Introduction to Research

Research is vital in knowledge development and discoveries in the academic field. Research involves asking questions and finding answers in a systemic way, including inductive and deductive techniques.

Inductive inquiries start from a specific observation and work towards creating broader generalizations about a subject. On the other hand, deductive techniques use existing knowledge to generate new theories by identifying patterns and trends in the data. Therefore, research helps you create new knowledge or apply existing information in new ways to expand your understanding of a topic or phenomenon in a specific field. When you have questions about a particular topic, you collect information and evidence on the subject, analyze it, and form conclusions about your question.

This article discusses the importance of research and introduces the different types of research.

Importance of Research

In most fields, research is the foundation of progress in many areas of human life. Therefore, you may be required to do research at different points of your academic life. There are many reasons why research is crucial in a student’s life.

• Firstly, research will help you learn how to gather evidence for topics you may not be familiar with instead of accepting or rejecting them at face value. Therefore, the research process will help you improve your learning and problem-solving skills. You can also apply these skills outside the classroom, like in your professional life.
• Research also helps in making informed decisions because you depend on reliable data. Research is a powerful tool for solving real-life problems by collecting data that will help understand these issues better.
• Different types of research help in countering misconceptions that you may have that may impact your capacity to make informed decisions. This is because research provides you with the latest information on different topics that you want to research. By getting the latest data, you expand your knowledge, allowing you to make better decisions
• Research also helps you to learn about society, different cultures, and technologies. Depending on the type of research, you will have access to more information about your community.
• With technological advancements, you can now access more data about other cultures from anywhere through the internet. Research can form the basis for students to better understand their world despite the distance separating them from parts of the world.

Outside academic life, research is crucial in different industries because it helps businesses make informed decisions that require reliable information. Research will provide necessary data and evidence to challenge long-held assumptions or solve problems in a company. Moreover, various governments rely on research to address societal issues in different departments, such as health and education, to improve service delivery to citizens.

Different Types of Research

There are different established methods used to investigate a subject. The type of research will depend on the field of study, hypothesis, or the research question. According to DePoy and Gitlin (2019), different types of research have a philosophical standpoint that determines the nature of knowledge and how we can acquire it. For example, a researcher may design a quantitative study when they approach it from a positivist standpoint because of its objectivity. In the next sections, we discuss the different types of research.

• Different Types of Research
  • Pure research
  • Applied research
  • Exploratory research
  • Conceptual research
  • Descriptive research
  • Qualitative research
  • Quantitative research

Pure Research

This type of research aims at exploring and expanding our fundamental understanding of a subject to answer basic questions or uncover new information about the natural world. Pure research, also known as fundamental research, is designed to understand how things work without trying to find solutions to problems associated with the subject. For example, researchers trying to understand how the universe was formed will conduct pure research to get answers.

The foundation of this research is experiments or observations with findings published in peer-reviewed journals. Discoveries made through pure research often lay the groundwork for future advancements and breakthroughs. For example, Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity was pure research and has had immense influence on current technologies, such as GPS technology, which has revolutionized navigation and tracking technology. Pure research expands existing knowledge about our world, fuels creativity, and plants seeds for future innovations.

Applied Research

Applied research uses existing knowledge to solve real-world problems or create improved technologies. Unlike pure research, this type of research has a specific practical goal that it aims to accomplish. From a technological standpoint, applied research looks for ways to improve efficiency in processes or products. For example, a researcher interested in improving public transportation could conduct a study of available technology that can be used to streamline processes in the sector.

Applied research will be successful if it finds a solution to the problem under study. Therefore, this form of research will not stop at theoretical discoveries like pure research but will encourage the practical application of its findings to create new interventions or processes in the real world. Applied research drives innovation while enhancing the quality of life.

Exploratory Research

You conduct exploratory research when the problem is not well-defined. This type of research examines what you already know about a topic and finds additional information that may be relevant to the subject. Exploratory research does not provide solutions to problems but presents foundation knowledge for further research. This is because it offers a better understanding of the problems. Therefore, this type of research is about collecting data on a specific subject, posing new questions, and refining the research focus for future studies. Moreover, exploratory research does not provide definite answers to questions but examines a research subject on different levels and provides a foundation for conclusive research. For example, when a researcher investigates the underlying causes of crime rates in a specific neighborhood.

Conceptual Research

Conceptual research examines existing abstract ideas and philosophies. Unlike empirical research that depends on data from the real world, conceptual research explores existing knowledge and theories to get a deeper understanding. A key part of this type of research is the need for an extensive literature review that helps researchers understand existing knowledge more deeply. Researchers can refine the information to form new theories or concepts from the collected data.

Descriptive Research

Descriptive research attempts to explain a condition, problem, or phenomenon and is essential in social science and business research. Unlike exploratory research, this type of research explores the unknown to understand the characteristics of populations or situations. You use this type of research to answer questions as to who, what, when, or where about a particular subject or research question.

Researchers using this type of research do not have control over the problem, and their task is to explain current occurrences without establishing cause-and-effect relationships. This type of research is mainly conclusive rather than inquisitive because it offers the details of a problem to find possible solutions. In business, for example, it can inform decisions and identify areas that need further exploration in different departments.

Qualitative Research

You can use qualitative research to understand people’s experiences, behaviors, and perceptions of life. Qualitative research allows you to study social organizations and cultures to understand these aspects. Data used in this type of research focuses on people’s beliefs and responses to their world. Therefore, qualitative research depends on non-numerical data used to gather in-depth data through data collection techniques like interviews and focus groups. This type of research is utilized in social sciences and humanities, such as sociology and education. It is a valuable tool in examining complex social issues, human experiences, and the meaning individuals may attach to the world around them in these areas. Unlike quantitative research, data collected during qualitative research cannot be analyzed mathematically, meaning it may not be objective and may contain biases from the researchers. Read this document to the end to see an example of a qualitative research topic.

