Types of Research

Types of Research

Research is conducted at different levels for different purposes and using different

methods for collecting of information generating different type of data. Its types may be

classified from many points of view; the discipline to which applied: history, psychology,

economics, biology, philosophy, etc., purpose: description and determination of status

and causes; place where it is conducted: in the field or in the laboratory; data gathering

tools or techniques employed: quantitative, qualitative etc., mode of recording

information: numerical, symbols etc., and objectives or purposes the research intends to

accomplish: pure research, applied research, action research.

Research types when classified in this manner give rise to a comprehensive list with

much of overlapping away the different types. However, despite the lack of clear-cut

distinction among the types of research, we mostly agree on the following categories:

1. Fundamental or Basic Research

The purpose of this type of research is to generate new knowledge in the form of new

theory, facts and truth. This approach generally leads to knowledge for knowledge’s  5

sake and may or may not result in changes in the policies and practices. This type of

research has no immediate or practical application. Its major concern is to identify,

gather and use the empirical data to formulate, expand or evaluate theory. This

research is also termed as pure or theoretical.

Fundamental research is usually carried on in a laboratory or other sterile

environment, sometimes with animals, employing sophisticated procedures, tools and

techniques, exercising controls and arriving at generalizations. It employs careful

sampling procedures and a rigorous structured type of analysis in order to extend the

findings beyond the group or situation and thus develop thesis by discovering proved

generalizations or laws. Discovery of such useful concepts as motivation

reinforcement, concept formation and social environment in learning are the results of

fundamental research.

2. Applied Research

When the purpose of research is improving a product or a process testing theoretical

concepts in actual problem situations, it is called applied research. It is performed in

relation to actual problems and under the conditions in which they are formed in

practice. Applied research has most of the characteristics of fundamental research but

its findings are evaluated in terms of local applicability and not in terms of universal

validity. Most educational research is applied research, for it attempts to develop

generalizations about teaching – learning processes and instructional materials. The

problems generally faced by teachers, policy planners and administrators are mostly

solved by applied research.

3. Action Research

The aim of fundamental research is the development of theory and that of applied

research is on its general application whereas the action research is focused on

immediate application of theory. Action research placed its emphasis on the solution

of a problem here and now in a local setting. It is a systematic method of solving

problem or making practices better. Action research is concerned with the real

problem faced by the practitioners, followed by attempts made to find solutions of the

problems. It is flexible and conducted in informal contexts to bring improvement in

the existing situation. The goal of action research is both diagnostic as well as

remedial. The objective of action research, by teacher for example, will be to identify

problems and then to improve classroom practices himself. For example, as a teacher

in a primary school you may find some children in class V who face certain

difficulties in learning mathematics despite your best efforts. The situation is so

specific that the solutions are not available from many source. As a teacher you have

to identify the causes and provide remedial measures.

The methodology of action research is not as rigorous as that of pure or applied

research, the person facing the problem, the teacher or administrator, can undertake it

himself. But it may be noted that action research does apply scientific method to  6

solve real-life problems and helps in bringing a great improvement in teachers’

subjective judgments and decisions. The next units are devoted to the discussion on

the necessary of action research, its characteristics and uses.