1.

Descriptive Research:
Descriptive research is a type of
research design that aims to describe the
characteristics of a phenomenon or
population without manipulating variables. It
provides a detailed account of the situation,
often through observations, surveys, or
content analysis.
This method is used to gain insights into
the current state of affairs or to provide a
snapshot of a particular situation. It does
not seek to establish cause-and-effect
relationships but rather to describe what
exists. Examples include surveys to
understand public opinion, observational
studies to describe behavior, or content
analysis of media to identify patterns.
Example: A researcher conducts a survey
to understand the eating habits of
teenagers in a specific community,
collecting data on their preferred foods,
frequency of meals, and any associated
health concerns.
The scenario provided is an example of
descriptive research because it aims to
describe and understand the characteristics
of a particular phenomenon, which, in this
case, is the eating habits of teenagers in a
specific community. Let's break down why it
falls under descriptive research:
Focus on Description: The primary goal is
to provide a detailed account or snapshot of
the current state of affairs. The researcher
wants to understand and document the
specific details of the teenagers' eating
habits.
No Manipulation of Variables: In
descriptive research, there is no
manipulation of variables to establish
cause-and-effect relationships. The
researcher is not implementing any
interventions or changes in the community;
instead, they are observing and collecting
data on existing behaviors.
Data Collection Methods: Surveys are
commonly used in descriptive research to
gather information directly from the
subjects. In this scenario, the researcher is
using a survey to collect data on various
aspects of eating habits, such as preferred
foods, meal frequency, and health
concerns.
Insights into the Phenomenon: The
research aims to gain insights into the
specific behaviors of interest—in this case,
the eating habits of teenagers. By collecting
data on preferred foods, meal frequency,
and health concerns, the researcher is
building a comprehensive description of
these habits within the targeted community.

The scenario fits the criteria of

descriptive research because it focuses on
describing existing phenomena without
manipulating variables, employs survey
methods for data collection, and seeks to
provide a detailed understanding of the
eating habits of teenagers in a specific
community.

2. Correlational Research:
Correlational research examines the
relationship between two or more variables
to
determine if they are associated or
correlated. However, it does not imply
causation; it only identifies whether
changes in one variable are related to
changes in another.
Researchers use correlation to analyze
the strength and direction of the relationship
between variables. A positive correlation
indicates that as one variable increases, the
other also increases, while a negative
correlation implies that as one variable
increases, the other decreases.
Example: A study might find a positive
correlation between the amount of exercise
individuals engage in and their overall
mental well-being. This doesn't mean
exercise causes improved mental health,
but it suggests a relationship.
Here's why it's considered correlational:
No Manipulation of Variables: In a
correlational study, the researcher does not
introduce any manipulation. They are not
assigning participants to exercise or non-
exercise groups; rather, they are observing
individuals in their natural settings.
Observation of Relationship: The study
identifies a positive correlation between the
amount of exercise and overall mental well-
being. This means that as the level of
exercise increases, there is a tendency for
mental well-being to also increase, and vice
versa. However, correlation does not imply
causation.
Causation Not Established: The
statement explicitly mentions that the
positive correlation does not mean that
exercise causes improved mental health.
Correlational studies can show that two
variables are related, but they cannot prove
that changes in one variable cause
changes in another.
In this specific example, the researcher
might find that individuals who engage in
more exercise tend to report higher levels
of mental well-being. However, without
experimental manipulation and control, it
cannot be concluded that the exercise is
causing the improvement in mental well-
being. Other factors, such as individual
differences, lifestyle, or external factors,
could also be influencing the observed
relationship.
3. Ex Post Facto:
Ex post facto research investigates the
effects of an independent variable that
cannot be manipulated. The researcher
observes the impact of naturally occurring
differences without introducing any
manipulation.
Unlike experimental research where
variables are controlled and manipulated,
ex post facto research takes advantage of
existing conditions. It's often used when
manipulating variables is impractical or
unethical.
Example: A researcher examines the
impact of gender on career advancement
by comparing the career trajectories of men
and women in a particular industry without
intervening or assigning gender.
In this specific case:
No Intervention in Gender Assignment
 The researcher is not actively assigning
or manipulating the gender of individuals.
Instead, they are observing and comparing
the career trajectories of men and women
as they naturally exist within a particular
industry.
Existing Conditions
The researcher is examining a variable
(gender) that cannot be experimentally
manipulated, often due to ethical
considerations. Gender is a characteristic
that individuals already possess, and the
researcher is studying its impact on career
advancement based on the naturally
occurring differences between men and
women.
Observation of Natural Differences
The study aims to understand the
relationship between gender and career
advancement as it naturally occurs in the
real world. This is in contrast to
experimental research, where researchers
actively manipulate variables to establish
cause-and-effect relationships.
 Ex post facto research is characterized
by the researcher's passive observation of
naturally occurring conditions or differences
in variables that cannot be manipulated
directly. In the scenario provided, the
researcher is examining the impact of
gender on career advancement without
intervening in the assignment of gender,
making it an example of ex post facto
research.
4. Quasi-experimental
Quasi-experimental research shares
similarities with experimental research, but
it lacks full random assignment of
participants to groups. It involves the
manipulation of an independent variable to
observe its effect on a dependent variable.
Quasi-experimental designs are used
when true randomization is difficult or
impossible. While they lack the control of
true experiments, they allow researchers to
make causal inferences to some extent.
Example: A study evaluates the
effectiveness of a new teaching method by
assigning different classrooms to either the
traditional or new method based on
logistical constraints rather than random
assignment.
This scenario represents quasi-
experimental research because the study
lacks true randomization in assigning
classrooms to the teaching methods. In true
experimental designs, random assignment
is a crucial element to ensure that any
differences observed between groups can
be attributed to the treatment (in this case,
the teaching method) rather than other
variables.
Quasi-experimental designs, on the
other hand, involve the manipulation of an
independent variable (the teaching method,
in this case) but lack random assignment
due to practical or ethical constraints. The
assignment of classrooms to teaching
methods based on logistical constraints
rather than randomization makes it quasi-
experimental because it doesn't guarantee
an equal chance for each classroom to be
in either group, potentially introducing
biases or confounding variables that could
influence the results.
5. Experimental:
Definition: Experimental research is a
scientific approach where researchers
manipulate one or more independent
variables to observe their effect on a
dependent variable. It aims to establish
cause-and-effect relationships.
Explanation: This method involves the
random assignment of participants to
different conditions, allowing researchers to
control extraneous variables and draw
conclusions about the causal relationships
between variables.
Example: An experiment tests the impact
of a new drug on reducing blood pressure.
Participants are randomly assigned to
either the group receiving the drug or a
placebo, and their blood pressure is
measured to determine the drug's
effectiveness.
The scenario provided is an example of
experimental research for several key
reasons:
Manipulation of Variables: In this
experiment, the researcher is manipulating
the independent variable, which is the
administration of the new drug. The
purpose is to observe the impact of this
manipulation on the dependent variable,
which is the participants' blood pressure.
In scientific experiments, manipulation
refers to deliberately changing or controlling
certain variables to observe the effect on
other variables. In the example you
provided, the researcher is manipulating the
independent variable, which is the
administration of a new drug. This means
they are intentionally giving the drug to
some participants while not giving it to
others (perhaps providing a placebo
instead).
A placebo is a substance or treatment that
has no therapeutic effect but is given to a
person as if it were a real treatment. It's
often used in medical research as a control
to compare the effects of a new treatment
against no treatment at all. Placebos are
designed to resemble the actual treatment
being studied but lack the active
component.

