The research approach is the concrete steps you take to establish assumptions, form an

experiment plan, data collection, and inferring conclusion. The proposal to conduct research
involves the philosophy, research design and the specific methods to execute the process.
Different types of research have different research approach. There is not one definitive research
approach, there can be different approaches taken to carry out on research study. There are
generally three research approaches: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods. A research
study cannot be exclusively qualitative or quantitative, but it can be more qualitative than
quantitative or vis versa. To decide what sort of research approach one must take depends
entirely on the topic at hand.

In a quantitative research approach, one has to establish a falsifiable hypothesis. And the carry
out procedures on instruments to obtain the data. The data can also be obtained without
interfering with the system by merely observing. One then deducts the relationships between the
data sets and infers the meaning that data imply. The data is obtained multiple times to subside
any errors or biases. The quantitative research is then presented on a manuscript in form of
introduction, methods, results, and conclusion. On the other hand - qualitative research approach
analyses different opinions, views and observations and generalizes into set of qualitative
theories. This approach is sometimes subjective in a way that it heavily relies on the interpreter
and the setting in which the qualitative data was obtained. Mixed methods research combines
both the qualitative and quantitative approaches. One cannot say that one method of research is
better than the other. One must test his/her research question constantly by looking at the
literature to see if you really have something to contribute.

In order to decide what approach, one has to take to do the research one must consider the nature
of the topic at hand. Also, researchers must consider that audiences who will be reading their
research. The audience may comprise of editors and readers, university faculty, attendees at the
conference and the colleagues in the same field of research. The novice researchers can emulate
the approaches taken by their advisors. Also, the decision to keep your research more qualitative
or quantitative comes with experiences.

All in all, while one is planning his/her research project one must identify what approach one
might take to carry out the research. The approaches can be - qualitative, quantitative, or mixed
methods approach.