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Jovita Kaur, Lovely Professional University Unit 3: Research Methods, Techniques and Tools

Unit 3: Research Methods, Techniques and Tools Notes

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
3.1 Types of Research Methods
3.1.1 Exploratory Research
3.1.2 Constructive Research

3.1.3 Empirical Research
3.2 Summary
3.3 Keywords
3.4 Review Questions
3.5 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:
• Define exploratory research and constructive research.

• Explain empirical research.
• Describe primary research and secondary research.

Introduction

Research is defined as human activity based on intellectual application in the investigation of
matter as we have already discussed in the previous unit. The primary purpose for applied
research is discovering, interpreting, and the development of methods and systems for the
advancement of human knowledge on a wide variety of scientific matters of our world and
the universe. Research can use the scientific method, but need not do so.
Scientific research relies on the application of the scientific method, a harnessing of curiosity.
This research provides scientific information and theories for the explanation of the nature
and the properties of the world around us. It makes practical applications possible. Scientific
research is funded by public authorities, by charitable organisations and by private groups,
including many companies. Scientific research can be subdivided into different classifications
according to their academic and application disciplines.
Historical research is embodied in the historical method.

The term research is also used to describe an entire collection of information about a particular
subject.

3.1 Types of Research Methods

The goal of the research process is to produce new knowledge, which takes three main forms
(although, as previously discussed, the boundaries between them may be fuzzy):

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