to-day problems (Issa, 2006, p. 27). Action research is an interactive inquiry process that balances problem-solving actions implemented in a collaborative context with data-driven collaborative analysis or research to understand underlying causes enabling future predictions about personal and organizational change. An instance of such research is “The prevalent effect of protests and the deaths of protesters in the upcoming 2023 presidential election in Nigeria.”
Quantitative Research
Any research involving the use of measurements at both interval and ratio levels in the collection of data is said to be quantitative. It formulates and tests hypotheses so as to arrive at statements of theory. Its data must be measurable and can be collected through non-participant observations, questionnaire and documents (Issa, 2006, p. 27). For instance, such research project can focus on “The Roles of Guidance and Counseling services in secondary schools. A study of two secondary schools in Ilorin-South LGA of Kwara State.”
Qualitative research
On the contrary, observation technique and in-depth interviews are two main data collection methods employed by qualitative research. It is carried out in its natural setting; which accounts for why it is more or less presented in a narrative form devoid of any quantitative measurement (Issa, 2006, p. 27). For instance, such projects can seek to study “The perceived impact of virtual reality in the teaching of introductory technology in Tertiary Institutions”Conceptual Research
In the case of a conceptual research, its goals are directed to developing new concepts or reinterpreting existing ones in an abstract form; involving the use of logic, reasoning, intelligent and intuition (Issa, 2006, p. 27). Conceptual research is defined as a methodology wherein research is conducted by observing and analyzing already present information on a given topic. Conceptual research doesn’t involve conducting any practical experiments. It is related to abstract concepts or ideas (Adi, 2020). For instance, a reseaecher can study concepts in project topic like “Love and Hatred: Components of Passion in starting a Business”.
Empirical Research
On its own part, empirical research is concerned with the collection of verifiable data which would produce the same results should another researcher carry out the same study under the same conditions elsewhere. It formulates and tests hypothesis while its factual outcomes are external to the researcher since those outcomes would have been derived from the experiments already carried out (Issa, 2006, p. 27). For instance: such research can focus on “The Aspect of English Morphology in Yoruba Movies’ Translations”.Correlational Research
Correlational research is a type of non-experimental research method in which a researcher measures two variables, understands and assesses the statistical relationship between them with no influence from any extraneous variable. Take for instance the project topic: “The sociolinguistics study of place and street names in Ogbomoso and Ilorin”.
Descriptive research
Descriptive research aims to explain and expand the knowledge on current issues while validating facts on a particular study population or sample. Only one variable is required to study in this kind of research. A descriptive research can study “The Physical Features of the Olumo Rock in Ogun state, Nigeria”.
Ethnographic Research
Ethnographic research is a qualitative method where researchers observe and/or interact with a study’s participants in their real-life environment. Ethnography was popularised by anthropology, but is used across a wide range of social sciences (Logan, 2020). An ethnographic research can examine “The cultural values of the Edo-Bini Tribe in relation to their ceremonies and festivities”.Cross-sectional Studies
Cross-sectional studies is a research in which data is gathered once, during a period of days, weeks or months. Many cross-sectional studies are exploratory or descriptive in purpose. They are designed to look at how things are now, without any sense of whether there is a history or trend at work (International Network of Natural Sciences, 2020). A typical example of such studies is “The ecological status of mosquitoes in riverine areas.”
Longitudinal Studies
As International Network of Natural Sciences (2020) states, research carried out longitudinally involves data collection at multiple points in time. Longitudinal studies may take the form of:
Trend study- looks at population characteristics over time, e.g. organizational absenteeism rates during the course of a year
Cohort study- traces a sub-population over time, e.g. absenteeism rates for the sales department;
Panel study- traces the same sample over time, e.g. graduate career tracks over the period 1990 – 2000 for the same starting cohort.
While longitudinal studies will often be more time consuming and expensive than cross-sectional studies, they are more likely to identify causal relationships between variables.Case Studies
Case study research can mean single and multiple case studies, can include quantitative evidence, relies on multiple sources of evidence, and benefits from the prior development of theoretical propositions. Case studies may involve both qualitative and quantitative research methods (Invernizzi et al., 2020). It can center on a topic like: “The lifespan of a tse-tse fly.”
Mixed Research
According to the International Network of Natural Sciences (2020), Mixed research- research that involves the mixing of quantitative and qualitative methods or paradigm characteristics. Nature of data is mixture of variables, words and images. This can center on.the project topic: “The language use and attitudes of administrative staff of the University of Ilorin, Kwara state”.
.References
Adi, B. (2020). Conceptual Research. Definition, Framework, Examples and Advantages. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.questionpro.com/blog/conceptual-research/amp/
Fleetwood, D. (2020). Definition with Examples of correlational research. https://www.questionpro.com/blog/correlational-research/amp/
Logan, B. (2020). When and How to Use Ethnographic Research. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.spotless.co.uk/insights/ethnography-when-and-how/amp/
Invernizzi, Diletta Colette; Locatelli, Giorgio; Brookes, Naomi; Davis, Allison (2020-11-01). “Qualitative comparative analysis as a method for project studies: The case of energy infrastructure”. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 133: 110314. doi:10.1016/j.rser.2020.110314. ISSN 1364-0321.
International Network of Natural Sciences (2020). Types of Scientific Research. https://innspub.net/types-of-scientific-research/
Issa, A. O. (2006). PRACTICAL GUIDES TO PROJECT WRITING For Students in Polytechnics, Colleges and Universities. Offa, Kwara: Department of Library and Information Science, The Federal Polytechnic, Offa.