Skip to Main Content

Research Methods

A comprehensive guide to research types or methods, covering fundamental distinctions between research approaches (primary vs. secondary, quantitative vs. qualitative, basic vs. applied) and provides guidance on selecting appropriate methodologies.

When you undertake a research project, you’ll rarely rely on just one isolated method. Instead, you’ll choose and combine different types of research approaches to fit your specific questions, the data you have access to, and your goals. The four main research axes—primary versus secondary data, quantitative versus qualitative information, analytical versus descriptive focus, and basic versus applied purpose—give you a flexible framework to design a study that is both rigorous and relevant.

Sometimes you might focus on one clear approach from each axis to keep your research precise and manageable, like running a primary, quantitative, analytical, and basic experiment. Other times, you’ll blend multiple approaches across these axes to capture more complexity and gain richer insights. For example, combining interviews you conduct with analysis of existing data can help you understand both personal experiences and broader trends.

Examples

The following examples show your range of choices—from focused single-axis studies to complex mixed-methods projects—across fields including psychology, health, STEM, and architecture. They show how thoughtful selection and integration of methods help you conduct more effective research and deliver meaningful, impactful results..

  1. Laboratory Study on Memory
    • Primary, Quantitative, Analytical, Basic
    • You need to design a lab experiment to measure how caffeine affects memory by collecting numeric test scores and analyzing them statistically to advance basic understanding of cognition.
  2. Health Campaign Strategies Review
    • Secondary, Qualitative, Descriptive, Applied
    • You are asked to review existing case studies and interview transcripts to identify effective public health outreach strategies that inform real-world campaigns.
  3. Documenting an Endangered Language
    • Primary, Qualitative, Descriptive, Basic
    • You are required to conduct interviews with native speakers, transcribe their language use, and describe its patterns to contribute to fundamental linguistic knowledge.
  4. Water Quality Trend Analysis
    • Secondary, Quantitative, Analytical, Applied
    • You analyze historical water quality data to evaluate pollution control efforts and recommend policy changes.
  5. Material Fatigue Testing for Aerospace Components
    • Primary, Quantitative, Analytical, Applied
    • You conduct mechanical tests on aerospace materials, collect numeric data, and analyze it to improve the safety of aircraft components.
  6. Architectural Design Case Study Compilation
    • Secondary, Qualitative, Descriptive, Applied
    • You synthesize published case studies on resilient building designs to guide sustainable architectural practice.
  7. Sensor Network Deployment to Monitor Bridge Integrity
    • Primary, Quantitative, Analytical, Applied
    • You install sensors on a bridge to gather real-time data and analyze structural performance to prevent failures.
  8. User-Centered Study of Smart Building Interfaces
    • Primary, Qualitative, Descriptive, Applied
    • You interview building occupants to understand how interface design impacts their experience and usability.
  9. Mixed-Methods Evaluation of a Literacy Program
    • Primary & Secondary, Quantitative & Qualitative, Descriptive & Analytical, Applied
    • You combine classroom observations and interviews with analysis of student test scores to evaluate and improve literacy programs.
  10. Community Health Needs Assessment
    • Primary & Secondary, Quantitative & Qualitative, Descriptive & Analytical, Applied
    • You survey residents, conduct focus groups, and analyze hospital data to identify health disparities and inform policy.
  11. Computational Fluid Dynamics and Wind Tunnel Validation
    • Primary & Secondary, Quantitative, Analytical, Basic & Applied
    • You use simulations alongside wind tunnel experiments to study airflow in architecture, improving theoretical models and practical designs.
  12. Integrated Energy Efficiency Assessment for Retrofitting
    • Primary & Secondary, Quantitative & Qualitative, Analytical & Descriptive, Applied
    • You collect energy use data, interview occupants, and review building histories to analyze and describe energy efficiency improvements for retrofit projects.