Explain the different kinds of descriptive research designs
Descriptive Research Design - Voxco
When conducting a study, researchers generally try to find an explanation for the existence of a phenomenon. They want to understand “why” the phenomenon occurred.
However, before identifying why a phenomenon occurred, it is integral to answer other questions first. You need to have answers to the “what”, “when”, “how”, and “where” before you can understand the “why”. This is where descriptive research comes in.
The descriptive research design involves using a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods to collect data that aids in accurately describing a research problem.
Wondering what will be the cost of conducting survey research using Voxco?
What is Descriptive Research Design?
Descriptive research design is a type of research design that aims to systematically obtain information to describe a phenomenon, situation, or population. More specifically, it helps answer the what, when, where, and how questions regarding the research problem rather than the why.
A researcher can conduct this research using various methodologies. It predominantly employs quantitative data, although qualitative data is sometimes used for descriptive purposes.
It is important to note that in the descriptive research method, the researcher does not control or manipulate any variables, unlike in experimental research. Instead, the variables are only identified, observed, and measured.
Surveys and observation are the most used method to conduct this research design. You can leverage online survey tools or offline survey tools to gather data as per your research objective.
“Relying on Voxco as our survey software provider has proved to be an excellent choice for our business.”
Valeria Tsamis, Managing Director FocusBari
Read how Voxco helped FocusBari gather data in one centralized database.
What are the Characteristics of Descriptive Research Design?
Let’s take a look at the defining characteristics of the descriptive research design:
1.
Quantitative in nature Descriptive research involves the collection of quantifiable and systematic data that can be used for the statistical analysis of the research problem.
2. Uncontrolled variables
One of the most prominent characteristics of descriptive research is that, unlike in experimental research, the variables are not controlled or manipulated. Instead, they are simply identified, observed, and measured.
3. A basis for further research
The data collected in descriptive research provides a base for further research as it helps obtain a comprehensive understanding of the research question so that it can be answered appropriately.
4. Cross-sectional studies
The descriptive research method is generally carried out through cross-sectional studies. A cross-sectional study is a type of observational study that involves gathering information on various variables at the individual level at a given point in time.
Example of Descriptive Research Design
To gain a deeper understanding of the descriptive method of research, let’s consider the following example:
Company XYZ is a girls’ shoe brand catering to girls specifically between the ages of 4 to 14.
They want to start selling shoes for boys of the same age group as well and therefore want to gather information on the kind of shoes boys want to wear. They decide to conduct market research & choose the observational method to learn about different shoes boys wear nowadays.
Naturalistic observation can be conducted by observing boys’ shoes in schools, malls, playgrounds, and other public spaces.
This will help company XYZ identify the kind of shoes boys wear nowadays so that they can create the kind of products that will appeal to this audience.
5 MR templates + 3 Insightful guides
Why use Descriptive Research Design?
Descriptive research allows researchers to thoroughly investigate the background of a research problem before further research can be carried out.
There are many different contexts in which the use of a descriptive research design is beneficial, including the following:
1. To measure data trends
The descriptive method of research can be used to measure changes in variables over a period of time, allowing trends to be identified and analyzed.
2. To compare variables
Descriptive research can be used to compare different variables and how different demographics respond to different variables.
3. To define the characteristics of subjects
It can also be used to determine the different characteristics of the subjects. This can include characteristics such as opinions, traits, behavior, etc.
4. To verify or validate existing conditions
Descriptive research can prove to be a useful tool when trying to test the validity of an existing condition as it involves conducting an in-depth analysis of every variable before drawing conclusions.
<<Browse through our Feature Sheets>>
Advantages of Descriptive Research Design
The following are a few advantages of using a descriptive research design:
1. Multiple methods of data collection
A research can use a wide range of methods for data collection, such as case study, observational, and survey methods.
They can also decide how they want to collect the data, online, offline, or via phone.
2. Fast and cost-effective
As the descriptive research design often employs the use of surveys, data can be collected from a very large sample size quickly and cost-effectively.
Researchers aiming to conduct market research using this research design should leverage integrated market research software. It will enable them to conduct product, customer, brand, and market research using suitable channels.
3. Comprehensive
Descriptive research often uses quantitative and qualitative research in amalgamation, providing a more holistic understanding of the research topic.
