HUMN 402

Types of Research

Mohammed Albiloushi

Second Semester, 2018-2019

Research Methodology (HUMN-402)

Faculty of Engineering Week 3 & 4

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 TYPES OF RESEARCH

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 TYPES OF RESEARCH
Research can be classified from three perspectives:

I. Application of research study

II. Objectives in undertaking the research

III. Inquiry mode employed

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 I. APPLICATION

From the point of view of application, there are two broad

categories of research:

 Pure research

 Applied research.

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 Pure Research
 Pure research also known as basic or fundamental research:

mostly is undertaken out of intellectual curiosity, but does not

have a direct application.

 Pure research may or may not have practical or immediate

commercial benefits at the present time or in the future.

 However, in long term it will be the basis for many commercial

products and applied research.

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 Pure Research
 Pure research can contribute in the following:

 Involves improving the understanding of fundamental existing

theories.
 It is concerned with the development, examination, and

verification of research methods, tools and techniques.

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 Examples of Pure Research
 Einstein’s Theory of Relativity

 Newton’s Contributions

 Research that addresses a theory of

memory

 How did the universe begin?

 What is the specific genetic code of the

fruit fly?
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 Applied research
 Applied research is the type of research that is done to solve practical

problems that has direct applications to the real world.

 Interpretation of results is almost always relies upon basic research

 Applied research can be carried out by academic or industrial institutions.

 Often, an academic institution such as a university will have a specific

applied research program funded by an industrial partner interested in

that program.

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 Examples of Applied Research
Applied research can contribute in the following:

 It can be put theories to test

 Integrating previously existing theories

 Improved products or processes, for example:

 develop new market

 improve agricultural crop production

 treat or cure a specific disease

 improve the energy efficiency of homes, offices, or modes of transportation

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 II. OBJECTIVES
 From the viewpoint of objectives, a research can be

 Descriptive
In practice most studies
 Correlational are a combination of the
 Explanatory first three categories.

 Exploratory

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 Descriptive Research
 Descriptive research: Attempts to systematically describe a

situation, phenomenon, or programme.

 It describes the characteristics of a particular group of subjects or a

community, or describes their attitudes towards an issue.

 There are three main types of descriptive methods:

i. observational methods
ii. case-study methods
iii. survey methods.

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 Example On Descriptive Research
 Descriptive research is used to answer questions such as:

 What is happening? How is something happening? Why is something

happening?

 What is the association between birth order and social skills?

 How does self esteem differ among adolescents who differ in the
timing of their puberty?

 Why does school climate influence student achievement?

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Descriptive study of occupational therapists' participation in early childhood
transitions.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE:
The study describes the current role of occupational therapists in the transition of
young children with special needs from early intervention to preschool and from
preschool to kindergarten.
METHOD:
Questionnaires were mailed to a random sample of 500 pediatric occupational
therapists who are members of the American Occupational Therapy Association's
School System Special Interest Section.
RESULTS:
The response rate was 44.3%, with 173 usable surveys. Approximately 40% of
therapists working in the early-intervention-to-preschool transition and 32% of
therapists working in the preschool-to-kindergarten transition reported not
participating fully in the process. The primary barrier to full participation was "not
enough time." Evaluation was identified as the most frequently used strategy for
participation. Only 23% of respondents reported receiving specialized transition
training.
CONCLUSIONS:
Although limited by a small sample, the study provides an initial description of
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occupational therapists' Dr D Ababneh /Dr Loay
participation in Awad childhood transitions.
early
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 Correlational Research
 Correlational research attempts to establish the degree or the
extent of a relationship/interdependence between two or more
variables with each other.

Correlation Coefficient
-1 (Negative correlations) +1 (Positive correlations)

An increase in one variable is An increase in one variable is

associated with a decrease in associated with an increase in
the other. the other.

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 Example On Correlation Research
 Question? There is a relationship between families income and
public examination performance of students.
 Data collection: Questionnaires are used to ask students about
their families income and their results.
 Data analyzed and the correlation coefficient is computed.

 A positive correlation means wealthy students generally perform

better (further research can be done to see why?)
 If is found, further research can be done to see why such
correlation exists.
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 Example On Correlation Research

 What is the relationship between stressful living and the incidence

of heart attack?
 What is the relationship between fertility and mortality?
 What is the relationship between technology and unemployment?
 What is the impact of an advertising campaign on the sale of a
product?
 What is the effect of a health service on the control of a disease,
or the home environment on educational achievement?

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Am J Epidemiol. 1988 May;127(5):933-41.

Relation of cardiovascular fitness and physical activity to cardiovascular

disease risk factors in children and adults.