Quantitative Research

Quantitative research uses numerical information and statistical investigation to explain, predict, and understand topics. This type of research applies to everything that can be quantified. In addition, this type of research may quantify available data to form objective conclusions. Quantitative research is data-driven and helps research reach objective conclusions with the possibility of generalizing findings to the larger population. This research aims at measuring phenomena and testing theories and hypotheses using the deductive technique.

Empirical Research

This type of research depends on gathering data from observations or experiences alone to test hypotheses. Therefore, a researcher must develop a hypothesis before collecting data to prove or disprove the hypothesis. It encourages learning from experience by gathering data from the real world. This research depends on data that can be either qualitative or quantitative. Additionally, data collection methods are often structured to ensure the reliability and validity of the findings.

 

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Conclusion

Research is a tool that students can use to understand their world. By exploring varying concepts, theories, and phenomena through different types of research, like quantitative research, students can develop critical skills to use in their academic and professional lives. Your research question or hypothesis determines your research approach because it clarifies the best approach to answer the question.

 

 

References

DePoy, E., & Gitlin, L. N. (2019). Introduction to research – e-book: Understanding and applying multiple strategies. Mosby.

 

Example of a Qualitative Research Topic and Qualitative Research Methods

 

Project Title: The role of folk songs in shaping cultural identity-A case study of The Twelve Muqam in Uygur nationality in XinJiang Province.

1.Introduction

1.1 Research Background

Folk songs have for centuries played a crucial role in transmitting cultural values and traditions in many communities. Although the term was introduced in 19^th century, the history traditional folk music extends many centuries back (Brocken, 2022). One of the communities that has relied on folk music pass down its cultural heritage through different generations is the Uygur Nationality, an ethnic minority group living in Xinjiang Province, Northwest China. The Uygur people have a long history, with an ancestry that can be traced back to the 3^rd century B.C. (Science Museums of China, n.d). The Uygur community is known for its rich cultural heritage and diversity. Among the most significant cultural treasures of this community is the Twelve Muqam, a complex music tradition considered to be the mother of Uygur music (China Culture.org, n.d). Given the importance placed on the Twelve Muqam there have been attempts by different scholars to investigate the role played by Muqam music in shaping the cultural identity of the Uygur people. This research contributes to existing research by analysing and synthesising findings by different scholars to determine the significance of the “Twelve Muqam) in shaping culture identity.

Research Aims and Objectives

1. To examine the historical evolution of The Twelve Muqam
2. To examine the cultural significance of The Twelve Muqam among the Uygur people
3. To identify challenges faced by the Uygur community in the preservation of its folk music

2.Literature Review

The relationship between folk songs and culture has been extensively examined in literature. Folk songs are deeply engrained in people’s cultural identity, reflecting their way of life and shaping their experiences in various ways (Sinamai & Schofield, 2019).  Krishnaiah (2018) considers folk songs to be the People’s Songs because they are composed from collective experience and identity Folk songs have been found to be vital tools for transmitting intangible cultural heritage (Ning, 2023; Özdek, 2015). According to Ning (2023), folk music carries along the realities of people’s daily life and social activities through different generations. Furthermore, folk songs play a key role in shaping individual identities with the community. However, the influence of folk songs on cultural identity is fading, with such songs no longer serving the original purpose. Das, and Banerjee (2022) attribute the fading influence of folk songs to cultural hybridisation, which has robbed folk songs of their originality by bringing in new modern musical tools and new dress codes

3.Research methods

The secondary research design will be adopted for this study. A secondary research design entails analysis and synthesis of primary data collected by other researchers (Wickham, 2019). For this study, secondary data on the research problem shall be obtained from  sources such as peer reviewed academic journals, books, government publications, digital archives, and online articles. Criteria for inclusion and exclusion shall be established. Thematic analysis shall be used to analyse and synthesise data from selected sources. Thematic analysis seeks to drive themes from a set of data by reading through the data, identifying patterns, and interpreting the patterns to establish meaning (Nowell et al., 2017).

 

References

Brocken, M., 2022. The British Folk Revival. Taylor & Francis.

China Culture.org (n.d). The Mother of Uygur Music: Twelve Muqam [online]. http://en.chinaculture.org/library/2008-01/21/content_72053.htm

Das, M. R., & Banerjee, I. (2022). Issues and Cultural Identity of Folk Song in Digital Platform: A Critical Analysis. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, 10(10).

Krishnaiah, K. (2018). The Role of Folk Songs in Social Movements: A Case Study on the Separate Telangana State Formation in India. European Journal of Multidisciplinary Studies, 3(2), 124-133.

Ning, H. (2023). Analysis of the value of folk music intangible cultural heritage on the regulation of mental health. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1067753.

Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis: Striving to meet the trustworthiness criteria. International journal of qualitative methods, 16(1), 1609406917733847.

Özdek, A. (2015). The Role of Folk Music as Cultural Heritage in the Curriculum of Vocational High Schools of Music: Pattern of Azerbaijan-Turkey. Anadolu Journal of Educational Sciences International, 5(3), 84-112.

Science Museum of China (n.d). The nationality on the gobi oasis—The Uygur nationality [online]. http://www.kepu.net.cn/english/nationalitynw/uyg/200311110004.html

Sinamai, A., & Schofield, J. (2019). Resilience and Change: Popular Folk Songs in a Cultural Landscape. Remembering Popular Musics Past: Memory-Heritage-History, 41-54.

Wickham, R. J. (2019). Secondary analysis research. Journal of the advanced practitioner in oncology, 10(4), 395.