Imagine you are a detective called to a crime scene. Your job is to study the scene and report whatever you find: whether that’s the half-smoked cigarette on the table or the large “RACHE” written in blood on the wall. That, in a nutshell, is descriptive research. Show
Researchers often need to do descriptive research on a problem before they attempt to solve it. So in this guide, we’ll take you through:
Click to jump to the section that interests you. What is Descriptive Research?Definition: As its name says, descriptive research describes the characteristics of the problem, phenomenon, situation, or group under study. So the goal of all descriptive studies is to explore the background, details, and existing patterns in the problem to fully understand it. In other words, preliminary research. However, descriptive research can be both preliminary and conclusive. You can use the data from a descriptive study to make reports and get insights for further planning. What descriptive research isn’t: Descriptive research finds the what/when/where of a problem, not the why/how. Because of this, we can’t use the descriptive method to explore cause-and-effect relationships where one variable (like a person’s job role) affects another variable (like their monthly income). Key Characteristics of Descriptive Research
Descriptive Research Methods: The Top Three You Need to Know!SurveysIn short, survey research is a brief interview or conversation with a set of prepared questions about a topic. So you create a questionnaire, share it, and analyze the data you collect for further action. Learn about the differences between surveys and questionnaires here. You can access free survey templates, over 20+ question types, and pass data to 1,500+ applications with survey software, like SurveySparrow. It enables you to create surveys, share them and capture data with very little effort. Sign up today to launch stunning surveys for free. 14-Day Free Trial • No Credit Card Required • No Strings Attached Pros:
ObservationThe observational method is a type of descriptive research in which you, the researcher, observe ongoing behavior. Now, there are several (non-creepy) ways you can observe someone. In fact, observational research has three main approaches:
Pros:
Case StudiesIn the case study method, you do a detailed study of a specific group, person, or event over a period. This brings us to a frequently asked question: “What’s the difference between case studies and longitudinal studies?” A case study will go very in-depth into the subject with one-on-one interviews, observations, and archival research. They are also qualitative, though sometimes they will use numbers and stats. An example of longitudinal research would be a study of the health of night shift employees vs. general shift employees over a decade. An example of a case study would involve in-depth interviews with Casey, an assistant director of nursing who’s handled the night shift at the hospital for ten years now. Pros:
7 Types of Descriptive Research
Descriptive Research: Examples To Build Your Next Study1. Case Study: Airbnb’s Growth StrategyIn an excellent case study, Tam Al Saad, Principal Consultant, Strategy + Growth at Webprofits, deep dives into how Airbnb attracted and retained 150 million users. “What Airbnb offers isn’t a cheap place to sleep when you’re on holiday; it’s the opportunity to experience your destination as a local would. It’s the chance to meet the locals, experience the markets, and find non-touristy places. Sure, you can visit the Louvre, see Buckingham Palace, and climb the Empire State Building, but you can do it as if it were your hometown while staying in a place that has character and feels like a home.” – Tam al Saad, Principal Consultant, Strategy + Growth at Webprofits 2. Observation – Better Tech Experiences for the ElderlyWe often think that our elders are so hopeless with technology. But we’re not getting any younger either, and tech is changing at a hair trigger! This article by Annemieke Hendricks shares a wonderful example where researchers compare the levels of technological familiarity between age groups and how that influences usage. “It is generally assumed that older adults have difficulty using modern electronic devices, such as mobile telephones or computers. Because this age group is growing in most countries, changing products and processes to adapt to their needs is increasingly more important. “ – Annemieke Hendricks, Marketing Communication Specialist, Noldus 3. Surveys – Decoding Sleep with SurveySparrowSRI International (formerly Stanford Research Institute) – an independent, non-profit research center – wanted to investigate the impact of stress on an adolescent’s sleep. To get those insights, two actions were essential: tracking sleep patterns through wearable devices and sending surveys at a pre-set time – the pre-sleep period. “With SurveySparrow’s recurring surveys feature, SRI was able to share engaging surveys with their participants exactly at the time they wanted and at the frequency they preferred.” Read more about this project: How SRI International decoded sleep patterns with SurveySparrow Tips to Excel at Descriptive Research1: Answer the six Ws –
#2: Introduce and explain your methodological approach #3: Describe your methods of data collection and/or selection. #4: Describe your methods of analysis. #5: Explain the reasoning behind your choices. #6: Collect data. #7: Analyze the data. Use software to speed up the process and reduce overthinking and human error. #8: Report your conclusions and how you drew the results. Wrapping UpThat’s all, folks! Parvathi VijayamohanGrowth Marketer at SurveySparrow Leave us your email, we wont spam. Promise! What type of research in which it refers to the descriptive study of how individuals experience a phenomenon?Phenomenology is used to identify phenomena and focus on subjective experiences and understanding the structure of those lived experiences.
What is a descriptive study called?A descriptive study is one in which information is collected without changing the environment (i.e., nothing is manipulated). Sometimes these are referred to as “ correlational ” or “ observational ” studies.
What descriptive methods are used to study psychological phenomena?Descriptive designs include case studies, surveys, and naturalistic observation. The goal of these designs is to get a picture of the current thoughts, feelings, or behaviors in a given group of people. Descriptive research is summarized using descriptive statistics.
What is descriptive phenomenology research?Descriptive phenomenology is a powerful way to understand subjective experience and to gain insights around people's actions and motivations, cutting through long-held assumptions and challenging conventional wisdom. It may contribute to the development of new theories, changes in policies, or changes in responses.
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