Characteristics of research

1. Empirical - based on observations and experimentation on theories.

2. Systematic - follows orderly and sequential procedure.
3. Controlled - all variables except those that are tested/experimented upon are kept
constant.
4. Employs hypothesis - guides the investigation process
5. Analytical - There is critical analysis of all data used so that there is no error in their
interpretation
6. Objective, Unbiased, & Logical - all findings are logically based on empirical
7. Employs quantitative or statistical methods - data are transformed into numerical
measures and are treated statistically.

Ethics of reseach

Ethics are the moral principles that a person must follow, irrespective of the place or time.
Behaving ethically involves doing the right thing at the right time. Research ethics focus on the moral
principles that researchers must follow in their respective fields of research.

Qualitative (‘qual’) research is often used for exploring. It helps researchers gain an
understanding of underlying reasons, opinions, and motivations. It provides insights into the
problem or helps to develop ideas or hypotheses for potential quantitative research.

Qualitative data collection methods vary using unstructured or semi-structured techniques.

Common methods include focus groups, individual interviews, observation or immersion, and
diary studies. The sample size is typically small, and respondents are selected to fulfill a given
quota.

Quantitative (‘quant’) research is used to quantify the problem by way of generating numerical
data that can be transformed into useable statistics. It is used to quantify attitudes, opinions,
behaviors, and other defined variables, and generalize results from a larger sample population.
Quantitative research uses measurable data to formulate facts and uncover patterns in research.

Quantitative data collection methods are much more structured; they include various forms of
surveys – online surveys, paper surveys, mobile surveys and kiosk surveys, face-to-face
interviews, telephone interviews, longitudinal studies, website interceptors, online polls, and
systematic observations.