METHODS OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH

RESEARCH
- Is an endeavour to discover answers to intellectual and practical problems through the
application of scientific methods.
- Is a quest for knowledge through diligent search or investigation or experimentation aimed
at the discovery and interpretation of new knowledge. (WHO)
- Is a systematized effort to gain new knowledge (Redman and Mory).
- Is the systematic process of collecting and analyzing information or data in order to increase
our understanding of the phenomenon about which we are concerned or interested.
OBJECTIVE OF RESEARCH
 To discover new facts.
 To verify and test important facts.
 To analyze an event or process or phenomenon.
 To identify the cause and effects relationship.
 To develop new scientific tools, concepts and theory
 To solve and understand scientific and non-scientific problems.
TYPES OF RESEARCH
A. APPLIED RESEACH
- Refers to scientific study and research that seeks to solve practical problems.
- Is used to find solutions to everyday problems, cure illness, and develop innovative
technologies, rather than to acquire knowledge for knowledge’s sake.
B. BASIC (aka, FUNDAMENTAL OR PURE) RESEARCH
- Is driven by a scientist’s curiosity or interest in a scientific question.
- The man motivation is to expand man’s knowledge, not to create or invent
something. There is no obvious commercial value to the discoveries that result from
basic research.
- Answering what, when, where and how question.
C. CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH
- Refers to the systematic investigation pr statistical study of relationships among two
or more variables, without necessarily determining cause and effect.
ADVANTAGES :
- Can collect much information from many subjects at one time.
- Can study a wide range of variables and their interrelations.
- Study variables that are not easily produced in the laboratory.

DISADVANTAGES :
- Correlation does not indicate causation (cause and effect).
- Problems with self-report method.
 D. DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH
- Refers to the research that provides an accurate portrayal of characteristics of a
particular individual, situation, or group.
- Also know as statistical research
ADVANTAGES :
- The people individual studied are unaware so they act naturally or as they usually do
in everyday situation;
- It is less expensive and time consuming than quantitative experiments;
- Collects a large amount of notes for detailed studying;
- As it is used to describe and not make any conclusions it is to start the research with
it.
DISADVANTAGES :
- Descriptive research requires more skills.
- Does not identify cause behind a phenomenon
- Response rate is low in this research.
- Results of this research can change over the period of time.

E. ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH
- Refers to the investigation of a culture through an in depth study of the members of
the culture; it involves the systematic collection, description and analysis of data for
development of theories of cultural behaviour.

F. EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
- Is an objective, systematic, controlled investigation for the purpose of predicting
and controlling phenomena and examining probability and causality among selected
variables.
Advantages
- Best establishes cause –and-effects relationship.
Disadvantages
Artificiality
Feasibility
Unethical

G. HISTORICAL RESEARCH
- Is research involving analysis of events that occupied in the remote or recent past.
In broader perspective, all researches can be classified into two groups:
QUALITATIVE RESEACH
- Is research dealing with phenomena that are difficult or impossible to quantify
mathematically, such as beliefs, meanings, attributes and symbols.
- It involves finding out what people think, and how they feel – or at any rate, what
they say they think and how they say they feel.
 - Involves feelings and impressions, rather than numbers’
QUALITATIVE RESEACHERS
- Study “things” (people and their thoughts) in their natural settings, attempting to
make Sense of, or interpret, phenomena in terms of meanings people bring to them.
-
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH involves the studied use and collection of a variety of empirical use –
case study, personal experience, introspective, life story, interview, observational, historical,
interactional and visual texts-that descried routine and problematic moments and meanings in
individual’s lives.
ADVANTAGES
1. Greater data accuracy than direct questioning in natural setting people behave
naturally.
2. Problems of refusal , not at home , false response , non cooperative etc. are absent,
3. No recall error,
LIMITATIONS
1. Time consuming , too many things to observe
2. May not be representative ,
3. Difficulty in determining root cause of the behaviour.

QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH
- Refers to systematic empirical investigation of any phenomena via statistical,
mathematical or computational techniques.
- Is all about quantifying relationships between variables. Variables are things like
weight, performance, time and treatment.
The objectives of quantitative research is to develop and employ mathematical models, theories
and/or hypotheses pertaining to phenomena.
 Quantitative research design is an excellent way of finalizing results and proving or disproving a
hypothesis
 The structure has not changed for centuries
 Quantitative experiments also filter out external factors, if properly designed, and so the results
gained can be seen as real and unbiased.
Disadvantages
 Quantitative experiments can be difficult and expensive and require a lot of time to perform
 They must be carefully planned to ensure that there is complete randomization and correct
designation of control groups.
 Quantitative studies usually require extensive statistical analysis, which can be difficult, due to
most scientists not being statisticians.