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 under- taken 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.