Hey and welcome back to my blog!
This blog is going to explore different research methods and analyse them in order to make a decision on which methods will be used in the major project.
Why is researching important?
Research is a process which involves the exploration of ideas - new ones that produce unique information about a topic of interest as well as already established ideas. Since this is the first time conducting research, general sources such as newspapers, books and websites, will be consulted to gather information about a topic of interest. At this point, it is just a case of finding out what research has already been done (Salkind, 2012).
Types of research
There are two main types of research: primary and secondary.
Primary research refers to research that involves collecting original data specific to a particular research project (Gratton and Jones, 2010).
Secondary research refers to research that involves sources of data and other information that has been collected by others (Stewart and Kamins, 1993).
Primary Research
Primary research attains first-hand information, rather than relying on previous work. This research usually produces new information that has not been made by any one else. Primary research allows researchers to answer questions that have not been answered or asked before (Bouchrika, 2022).
The most common types of primary research according to Bouchrika (2022) are:
Surveys: individuals are asked to provide answers to some questions produced by the researcher. Useful for collecting large amounts of information.
Questionnaires: similar to surveys, except longer more detailed answers are acquired.
Interviews: used to collect information from specific individuals or smaller groups of people.
Observation: observing people and/or occurrences important to the research.
Data Analysis: collecting data and organising according to certain criteria. This can be used to discover patterns in data.
Focus Groups: used to collect information from groups of people. Typically a guided discussion of the topic chosen by the researcher.
Secondary Research
Secondary research involves the summary of data and literature that has already been produced by others (Bouchrika, 2022).
The most common types of secondary research according to Bouchrika (2022) are:
Academic peer-reviewed journals
Published books and articles
Government agencies
Educational institutions
Commercial information sources
Online websites and articles
Which is better?
A chart has been produced in figure 1 (O'Connor, 2022. Research Type Analysis), which states some advantaged and disadvantages of both primary and secondary research.
There are clear differences between both types of research. Primary research is much more time consuming since the researcher is having to produce questions themselves and then wait for the answers from those participating, however, this can produce more relevant information relating to the research topic, meaning more accurate and subject-specific answers can be found.
Secondary research provides more wide range information, meaning there is a lack of control over the quality of the data found. However, secondary research is available for any one as data can be collected from a wide range of sources.
Figure 1: Research Type Analysis (O'Connor, 2022).
So, which research methods will be used?
The methodology used to research into this topic will be both primary and secondary research as each has advantages that are valuable to the topic chosen. Smart Survey (n.d.) suggests that primary research is valuable because it allows for questions relating to specific topics to be answered, rather than relying on second-hand data that could be about broader topics. It is more proactive because new information is being produced. Secondary research is usually used in the beginning stage of research, but is important because it can be used to support results of primary research and to identify gaps in previous research - which is where it can be helpful for this project.
What secondary research will be used?
For secondary research, extensive online investigation will be completed throughout the project, including industry specific internet articles, specialist magazines and literature from York College library. Being able to gain inspiration from previous work within the industry is important because it allows for individuals to create original designs through research and experimentation. Secondary research will spark inspiration from other artists, influencing decisions and designs for the final images.
Bouchrika (2022) suggests that the internet makes secondary research much easier to obtain as a lot of institutions upload their data online so researchers can download information with ease. This is particularly useful as a lot of the secondary research for the topic of 'My Phone!' will be completed online, due to it being a topic based off of digital technology. Using the internet effectively can be very beneficial to a research project. Dolowitz, Buckler and Sweeney (2008) say to use the internet to observe how other people have completed similar research to the topic chosen. They say that a good research project should have good research strategies, so by observing similar research, it will be clear to see how similar projects have developed their strategies, aiding with the choice of strategies for the research for the topic 'My Phone!'.
What primary research will be undertaken?
A questionnaire will be made to gain quantitative research and a focus group will be conducted to gain qualitative research. Qualitative research is based on opinions, attitudes, beliefs and intentions whereas, quantitative research is based on larger samples and is more statistically valid (Tutor2u, 2021). Focus groups are a good form of qualitative research because they are a good way of getting more detailed answers to questions and allow people to freely discuss questions with no limit on what they can say (Bailey, 1994). The focus group will take place confidentially in a secluded room in York College during group tutorial on timetable, meaning classmates can take part in the research project, with their consent.
Thankyou for reading this blog and I will see you next time!
Alysha:)
Reference List
Bailey, K. (1994) Methods of Social Research, 4th edn, New York, The Free Press.
Bouchrika, I. (2022) Primary Research vs Secondary Research: Definitions, Differences, and Examples [Online]. Available at https://research.com/research/primary-research-vs-secondary-research (Accessed 4 January 2023).
Dolowitz, D., Buckler, S., and Sweeney, F. (2008) Researching Online, New York, Palgrave Macmillan.
Gratton, C. and Jones, I. (2010) Research methods for sports studies, 2nd edn, Oxon, Taylor & Francis.
O'Connor, A. (2022) Research Type Analysis [Chart].
Salkind, N. (2012) 100 Questions (And Answers) About Research Methods, California, SAGE Publications Inc.
Smart Survey. (n.d.) Primary Research Methods Explained [Online]. Available at https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/articles/primary-research-methods (Accessed 29 November 2022).
Stewart, D. and Kamins, M. (1993) Secondary Research, 2nd edn, California, SAGE Publications, Inc.
Tutor2u. (2021) Marketing: Quantitative and Qualitative Research (GCSE) [Online]. Available at https://www.tutor2u.net/business/reference/marketing-quantitative-and-qualitative-research (Accessed 4 January 2023).
Comentários