There are several ways of collecting and understanding information and finding answers
to your questions – research is one way. The difference between research and other ways
of obtaining answers to your questions is that in a process that is classified as research,
you work within a framework of a set of philosophies, use methods that have been
tested for validity and reliability, and attempt to be unbiased and objective.
Research has many applications. You need to have research skills to be an effective
service provider, administrator/manager or planner. As a professional who has a responsibility
to enhance professional knowledge, research skills are essential.
The typology of research can be looked at from three perspectives: application, objectives
and the mode of enquiry. From the point of view of the application of research, there
is applied and pure research. Most of the research undertaken in the social sciences is
applied, the findings being intended either for use in understanding a phenomenon/issue or
to bring change in a programme/situation. Pure research is academic in nature and is undertaken
in order to gain knowledge about phenomena that may or may not have applications
in the near future, and to develop new techniques and procedures that form the body of
research methodology.
A research study can be carried out with four objectives: to describe a situation, phenomenon,
problem or issue (descriptive research); to establish or explore a relationship between
two or more variables (correlational research); to explain why certain things happen the way
they do (explanatory research); and to examine the feasibility of conducting a study or
exploring a subject area where nothing or little is known (exploratory research).
From the point of view of the mode of enquiry, there are three types of research: quantitative
(structured approach), qualitative (unstructured approach) and mixed or multiple
methods (structured and/or unstructured approach). The main objective of a qualitative
study is to describe the variation and diversity in a phenomenon, situation or attitude with
a very flexible approach so as to identify as much variation and diversity as possible, while
quantitative research, in addition, helps you to quantify the variation and diversity. The use
of mixed methods aims to draw on the strengths of the other approaches, that is, it uses
the best of both the paradigms to enhance the accuracy, depth and reliability of the findings.
There are many who strongly advocate a combined approach to social enquiry, that
is, use of mixed/multiple methods. The author is strongly in favour of the qualitative–
quantitative–qualitative cycle of enquiry. The author feels strongly that it is purpose of
research rather than the belief in a paradigm that should determine the mode of enquiry.