4. External validity
Results obtained through the descriptive method of research often have high external validity as research is conducted in the respondent’s natural environment and no variables are manipulated.
Voxco offers easy-to-use online survey tools with robust features to create interactive and engaging surveys.
100+ question types, skip-logic, multi-lingual capability, white-label, and more.
Disadvantages of Descriptive Research design
The following are a few disadvantages of using a descriptive research design:
1. Cannot test or verify the research question
The descriptive method of research cannot be used to test or verify the research problem as the data collected does not help explain the cause of the phenomena being studied.
2. Lack of reliability
If the research problem isn’t formulated well, then the data collected may not be entirely reliable. This also makes it more tedious to carry out a credible investigation.
3. Risk of untrue responses
Descriptive research relies on the responses of people, especially when conducted using surveys. There may be instances when people provide false responses, compromising the validity of the data collected and the research results.
4. Risk of sampling error
The descriptive research method generally employs random sampling while selecting a sample group.
The randomness may lead to sampling error if the sample group isn’t representative of the larger population. Sampling error would lead to unreliable and inaccurate results.
What are the different methods of descriptive research design?
Three key methods are used to carry out descriptive research:
1. Surveys
In survey research, questionnaires or polls are used to collect information on a specific topic from respondents. Surveys should involve a mix of closed-ended and open-ended questions, as both have their own advantages.
Online survey tools allow multiple data collection channels such as email, website, and SMS surveys.
They are also popularly used in market research to collect customer feedback to optimize products and strategies and improve customer experience (CX). Some popular market research surveys are Net Promoter Score (NPS) surveys, brand tracking surveys, and conjoint analysis surveys.
2. Case Studies
The case study method involves the in-depth research of individuals or groups of individuals.
Case studies involve gathering detailed data on a narrowly defined subject rather than gathering a large volume of data to identify correlations and patterns.
Therefore, this method is often used to describe a specific subject’s different characteristics rather than generalizable facts.
Case studies allow researchers to create hypotheses that can widen the scope of evaluation while studying the phenomenon. However, it is important to note that case studies cannot be used to outline the cause-and-effect relationship between variables as they cannot make accurate predictions due to the risk of researcher bias.
3. Observations method
In this method, researchers observe respondents in their natural environment, from a distance, and therefore do not influence the variables being studied. This allows them to gather information on the behaviors and characteristics being studied without having to rely on respondents for honest and accurate responses.
The observational method is considered the most effective method for carrying out descriptive research.
It involves the collection of both qualitative and quantitative data. You can leverage offline survey tools to gather data digitally, even without the internet.
Quantitative observation should be related to or understood in terms of quantity and can be analyzed with the use of statistical data analysis methods. A few examples of quantitative observations include age, weight, height, etc.
Qualitative observations, on the other hand, involve monitoring variables whose values do not need to be related to numerical measurements.
When employing this research method, the researcher can choose to be a complete observer, an observer as a participant, a participant as an observer, or a full participant.
The observational method is generally used in psychological, social, and market research to obtain data that explains how people behave in real-life settings.
Wondering what will be the cost of conducting survey research using Voxco?
What are the types of descriptive research design surveys?
The following are the different types of descriptive survey studies:
1.
Census surveyA census survey is a kind of survey where information is gathered from all units of a population. Data collected through a census study is highly generalizable to the population as all or most units of the population are sampled.
2. Sample survey
A sample survey involves gathering information from a small subgroup of the entire population. When selecting a sample, the aim is to select a group of individuals representing the target population so that the data collected can be generalized to the larger population. Sample groups allow research to be conducted in a fast and cost-effective way.
3. Cross-sectional survey
In this type of survey, the standardized data is collected from a cross-section of the pre-determined population at a given point in time. There are two main types of cross-sectional surveys; those with a single variable and those with two or more variables.
4. Longitudinal survey
Longitudinal surveys are used in longitudinal studies where the same variables are observed over a long period of time.
This allows researchers to investigate the status of variables at different points in time. There are three main types of longitudinal studies; trend, panel, and cohort.
5. Comparative survey
Comparative surveys are used to compare the status of two or more variables. The variables are compared using specific criteria that must be delineated as criterion variables.
6. Evaluative survey
An evaluative survey is generally used to evaluate a program, policy, or curriculum. It involves gathering information that can be used to rate the effectiveness and worthwhileness of a program or policy, or institution.
