Descriptive research, as the name suggests, aims to explain a phenomenon, situation and population. Such researches can effectively answer what, when, and where questions. But, it fails to answer why approach. We can use a wide variety of methods to design descriptive research. It usually aims to explore the possible relationships among the variables. Unlike other types of research, descriptive research does not control or anticipate the variables. Rather, here, we can only observe and measure the variables. The major tasks in descriptive research involve prediction and explanation of facts.
Further, three main purposes of the descriptive study are:
- Explanation
- Description
- Validation
Examples:
For a detailed understanding of the descriptive research, the following examples may help you.
- What is a possible way of transmission and mutation for the Covid-19 pandemic?
- What does the pandemic means for Racial and Ethical minorities?
Types Of Descriptive Research:
Broadly, descriptive research has three main types.
- Observation
- Case study
- Survey methods
The current article will describe these descriptive research methods along with their pros and cons. If you are planning descriptive research for your dissertation or any research work, read this article till the end. It will help to make a decision whether to select this method or not?
Observational Method:
Many times, researchers use the term field observation for observational methods. In such methods, we observe the behavioural changes in animals and humans by using five senses. Further, observational methods are of two types:
Naturalistic Observational Methods
Through, both types of methods have associated pros and cons. As far as naturalistic observations are discussed, it helps to observe the object in its natural environment. The results of the naturalistic observations are far more generalised as compared to Laboratory studies.
Laboratory Observational Methods
Despite the fact naturalistic observations provide more generalised results, laboratory observational methods are helpful to study specific traits. In laboratory methods, the object under observation remains in artificial conditions. So sometimes, the results may be opposite to the natural phenomenon.
Further, the laboratory observations are less time consuming than the other type of observations. Of course, both have many differences, but they are equally important for scientific knowledge advancement. In case if you need any assistance in completing descriptive research, you can hire PhD dissertation writing services.
Case Studies
The case study is another descriptive research method. It is common in the management sciences. It includes a detailed investigation about an individual and organisation. A student who is planning to test hypotheses for rare phenomena can use case study methods. Rather, in cause-and-effect researches, the case studies have very little or no applications. But, before selecting the case studies for research, you must know its drawbacks as well.
Drawbacks Of Case Studies:
Despite the many benefits of case studies, it has some drawbacks as well. The two most serious ones are:
Expectancy Effect
It includes the researcher’s biasness that has a profound effect on the actions taken in light of that particular research. Here, the biasness reefers to the reporter’s individual misinterpretation of the participant’s descriptions. It may be due to poor listening as well as reporting techniques.
Atypical Individuals
The atypical individual problem in the case study refers to the poor generalisation and validity problem that comes from the reporters’ side.
Survey Methods
During the survey, participants answer questions presented in a questionnaire or interview. When participants answer these questions, the researchers’ task is to describe them. For the survey to be reliable and accurate, the questions must be well–structured. Further, the questions in the survey should be clear and concise.
Pros And Cons Of Descriptive Research Methods:
Like, all other research methods, descriptive methods also have their pros and cons.
Pros
Exploring the list of pros and cons can help the newcomers to make a flawless research design for master as well as PhD research.
- In descriptive research, the collection of data is convenient. The surveys in the form of questionnaires and interviews allow collecting data in a few sittings.
- It helps the researchers to explore the natural environment that can target high-quality work. In other words, this method is concerned with the validity and reliability of the research.
- The collected data from all three types of descriptive methods is easy to manage. The researcher can easily explore and extend more data as well as information in future studies.
- Apart from all the above-mentioned facts, the descriptive methods are useful because of their versatility. Here, you have choices to pick any of the three methods to complete the research.
- Through descriptive research methods have many advantages as a whole. But, every type has its own pros, as mentioned above.
- Overall, descriptive research methods are popular for newbies because it is least concerned with the prediction. So, even the researcher with basic research skills can complete the research.
- It does not require to develop extraordinary critical or analytical skills.
Cons:
A better reviewing approach for a method is to provide critical views on it. The critical reviews are effective in presenting the picture from both sides.
- The foremost drawback of the descriptive research method is the confidentiality problem. Many times, participants refuse to give responses to the questions in a survey.
- Further, it lacks in investigating “why approach” to see a phenomenon. It is one of the major limitations of the descriptive research. The researchers who aim to solve a cause-and-effect problem cannot consider this method to find quality results.
- A scientific problem solved by descriptive research or analysis often faces more criticism as compared to others. It often leaves many questions unanswered that later becomes the research gaps.
- Descriptive researches do not provide statistical evidence of facts reported in papers.
In conclusion, the descriptive methods are good for the researches that aim to explain things, phenomenon and populations. It is a method to create scientific awareness for the general public. Besides this, no matter whether you are conducting descriptive research or not: the beginning of every research question is always descriptive. Therefore, to develop a central idea you will always need a basic understanding of descriptive research.
