What Is The Importance Of Research Methodology?

The importance of research methodology is that different research methods are compatible with different situations, and therefore it is important to know which method is best suitable for use with a particular hypothesis or question. In fact, if an unsuitable research method is used, it could render the research useless. Research methods are a mix of concepts and ideas utilized to determine through neutral observation and analysis the truth of a situation.

• What is research?

Research is simply the act of taking action to find out information.

• What are research methods?

A research method is one particular way in which you can verify or discover a set of data.

• What ways are there to conduct research?

Ultimately there are two forms of research; qualitative and quantitative, all types of research can be categorized under these headings. Qualitative research will yield more specific and in-depth results while quantitative research will give a more general picture, but perhaps on a larger scale. The answer is in their names, quantitative deals with numbers, while qualitative refers to the quality of data.

• Can you give an example of qualitative and quantitative research?

Surveys are commonly used in quantitative research, this is where a sample of people are asked their age, gender and any other relevant demographic information, along with a series of questions. It can then be determined what age groups answered which questions and whether there is any pattern.

An example of qualitative research could be interviewing an expert in a particular field of study. The information garnered from the expert is likely to feature more in-depth information than you would get by simply asking them to fill out a questionnaire.

• Which is best?

It all depends on the task at hand, and that is the point of establishing the best and most relevant research methodology. Most disciplines will use a mixture of both methods, for instance, market researchers will use surveys and focus groups to determine demand for a product or service.