7. Documentary survey
A documentary survey involves gathering and analyzing information using pre-existing data that is already available. This data can be research papers, review articles, books, official records, etc. In documentary studies, the researcher evaluates the available literature on the research topic.
Voxco powers 1B surveys annually and helps 500+ global brands gather data, measure sentiment, uncover insights, and act on them.
Get a personalized demo to see how Voxco can help enhance your research efficiency.
6 Steps to conduct a descriptive research design
Use the following steps to conduct a study using the descriptive method of research:
Step-1: Outline the research objective
The next step is to identify and outline the objectives of your research and then translate these objectives into criteria of investigation. You must clearly identify the different issues and questions in the context of which the knowledge of the situation must be surveyed.
This must be framed in the form of objectives. Once you’ve clearly stated your criteria and objectives, you must also specify the nature of the data that must be gathered.
Step-2: Determine the tools and techniques to be used for data collection
In this step, you must determine the tools you will employ for the data collection process. Some examples of different tools that can be used are interviews, questionnaires, observation schedules, reaction scales, etc.
In this stage, you will have to identify which tools and techniques are relevant and valid to your study. Leverage robust survey software that offers you multiple channels, thus enabling you to utilize various channels to gather insights.
Step-3: Define the target population and sample group
In the fourth step, you will have to outline your target population. The target population is the group of individuals that you are examining in your research study. Additionally, unless you are conducting a census study and collecting data from the entire population, you must select a sample group.
You can also use an audience panel to accelerate your research. A survey panel gives you access to diverse respondents so you can create your ideal panel.
Additional read: Types of sampling methods.
Step-4: Select a method for data collection
In the data collection stage, you must have a clear plan of how your data will be collected. This involves clearly outlining the type of data you require, the tools that will be used to gather it, the level of training required by researchers to collect the data, the time required for data collection and fieldwork, and so on.
As you collect data, keep your research question and objectives in mind and aim to gather authentic and objective data without personal bias.
Step-5: Analyse the data collected
Once you’ve collected your data, you reach the sixth stage of descriptive research: data analysis. In this stage, you will have to evaluate all the data collected from all your different sources, quantify and qualify them, and then categorize them component-wise.
If you are working with quantitative and qualitative data, you must employ a range of different quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to analyze the data collected.
Leverage survey analytics software that allows you to run statistical analysis and observe data on a live dashboard.
Step-6: Write the report
The final step of survey research involves writing the report. As survey research involves working with extensive data, it is important to keep the focus of the investigation in mind. The report must be precise and objective-oriented.
Conclusion
This sums up our article on descriptive research design. This research method helps uncover the hidden element of a customer’s behavior. It helps you create a foundation for your research by helping you create an outline of your research subject.
Descriptive Research | Definition, Types, Methods & Examples
Published on May 15, 2019 by Shona McCombes. Revised on October 10, 2022.
Descriptive research aims to accurately and systematically describe a population, situation or phenomenon. It can answer what, where, when and how questions, but not why questions.
A descriptive research design can use a wide variety of research methods to investigate one or more variables. Unlike in experimental research, the researcher does not control or manipulate any of the variables, but only observes and measures them.
Table of contents
- When to use a descriptive research design
- Descriptive research methods
Descriptive research is an appropriate choice when the research aim is to identify characteristics, frequencies, trends, and categories.
It is useful when not much is known yet about the topic or problem. Before you can research why something happens, you need to understand how, when and where it happens.
Descriptive research question examples
- How has the Amsterdam housing market changed over the past 20 years?
- Do customers of company X prefer product X or product Y?
- What are the main genetic, behavioural and morphological differences between European wildcats and domestic cats?
- What are the most popular online news sources among under-18s?
- How prevalent is disease A in population B?
Descriptive research methods
Descriptive research is usually defined as a type of quantitative research, though qualitative research can also be used for descriptive purposes.
The research design should be carefully developed to ensure that the results are valid and reliable.
Survey research allows you to gather large volumes of data that can be analyzed for frequencies, averages and patterns. Common uses of surveys include:
- Describing the demographics of a country or region
- Gauging public opinion on political and social topics
- Evaluating satisfaction with a company’s products or an organization’s services
Observations allow you to gather data on behaviours and phenomena without having to rely on the honesty and accuracy of respondents. This method is often used by psychological, social and market researchers to understand how people act in real-life situations.