Abstract

The associations of physical activity and cardiovascular fitness with cardiovascular

disease risk factors were studied in 88 male adults, 180 female adults, 148 male
children, and 142 female children. Subjects were families recruited from elementary
schools in San Diego, California. Fitness (VO2 max) was measured by a submaximal
cycle ergometer test. Physical activity was assessed by seven-day recall interview,
yielding caloric expenditure, and by a simple self-rating of activity level. Risk factors
included blood pressure, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the ratio of high
density lipoproteins to low density lipoproteins (LDL), and body mass index. For all
subgroups, fitness was strongly and significantly correlated with virtually all risk
factors. After adjustment for body mass index, most fitness-risk factor associations
were no longer significant. Seven-day caloric expenditure was significantly correlated
with HDL/LDL only in female adults and children. The activity rating was significantly
correlated with body mass index in all subgroups and with HDL/LDL in female adults
and male adults. The simple activity rating tended to be correlated with fitness. The
pattern HUMN
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 Explanatory research
 Explanatory research attempts to clarify and explain why and how
there is a relationship between two or more aspects of a
situation or phenomenon
 This type of research attempts to explain, e.g.
 Why stressful living results in heart attacks?
 Why a decline in mortality is followed by a fertility decline?
 How the home environment affects children’s level of academic
achievement?

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 American Psychologist, Vol 44(9), Sep 1989, 1175 1184
Human agency in social cognitive theory.

ABSTRACT
The present article examines the nature and function of human agency
within the conceptual model of triadic reciprocal causation. In analyzing
the operation of human agency in this interactional causal structure,
social cognitive theory accords a central role to cognitive, vicarious, self-
reflective, and self-regulatory processes. The issues addressed concern
the psychological mechanisms through which personal agency is
exercised, the hierarchical structure of self-regulatory systems, eschewal
of the dichotomous construal of self as agent and self as object, and the
properties of a nondualistic but nonreductional conception of human
agency. The relation of agent causality to the fundamental issues of
freedom and determinism is also analyzed.
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 Exploratory research
 Exploratory research is undertaken when
little is known about background Feasibility study or
information in a particular topic  to pilot study:
develop more precise research problems. is a small-scale study
is undertaken to
 Exploratory research investigate the decide if it is worth
possibilities of undertaking a particular carrying out a full
research study  Feasibility study or pilot detailed
study investigation.
 Exploratory studies are also conducted to
develop, refine and/or test measurement
tools and procedures
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Using the Curriculum Vita to Study the Career Paths of Scientists
and Engineers: An Exploratory Assessment

ABSTRACT
n this paper we assess the utility of the curriculum vita (CV) as a data source
for examining the career paths of scientists and engineers. CVs were
obtained in response to an email message sent to researchers working in the
areas of biotechnology and microelectronics. In addition, a number of CVs
were obtained "passively" from a search of the Internet. We discuss the
methodological issues and problems of this data collection strategy and the
results from an exploratory analysis using OLS regression and event history
analysis. In sum, despite difficulties with coding and variation in CV formats,
this collection strategy seems to us to hold much promise.

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 III. INQUIRY MODE

 From the process adopted to find answer to research

questions – the two approaches are:

 Structured approach

 Unstructured approach

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 Structured Approach (Quantitative Research )
 The structured approach is classified as Quantitative
Research
 In the structured approach everything that forms the
research process including - objectives, design, sample, and
the questions that you plan to ask - is predetermined.
 This approach is more appropriate to determine the extent of
a problem, by quantifying the variation.
 E.g. How many people have a particular problem? How many
people hold a particular attitude or view?

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 Unstructured approach (Qualitative Research)
 The unstructured approach is classified as Qualitative Research.

 This approach allows flexibility in all aspects of the research process.

 It is more appropriate to explore the nature or the variation/diversity of a

problem without quantifying it.

 For example,

 To research the problems experienced by people living in a certain

community
 To research the different views people hold towards an issue

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 Both qualitative and quantitative approaches have their place in
research. Both have their strengths and weaknesses.

 For example, suppose you have to find the types of

cuisine/accommodation available in a city and the extent of
their popularity.
 Types of cuisine is the qualitative aspect of the study
 The extent of their popularity is the quantitative aspect

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 Quantitative vs. Qualitative
 Quantitative  Qualitative
 Numerical, measurable
data  Generally non-numerical
 Traditional or positivist data
approach  Typically anthropological
 Clearly stated questions
 Rational hypotheses
and sociological research
 Developed research methods
procedures
 Extraneous variable controls
 Observations of a “natural”
 Large samples setting
 Traditional, statistical
analyses  In-depth descriptions of
situations
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