For instance, in a clinical trial testing a new

pain medication, some participants might
receive the actual medication (the treatment
group), while others might receive a
placebo, which looks identical to the
medication but contains no active
ingredients (the control group). This helps
researchers determine the true effects of
the medication by comparing its outcomes
against those of the placebo group.

By manipulating the independent variable

(administering the new drug), the
researcher aims to observe how this
change affects the dependent variable,
which in this case is the participants' blood
pressure. The dependent variable is the
outcome or the variable that might be
influenced by changes in the independent
variable.

By comparing the blood pressure

measurements between the group receiving
the new drug and the group not receiving it,
the researcher can assess if there's a
significant difference in blood pressure due
to the administration of the drug. This helps
in understanding the potential impact or
effectiveness of the drug on blood pressure
regulation. Manipulating variables in a
controlled manner helps in drawing
conclusions about cause-and-effect
relationships between them.

Random Assignment: Participants are

randomly assigned to either the group
receiving the new drug or the group
receiving a placebo. Random assignment
helps ensure that any individual differences
among participants are equally distributed
between the two groups, making the groups
comparable at the start of the experiment.
Control Group: The use of a placebo
group serves as a control group. This
allows researchers to compare the effects
of the new drug against a baseline, helping
to isolate the specific impact of the drug
and control for potential confounding
variables.
Measurement of Dependent Variable:
The dependent variable, which is the
participants' blood pressure, is measured to
assess the effectiveness of the new drug.
The measurement of the dependent
variable allows the researcher to draw
conclusions about the causal relationship
between the independent variable (new
drug) and the observed effects on blood
pressure.
Causality Inference: Experimental
research is designed to establish cause-
and-effect relationships. By manipulating
the independent variable, using random
assignment, and having a control group,
researchers can make stronger claims
about whether the observed changes in the
dependent variable are a result of the
experimental manipulation.
The key features of experimental
research include the manipulation of
variables, random assignment, the use of a
control group, and the measurement of the
dependent variable. The scenario you
described incorporates these elements,
making it a clear example of experimental
research.

This is an example of experimental

research because it involves a controlled
study where the researcher deliberately
manipulates a variable—in this case, the
administration of a new drug—to observe
its effects on another variable, which is
blood pressure. The key components that
make it experimental research are:
Controlled Conditions: The study involves
control over the variables. Participants are
assigned randomly to either the group
receiving the new drug or a placebo. This
random assignment helps control for
potential confounding variables and allows
for a comparison between the two groups.

Manipulation of Variables: The independent

variable (the new drug) is deliberately
administered to one group, while the other
group receives a placebo. This
manipulation allows the researcher to
observe and measure the effects of the
drug on the participants' blood pressure.

Measurement of Effects: The dependent

variable (blood pressure) is measured and
compared between the group receiving the
drug and the group receiving the placebo.
This measurement helps determine the
effectiveness of the drug in reducing blood
pressure.
Experimental research aims to establish
cause-and-effect relationships by
controlling variables and observing the
effects of manipulation. In this scenario, the
researcher is testing whether the
administration of the new drug causes a
significant change in blood pressure
compared to the placebo group.