Observation of physical entities and phenomena is also an important part of research in the natural sciences. Before you can develop testable hypotheses, models or theories, it’s necessary to observe and systematically describe the subject under investigation.
A case study can be used to describe the characteristics of a specific subject (such as a person, group, event or organization). Instead of gathering a large volume of data to identify patterns across time or location, case studies gather detailed data to identify the characteristics of a narrowly defined subject.
Rather than aiming to describe generalizable facts, case studies often focus on unusual or interesting cases that challenge assumptions, add complexity, or reveal something new about a research problem.
Cite this Scribbr article
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
McCombes, S. (2022, October 10). Descriptive Research | Definition, Types, Methods & Examples. Scribbr.
Retrieved December 28, 2022, from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/descriptive-research/
Cite this article
Is this article helpful?
You have already voted. Thanks :-) Your vote is saved :-) Processing your vote...
Shona has a bachelor's and two master's degrees, so she's an expert at writing a great thesis. She has also worked as an editor and teacher, working with students at all different levels to improve their academic writing.
Descriptive research types and characteristics / science | Thpanorama
descriptive research or descriptive research method is a procedure used in science to describe the characteristics of a phenomenon, subject or population under study.
Unlike the analytical method, it does not describe why a phenomenon occurs, but simply observes what happens without looking for an explanation.
Along with comparative and experimental studies, this is one of the three research models used in the field of science. This type of research does not involve the use of hypotheses or predictions, but the search for characteristics of the phenomenon under study that are of interest to the researcher. nine0005
It also does not answer questions about why, how or when this phenomenon occurs. Instead, it is limited to answering the question "what is a phenomenon and what are its properties?".
index
- 1 When is it used??
- 2 Differences between descriptive and analytical methods
- 3 Types of descriptive research
- 3.1 Observational method
- 3.2 Case studies
- 3.3 Surveys
4 Characteristics - 5 links
When is it used?
This research model is used when there is little information about the phenomenon.
For this reason, descriptive research is usually a preliminary work for descriptive research, since knowledge of the properties of a given phenomenon allows one to explain other related issues. . Researchers who use it are usually sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists, educators, biologists... Examples:
- A biologist who observes and describes the behavior of a pack of wolves.
- A psychologist who observes and describes the behavior of a group of people.
In general, this model is used to classify the population into so-called "descriptive categories". This type of research is usually done before any type of analytical research, as creating different categories helps scientists better understand the phenomenon they are supposed to be studying.
In general, the descriptive method was created in the framework of the so-called qualitative research. In this type of research, the most important thing is to deeply understand the population being studied, and not to discover various causal relationships (unlike what happens in quantitative studies).
To describe and understand the phenomenon, the researcher may be accompanied by quantitative methods such as a survey.
Differences between descriptive and analytical methods
The main difference between these two styles of research is that descriptive research only attempts to understand the phenomenon being studied, not trying to explain why it occurs. On the contrary, analytical studies are aimed at understanding the variables that cause the phenomenon. nine0005
Research methods are completely different in descriptive and analytical research. Although there are several ways to conduct each of the two types of research, we can say that in analytical research, the researcher tries to somehow influence what he observes. On the contrary, in descriptive studies it is only limited.
Types of descriptive research
Basically, we can find three ways to conduct descriptive research:
- Observational
- Case Study
- Surveys
Each of these descriptive research methods is indicated for studying different types of phenomena.
For example, surveys are very useful to learn more about different human behaviors, while observation is the preferred method for studying different animal populations.
Next, we will talk in detail about each of the three methods.
Observational method
This type of descriptive research is also known as naturalistic observation. It is mainly used to observe various events that occur naturally in the life of animals or people.
Naturalistic observation is widely used by biologists and ethologists who study animal behavior in order to understand different species. One of the most famous researchers specializing in this method is Dr. Jane Goodall.
Goodall has been observing the chimpanzee community in their natural habitat in Tanzania for over 50 years. His job was to integrate himself into the everyday life of the monkeys in such a way that he could observe phenomena hitherto unknown in his way of life.
Some of the discoveries of his research have allowed the science of animal behavior to advance significantly.
