Types of Research Design
Research designs, or modes of inquiry, can be divided into two main Categories: qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative research uses nonquantitative or nonstatistical techniques to gain an in-depth understanding of a research problem, typically one involving a limited number of subjects. Results are presented in narrative form. Quantitative research, on the other hand, uses statistical techniques to explain phenomena, and results are presented in the form of statistics.
A third type---mixed-methods research---uses both qualitative and quantitative techniques. All three of these modes are characterized by strengths and weaknesses, and the researcher must choose the mode that will best answer the research question (s).
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