observational research

Examples of observational research in the following topics:

• Observation

  • Often researchers in observational studies will try to blend in seamlessly with the sample group to avoid compromising the results of their observations.
  • Observational research is a type of descriptive research that differs from most other forms of data gathering in that the researcher's goal is not to manipulate the variables being observed.
  • Unlike correlational and experimental research which use quantitative data, observational studies tend to use qualitative data.
  • The hypotheses that result from these observations will guide the researcher in shaping data into results.
  • Some studies require dozens of observation sessions lasting for several hours and sometimes involving several researchers.

• Introducing observational studies and experiments

  • There are two primary types of data collection: observational studies and experiments.
  • Researchers perform an observational study when they collect data in a way thatdoes not directly interfere with how the data arise.
  • In each of these situations, researchers merely observe the data that arise.
  • In general, observational studies can provide evidence of a naturally occurring association between variables, but they cannot by themselves show a causal connection.
  • When researchers want to investigate the possibility of a causal connection, they conduct an experiment.

• Methods for Researching Human Development

  • In a longitudinal study, a researcher observes many individuals born at or around the same time (a cohort) and carries out new observations as members of the cohort age.
  • Researchers may also observe ways that development varies between individuals and hypothesize the causes of such variation.
  • In a cross-sectional study, a researcher observes differences between individuals of different ages at the same time.
  • A researcher observes members of different birth cohorts at the same time, and then tracks all participants over time, charting changes in the groups.
  • In a longitudinal study, a researcher observes many individuals born at or around the same time and observes them as they age.

• Fieldwork and Observation

  • Ethnography is a research process that uses fieldwork and observation to learn about a particular community or culture.
  • Ethnography is a qualitative research strategy, involving a combination of fieldwork and observation, which seeks to understand cultural phenomena that reflect the knowledge and system of meanings guiding the life of a cultural group.
  • One of the most common methods for collecting data in an ethnographic study is first-hand engagement, known as participant observation .
  • In participant observation, the researcher immerses himself in a cultural environment, usually over an extended period of time, in order to gain a close and intimate familiarity with a given group of individuals (such as a religious, occupational, or sub-cultural group, or a particular community) and their practices.
  • Such research involves a range of well-defined, though variable methods: interviews, direct observation, participation in the life of the group, collective discussions, analyses of personal documents produced within the group, self-analysis, and life-histories, among others.

• Descriptive Research

  • Descriptive research refers to the measurement of behaviors and attributes through observation rather than through experimental testing.
  • These studies are used to describe general or specific behaviors and attributes that are observed and measured.
  • Descriptive research is distinct from correlational research, in which psychologists formally test whether a relationship exists between two or more variables.
  • Correlational and experimental research both typically use hypothesis testing, whereas descriptive research does not.
  • One important kind of descriptive research in psychology is the case study, which uses interviews, observation, or records to gain an in-depth understanding of a single person, group, or phenomenon.

• Conducting Research

  • How you conduct research depends upon the topic you are researching.
  • Basic research is meant to increase your general knowledge about a subject.
  • Applied research is used to solve practical problems.
  • It relies on observation rather than strict measurement.
  • Methods of conducting qualitative research include conducting interviews and observing different social scenarios.

• Primary Market Research

  • It can be accomplished through various methods, including questionnaires and telephone interviews in market research, or experiments and direct observations in the physical sciences, amongst others.
  • The term primary research is widely used in academic research, market research and competitive intelligence.
  • Addresses specific research issues as the researcher controls the search design to fit their needs
  • Compared to secondary research, primary data may be very expensive in preparing and carrying out the research.
  • All research, whether primary or secondary, depends eventually on the collection of primary research data.

• Plan the Research Design

  • The research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project.
  • Conducting exploratory research, precisely defining the variables, and designing appropriate scales to measure them are a part of the research design.
  • A research design is a framework or blueprint for conducting the marketing research project.
  • The research plan outlines sources of existing data and spells out the specific research approaches, contact methods, sampling plans, and instruments that researchers will use to gather data.
  • Describe the formulation of research design within the context of the marketing research process

• Researching Using Digital Media

  • The field of Internet research is relatively new and evolving.
  • Online research methods enable researchers to use increasingly sophisticated digital tools to collect data via the Internet.
  • Many of these online research methods are related to existing research methodologies, but re-invent and re-think them within the scope of digital technologies, rules and media associated with the internet.
  • Specific types of research methods that incorporate digital media include:
  • Brands also benefit from online communities by having them on-hand to respond to questions, test hypotheses and observe trials in real-time.

• Use of Existing Sources

  • Studying existing sources collected by other researchers is an essential part of research in the social sciences.
  • The study of sources collected by someone other than the researcher, also known as archival research or secondary data research, is an essential part of sociology .
  • In archival research or secondary research, the focus is not on collecting new data but on studying existing texts.
  • Researchers use secondary analysis for several reasons.
  • While some sociologists spend time in the field conducting surveys or observing participants, others spend most of their research time in libraries, using existing sources for their research.