For example, this researcher found that chimpanzees are able to use tools that until recently were considered exclusively human abilities..
When it comes to working with people, the most relevant research is being done by developmental psychologists. These researchers observe children in their natural environment (for example, in a playroom with their parents present).
Thanks to the observations made by these psychologists, today we know much more about how the intellectual and emotional development of children takes place. It also allows us to more effectively intervene in issues that arise in adulthood..
One of the most important measures of an observational method is "intergovernmental reliability". In essence, this means that the results of an observational study must be reproduced by another scientist who is engaged in the observation of the same phenomena. Indirect observation occurs when a researcher studies a phenomenon from written or audiovisual recordings: documents, books, photographs, videos, etc.
This method has limitations as records of the phenomenon may not be as abundant as the researcher would like. , which took place in the past and no longer exists in the present. In this sense, the researcher does not depend on secondary sources, but can himself observe the object of research. nine0005
Whenever possible, researchers prefer to use direct observation as they rely more on data from their own experience.
When using this type of instrument, care must be taken to ensure that the mere presence of an observer does not change the behavior of the phenomenon. If this happens, the data will not be valid.
Case study
This type of observational study is based on the study of an individual or a small group of them. In this case, we examine in detail the different experiences and behaviors of the subjects of the study..
Depending on the phenomenon you want to learn more about, case studies can be done with normal people or with people with a specific type of problem.
These latter case studies tend to be more interesting as they allow us to better understand the differences between normal people and people with some type of disorder.
On the other hand, by studying the experience of people who deviate from the the person as a whole. This method was preferred by Sigmun Freud, one of the first and most famous psychologists in history. nine0005
Perhaps one of the most famous and most striking examples is that of Phineas Gage, a 19th-century worker who had an accident at work that caused severe brain damage. His skull was completely cut through with a metal bar, resulting in very serious frontal wounds. The researchers described this as "their animal impulses were stronger than their rationality". nine0005
This case helped the neuroscientist discover the role of the frontal lobe in moderating instincts. Surveys are a series of standardized questions that are asked to a group of people: in person, by phone, in writing, or over the Internet.
Thus, a certain number of participants are selected, which should be representative of the entire population relevant to the researcher..
For example, in the field of psychology, surveys help to better understand the prevalence of certain phenomena, such as mental disorders, homosexuality, or certain personality traits.
However, as with all types of research in which participants are aware of their role, surveys have a problem: you cannot guarantee that the answers are correct. Thus, the results obtained using this research method must be compared with other more reliable ones.
traits
- Information provided by descriptive research must be truthful, accurate and systematic.
- Avoid drawing conclusions about this phenomenon. What matters are observable and verifiable characteristics.
- Descriptive work focuses on "what?" So what?". Other questions (how, when, and why) are of no interest to this type of research.
The main questions of this type of research are: “what is a phenomenon?” And "what are its characteristics?". nine0005
- The research question must be original and creative. It does not make sense to conduct a descriptive study on a subject that has already been explored from every possible angle.
- Data collection methods used: observation, survey and case studies. Observations usually produce qualitative data, while surveys usually produce quantitative data.
- Descriptive study does not include variables. This means that it does not depend on factors or conditions that may change the results obtained..0005
- Since there are no variables, the researcher cannot control the phenomenon under study. Simply limited to collecting information provided by data collection tools.
- It is not enough to present the characteristics of the phenomenon that have been obtained by data collection methods. It is also necessary that they be organized and analyzed in the light of an appropriate theoretical framework that will serve as the basis for the research.
- In descriptive research, no comparison is made between the phenomenon being studied and other phenomena. This is the subject of a comparative study. nine0005
- You can establish relationships between received data in order to classify them into categories (so-called descriptive categories). However, these relationships cannot be cause and effect, as it would be impossible to obtain this type of information because there are no variables.
references
- Descriptive study. Retrieved September 21, 2017 from wikipedia.org
- What is descriptive research? Retrieved September 21, 2017 from aect.org
- Descriptive study. Retrieved September 21, 2017 from research-methodology.net
- Descriptive investigation Retrieved September 21, 2017 from abqse.org
- Three types of scientific research. Retrieved September 21, 2017 from 1.cdn.edl.io
- Three types of research. Retrieved September 21, 2017 from dentonisd.
org - Descriptive Research Retrieved September 21, 2017 from apa-hai.org
- “Descriptive vs. Analytical Research Approach” in: Thesis of India. Retrieved: January 24, 2018 from India Thesis: dis Thesisindia.com. nine0014
- "Descriptive research" in the book: Introduction to psychology. Retrieved: January 24, 2018 from Introduction to Psychology: oli.cmu.edu.
