What are research methods?

Research method is a general strategy that a researcher follows to collect data required for answering research questions.

There are various types of research methods which use different tools for data collection. The main three are Qualitative, Quantitative and Mixed Methods.

Research Methods by Michael Hammond; Jerry Wellington
ISBN: 9780367178734
Publication Date: 2020-09-29
This book provides an overview of ninety key concepts which often trouble those who are new to researching within the social sciences. It covers theories of knowledge, methodologies and methods. Each entry offers a definition of a concept, shows how researchers have used that concept in their research and discusses difficulties that the concept presents. The book supports those undertaking their own social research projects by providing detailed critical commentary on key concepts in a particularly accessible way. In exploring these concepts, a wide range of research reports across many different fields are described. These include not only classic accounts, but also a broad selection of recent studies, some written by new researchers. The book will be useful for higher-education students carrying out projects within social science faculties at the end of their first degree or during a master's programme, though it will also be helpful for those undertaking doctoral research, and some entries have been written with the production of a thesis in mind

Qualitative Research

Practical guidance to qualitative research

How to use and assess qualitative research methods

This paper aims to provide an overview of the use and assessment of qualitative research methods. Qualitative research can be defined as the study of the nature of phenomena and is especially appropriate for answering questions of why something is (not) observed, assessing complex multi-component interventions, and focusing on intervention improvement. The most common methods of data collection are document study, (non-) participant observations, semi-structured interviews and focus groups.

You can read full article here.

Methods in the Time of COVID-19: The Vital Role of Qualitative Inquiries (2020) /Michelle Teti , Enid Schatz, and Linda Liebenberg. Full article available here.

Defending Qualitative Research by Mario Cardano
ISBN: 9781138614055
Publication Date: 2020-03-09
Focussing on the phases of qualitative research which precede and follow fieldwork – design, analysis, and textualization – this book offers new theoretical tools to tackle one of the most common criticisms advanced against qualitative research: its presumed lack of rigour. Rejecting the notion of “rigour” as formulated in quantitative research and based on the theory of probability, it proposes a theoretical frame that allows combining the goals of rigour and that of creativity through the reference to theory of argumentation. As such, it will appeal to scholars and students across the social sciences with interests in qualitative research methods.

Mixed methods Research

Mapping mixed methods research

Mixed methods research: Book chapter / Norma RA Romm and Patrick Ngulube. The chapter looks at the following:

What is mixed methods?
How to conduct mixed methods and
When and why you might use this approach. Full text available here.

Applied Social Science Approaches to Mixed Methods Research by Mette Lise Baran (Editor); Janice Elisabeth Jones (Editor)
ISBN: 9781799810254
Publication Date: 2019-10-25
Applied Social Science Approaches to Mixed Methods Research is an academic research publication that examines more traditional and common research methods and how they can be complimented through qualitative counterparts. It is essential for researchers, academicians, non-profit professionals, business professionals, and higher education faculty, and specifically targets master or doctoral students committed to writing their theses, dissertations, or scholarly articles, who may not have had the benefit of working on a traditional research team.

Quantitative Research

Quantitative,Qualitative, and Mixed Research
This chapter is about the three major research paradigms in educational research. Each of these paradigms tends to bring a slightly different view or perspective to what we study.

Beginning Quantitative Research by Malcolm Williams; Richard D. Wiggins; W. P. Vogt
ISBN: 9781526432148
Publication Date: 2022-05-30
This concise text provides a clear and digestible introduction to completing quantitative research. Taking you step-by-step through the process of completing your quantitative research project, it offers guidance on: · Formulating your research question · Completing literature reviews and meta-analysis · Formulating a research design and specifying your target population and data source · Choosing an appropriate method and analysing your findings Part of The SAGE Quantitative Research Kit, this book will give you the know-how and confidence needed to succeed on your quantitative research journey

SAGE Research Methods

SAGE Research Methods click

Research Support: Research Methodology

What is Research methodology?