Week-2: Types of research by Purpose and Method

It is customary to classify research as either applied research or basic research. Applied research is directed toward the solution of an immediate, specific, practical problem. Basic research is concerned with the formulation of a theory or a contribution to the existing body of knowledge.
For example, If a researcher were to conduct a study using white rats to determine the effect of positive versus negative reinforcement on learning to run through a maze successfully, he would be conducting basic research. If he rewarded one group of rats with food pellets for correct turns in the maze, but gave an electrical shock to the group of rats making incorrect turns, he could then determine which group mastered the maze in a shorter period of time. Even though this information has no immediate application to motivation, it might be useful in the building of a theory concerning motivation and learning.
Whereas food and electrical shock might be impractical to use in the classroom, the researcher could conduct an experiment using praise and criticism as motivational factors in human learning. This type of experiment would be directed toward the solution of a practical problem and, thus, would be classified as applied research.
In addition to the broader classification of applied and basic research, nearly all studies may be classified as historical, descriptive, or experimental research. Their classification may be determined by posing the following questions:
1. Does the research deal with what once was? If it does, then it is historical research. The educational historian may seek either to produce an accurate description of unique events that have happened in the past or to suggest through the survey of these events fruitful generalizations from prior experiences that may act as controls for behavior in the present or future. His purpose is to produce evidence that will help us profit by the experiences of the past in the solution of current problems.
2. Does the research deal with what is? If it does, then it is descriptive research. Descriptive research is that process that is concerned with characterizing the features of situations, objects, or practices. It allows one to find out pertinent information about an existing situation. Descriptive research usually is thought of as an effort to determine current practices or status so that we may develop guidelines for future practices.
3. Does the research deal with what can be when certain factors are controlled? If it does, then quite likely some attempt is being made to establish cause and effect relationships in a controlled situation. Experimental research is an attempt to control all essential factors with the exception of one or more independent variables that can be manipulated, with the purpose of determining and measuring the effectiveness of their operation under given circumstances. Once these effects are determined through demonstration, then true control of behavior or the environment becomes possible.
These three types of research will be discussed more extensively in the attached source.

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