- "Descriptive Research Design: Definition, Examples, and Types" in: Research. Retrieved: January 24, 2018 from Study: study.com.
Descriptive research - Encyclopedia of Economics
Now consider the question of how an experiment can be planned in the case of quantitative factors. Let the economic forecasting model consider only constant controls, i.e., the shares of capital investments Sj and expenditures on science s2 in the national income. The controls are subject to restrictions s1 -f- sa U si 0. s2 = 0. In the case of a descriptive study, there are two ways to go. First, it is possible to introduce a system of nodes in the area of admissible control values that uniformly cover this area, and then perform calculations for all control values lying in the nodes.
Thus, in this approach, the case with quantitative factors is reduced to the case with qualitative factors, [c.285] nine0194 Descriptive research can be used to describe consumer habits, attitudes, preferences, behaviors, etc. For example, research on the effectiveness of advertising can find out how people are aware of a brand of a product, their opinions about advertising in general and its content. [c.54] The study of experience as a method of conducting exploratory research, when it is necessary to obtain information from persons who have experience in solving certain problems. For example, to study the difficulties of purchasing children's shoes, one can resort to the experience of the parents of these children. This method differs from the survey method used in conducting a descriptive study in that the size of the group of respondents is not clearly planned, the representativeness of the results obtained, etc. is not determined, that is, this method is not as formally defined as the survey method.
[c.118]
Descriptive research - marketing research aimed at describing marketing problems, situations, markets, for example, demographics, consumer attitudes towards the company's products. When conducting this type of research, answers are usually sought for answers to questions beginning with the words Who, What, Where, When and How. Typically, such information [c.118]
In practice, when conducting a specific marketing research, as a rule, not one, but all types of research are used, and in any sequence. So, on the basis of a descriptive study, a decision can be made to conduct an exploratory study, the results of which can be clarified with the help of a casual study, which is based on an experiment. [c.123]
Descriptive research is carried out in order to better understand the needs and requirements of customers, to identify them, to better understand the actions of the market and its participants, to identify existing and prospective distribution channels. [c.
192]
Descriptive studies are aimed at determining the frequency of occurrence of an event or establishing the interaction of two variables. [c.97]
Although the differences between research categories are relative, it is important to remember that each type of research corresponds to a specific type of marketing problem. In practice, when conducting a specific marketing research, as a rule, not one, but all of its types are used, and their sequence is not strictly defined. For example, as a result of a descriptive study, a decision can be made to conduct an exploratory study, and its results are refined using a causal study. Below, only the main characteristics of these types of studies and the most effective methods of their application will be considered. [c.97]
Descriptive research covers a certain array of objects under study, but this is not just an expedition to collect facts. Only having enough knowledge about the phenomenon under study, one can start a descriptive study.
Having a specific body of data makes it possible to focus on one or more hypotheses. Hypotheses direct the study in a certain direction. In this respect, descriptive research is fundamentally different from exploratory research, whose main characteristic is flexibility, while descriptive research can be considered rigid. Descriptive analysis requires a clear answer to the questions Who What When Where How [c.99]
Causal research. Often, exploratory and descriptive research leads to several hypotheses about the existence of causal relationships that need to be proven. For example, the marketing department is considering packaging improvements. The research process is to test the manager's assumption that the use of clear plastic packaging for canned fruit will improve consumer attitudes towards the product. [c.100]
A survey as a method of collecting primary information occupies an intermediate place between observation and experiment and refers to descriptive research. [c.
104]
The methods described above can be used to organize any of these studies. But, obviously, the forms and content of technical documents should be different from each other, i.e. correspond to the types of marketing research. Thus, in particular, a questionnaire for an exploratory study will not be similar to a questionnaire for a descriptive study. Organizational documents will also be different. [c.228]
Methods of collecting primary information - distinguish between the following methods of collecting information. Observation is one of the possible ways of collecting primary data, when the researcher conducts direct observation of people and the situation. An experiment is a method of collecting primary information in which the researcher selects comparable subjects, creates a different environment for such groups, and controls the variable components of the main characteristics of the subjects. Based on the control results, cause-and-effect relationships are analyzed and conclusions are made about the primary information.
