Research Methods

There are four main types of research methods. I will be looking at each type, and choosing which will work best for my research. These are the methods:

• Primary
• Secondary
• Quantitative
• Qualitative

Primary Research:

This is always carried out personally. Here are some examples of primary research:

• Questionnaire
• Interview
• Online Poll
• Survey
• Letter
• Focus Group
• Textual Analysis

These are good, less time-consuming methods, however with outside input, there is the possibility of bias, and people lying, which will alter the results and prevent a true picture. At the same time, it is impossible to get a realistic idea without questioning the target audience, so the slight difference in results shouldn't make too much difference. It will be outweighed by the useful data that will be collected.

Secondary Research:

This is research that has been carried out by other people and published for public use:

• Internet
• Books
• Newspapers
• Newspaper Archives

These are also good methods as it is quicker to collect and use data in a useful form, although there may be doubt about the reliability of the results collected, as you cannot know the exact circumstances under which the research was performed.

Quantitative Research:

As the name suggests, a lot of people are needed for quantitative research, to create numerical results, which will make it easier to compare. A prime example of this would be a poll, or a questionnaire with quantitative questions included, so a percentage can be calculated, and then easily compared with other studies.

Qualitative Research:

Qualitative research is more intricate. It is more opinions than numbers, where details count. Less people are needed for this, but more time will be needed to get all the ideas and solutions necessary. An ideal qualitative research method would be an interview.