A survey is a method of collecting primary information in descriptive research. The form of the survey is an interview, which can be conducted by telephone. This is the best method for collecting information as quickly as possible. During it, the interviewer has the opportunity to explain questions that are incomprehensible to the respondent. The most versatile of all survey methods, but the most expensive, is the face-to-face interview. It requires careful planning and control. Personal interviews can be individual and group. [c.717]
Intelligence research, when the goal is to describe some completely new, unknown phenomenon. If you are just starting to master TM, then your own time is probably a dark territory for you, and conducting a full-scale descriptive study that takes into account everything in a row will not be superfluous at all. [c.109]
Descriptive research focuses on demographic information about markets and their structure. A good example is provided by research in the case of an aquarium.
Here, the manager wanted to find out where visitors are coming from and compare that data across days of the week and seasons of the year. Causal studies are needed when a problem requires the investigation of causal relationships between different phenomena. For example, what effect does an increase in advertising have on attendance Will weekend visitors show up on weekdays if weekend admissions are increased In addition to deciding whether the research is descriptive or causal, the manager and researcher should decide on one of the following three methods observation, experiment or review. [c.76]
The manager should then formulate the objectives of the study. These goals can be exploratory, i.e., provide for the collection of some preliminary data that shed light on the problem, and possibly help develop a hypothesis. They can also be descriptive, i.e. include a description of certain phenomena, for example, to find out the number of people who use air transport or the number of people who have heard of the Allegheny company.
There are also experimental goals, i.e. [c.122]
Research based on system methodology can be carried out at all three stages of modern science: descriptive (collection of facts, their primary systematization), logical-analytical (quantitative analysis) and harmonic (unity of quantitative and qualitative methods of scientific knowledge) [82]. Only on the path of an interdisciplinary approach is it realistic to expect a truly scientific synthesis of man, technology and the environment into a single whole, the disclosure of objective laws and patterns in it, the determination of the conditions for high reliability and safety of these hybrid structures. [c.38]
Experiments are divided according to research into two main types: descriptive and optimization. If in the second case it is necessary to find the optimal values of the factors, as in the problem of choosing a variant of the ACS in the case when it is possible to formulate a single reaction - the loss function /, then in the first case it is necessary to outline the general picture of the dependence of the quantities of interest to the experimenter on his influences.
Let us draw the reader's attention to the fact that when analyzing the problem of planning an experiment, we gradually moved on to the purpose of the study, i.e., to the question of how the experimenter wants to use the results of the study, what will be the processing of the results of the experiment. This is not surprising, since it is the method of analyzing the results that should determine the plan for conducting the experiment. [c.283]
For processing the results in the case of stochastic models with qualitative factors, methods of analysis of variance are used, which are suitable for both descriptive and optimization studies. Such universality of the methods of dispersion analysis is based on the fact that in the case of qualitative factors that take on a finite number of values, both in descriptive and optimization studies, it is necessary to compare all variants of external influences with each other. In the case of the problem of choosing a variant of the gas station, the dispersion analysis of the results of the experiment is carried out as follows.
[c.284]
Since this approach is based on analytical research, it is also called scientific and research. In literary sources, it is often called descriptive, i.e. descriptive, as well as genetic, since it involves the development of an object in accordance with its genetics (heredity), i.e. the potential inherent in the object itself. [c.20]
In order to keep the forces of the microenvironment under control and be able to adapt to the factors of the macroenvironment, it is necessary to study them and model their action, measure the strength and vector of their influence. Many forces and factors of the macro environment constantly affect the marketing activities of the firm. Apparently, some of them, in particular the political environment, media activities, are mainly the area of informal descriptive analysis (although some researchers have formalized and included political decisions in economic and mathematical evaluation and forecast models). Assessments of the influence of the scientific and technical environment are required to analyze the quality of goods; here, in particular, the methods of qualimetric studies are used.
The influence of the geographic environment should be reflected in the logistics models that describe the territorial movement of the commodity mass. Manifestations of the action of forces and factors of the socio-demographic and economic environment can be characterized using the methods of statistical and econometric analysis. [c.182]
Not all planned research may be as specific in setting goals. Some of them are exploratory in nature, their purpose is to collect preliminary data that shed light on the real nature of the problem and allow suggesting possible solutions to it or some new ideas. Some studies are descriptive in nature - they must confirm or refute specific figures for how many passengers will dare to make a phone call at the cost of 25. Another type of research is an experiment, its purpose is to test for a causal relationship between two events. For example, what phone will air passengers use most often located next to their seats or at the exit from the cabin [c.
177]
After a thorough preliminary search, a basic data collection plan is drawn up. There are two main types of research: descriptive and experimental. [c.54]
The study of applied issues of financial science was carried out during this period mainly in two directions 1) the study of the history of the development of financial categories. These are books by K. Plotnikov devoted to the history of the budget, A. Zverev and E. Voznesensky, covering the development of finance during the Great Patriotic War 2) works that reveal the current financial practice. These works were descriptive in nature and were actively used in the system of financial education. [c.482]
Simultaneously with the development of the theory of finance in the late 1950s - early 60s. a fundamentally new type of applied financial research has emerged. If in 1930 - early 50s. works devoted to the organization of financial relations in practice were mostly descriptive or laudatory, then after the start of the economic reform of the 1960s.
Serious works were published, which are of a critical nature and contain developments to improve individual financial instruments. [c.483]
Collection of statistical data. While observation and focus group interviews are perfectly suited to the purposes of exploratory research, descriptive research is most appropriate to collect statistical data. In order to compile a generalized portrait of the buyer, the company conducts a statistical survey of the knowledge, beliefs, habits and desires of consumers. What matters to Ameri an Airlines is information about how many people approximately have heard of the company, have flown with it, prefer it over competitors, etc. audience) and means of communication. [c.179]
Consider the essence and main features of the above types of marketing research. Although the differences between them are quite relative, at the same time it should be noted that each type of marketing research corresponds to a certain independent marketing problem and all three types of marketing research are interconnected.
The relationship between the types of marketing research, as a rule, is manifested on the one hand in the choice of the sequence of application of each of the three types, and also in the fact that it is often impossible to conduct one of the types of research independently without others. The choice of the sequence of marketing research depends on each specific marketing situation. At the same time, the most characteristic sequence of applying various types of marketing research is the following probing research, descriptive research, and experiment. [c.230]
Descriptive research (Des riptive research h) - research undertaken to describe the opinions, preferences and behavior of buyers. [c.663]
Chapter 1, an overview of finance theory, is the foundation of the entire book Virtually all financial decisions, including capital budgeting, dividend policy, and financing, are based on rules derived from the theory of finance. part of this theory is normative, in the sense that it tells financial managers what they should do.
However, positive or descriptive research is also important Descriptive research is referred to as empirical research, the purpose of which is to find relationships between variables, for example, between dividend policy and share prices, and the study of the practical activities of financial managers [c.1]
Observation is best suited for exploratory research, experiment for identifying cause-and-cause relationships, while questioning is best for descriptive research. Firms conduct surveys to obtain information about people's knowledge, beliefs and preferences, their degree of satisfaction, and so on. [c.7]
With the advent of these sections, the manager's practical tools have also been significantly modified. For example, the ideas proposed by Taylor and Gilbert on the analysis of the operational composition of activities spun off into a separate section of the system approach - operations analysis, which has its own methodology and methods, including not only descriptive studies, but also modeling with extensive use of mathematics.
[c.95]
The chapter above outlined various philosophical approaches to science, such as induction, deduction, falsification, and theories of the development of research, including those of Lakatos, Kuhn, and Feyerabend, who questioned the need for prescriptive approaches. These philosophical concepts and theories underlie the current approach to empirical research, often referred to as the scientific method. Accounting scholars, starting around 1970, abandoned normative theorizing and descriptive work and moved in large part to the following kind of empirical research. [c.87]
It seems that Watte and Zimmerman took a normative position on the question of the purpose of accounting theory unconsciously. They write that the purpose of accounting theory is to explain and predict accounting practices [78, p.2]. Obviously, there are other views on the goals of accounting theory. The history of accounting is replete with theoretical studies attempting to improve accounting practice by addressing the fundamental question of what accounting practice should be.
