Research Methodology: Importance, Types and different research methods

Introduction: What is research methodology?

Research plays a pivotal role in diverse fields, including science, medicine, and social research, paving the way for an array of research studies that vary in terms of methodology and tools utilized.

In this article, we explore different research methodologies, categorized into qualitative and quantitative methods. You will also learn about the importance of using the right tools (like the ones we offer at Survalyzer) to get more flexibility and precision.
We dive into different research methods and go through different research design tools, which will make your research journey smoother and more efficient.

Research Methodology: Why is it important?

In essence, research methodology refers to a systematic approach used to conduct investigations, gain new insights, and address specific research questions. This leads to various types of research studies that differ in terms of methodology and tools employed.

The following are the fundamental types of research studies to distinguish:

• Case Study: A teaching method or a social research approach

• Field Study: Systematic observation under natural conditions

• Laboratory Study: Testing a working hypothesis through controlled experiments

• Clinical Study: Data collection method in evidence-based medicine and clinical research

• Multimoment Study: Sampling examination at specific intervals

In this article, we focus on empirical social research methodology, which can be divided into qualitative and quantitative methods.

Quantitative research vs. Qualitative research, what’s the difference?

Quantitative social research

Quantitative social research plays a vital role in collecting data that is structured and standardized, enabling streamlined processing and analysis using statistical methods. By employing tools such as questionnaires with fixed answer alternatives, researchers can efficiently gather information from a large number of respondents. This methodology offers numerous benefits in real-life scenarios.

One notable advantage of quantitative research is its ability to test formulated hypotheses. Additionally, quantitative research provides precise numerical data that allows for objective comparisons and trend analysis. Consider a social scientist investigating the impact of technology on youth socialization patterns. By administering a standardized survey to a large sample of participants, the researcher can quantify their technology usage, social interactions, and related factors. This data can be statistically analysed to identify correlations, trends, and patterns, providing valuable insights into the topic.

Qualitative social research

On the other hand, qualitative social research focuses on exploring complex processes and structures in-depth. It involves working with unstandardized data, allowing researchers to capture rich and nuanced insights. Qualitative methods, such as interviews and focus groups, facilitate in-depth discussions and open-ended questions that encourage participants to share their experiences, perspectives, and emotions.

Qualitative research offers the advantage of contextual understanding, capturing the complexity and subjective nature of human experiences. It provides a holistic view and allows for the exploration of new perspectives and unexpected insights that may not emerge from quantitative approaches alone.

By combining both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, researchers can gain a comprehensive understanding of a given phenomenon. They can leverage the strengths of each approach to triangulate findings, enhancing the credibility and validity of their research.

Creating Well-Founded Research Studies: How to begin?

To ensure the credibility and effectiveness of your research study, it is crucial to consider the factors that contribute to its success. By addressing the following questions during the initial stages, you will lay a solid foundation for your investigation:

1. What specific area or topic needs to be investigated within the realm of research methodology?

2. Why is it essential to explore this particular subject matter?

3. How should the study be designed and executed to achieve meaningful results?

By answering these questions, you will determine the research question that will drive the entire methodology and guide your investigation.

Creating a Comprehensive Study: Step by step guide

Careful and sustainable planning is the cornerstone of a well-founded research study. Once you have identified the type of study you will be conducting, follow this step-by-step process to ensure its success:

1. Topic Definition and Literature Review: Begin by clearly defining the topic of your study. Conduct thorough research to explore existing studies that may offer insights into similar areas of investigation.

2. Formulating the Hypothesis: If applicable, develop a hypothesis that outlines the expected outcome or relationship you aim to investigate through your study.

3. Design and Style Selection: Determine the design and style of your study that resonates with your target audience. Consider factors such as the research context, participant demographics, and desired outcomes.

4. Questionnaire Evaluation and Creation: Evaluate and refine your survey questions to ensure they align with your research objectives. Create a comprehensive questionnaire that captures the necessary data.

5. Participant Identification: Identify the target participants who will provide valuable insights for your research study. Ensure they represent the intended population and adhere to ethical considerations.

6. Conducting the Survey: Implement your survey according to the predefined methodology. Gather responses and data from your participants, ensuring accuracy and reliability.

7. Data Collection and Analysis: Collect and organize the data acquired during the study. Utilize appropriate statistical techniques and analytical methods to interpret and draw meaningful conclusions.

8. Presenting the Results: Communicate the findings of your research study through clear and concise reporting. Utilize visual aids, such as graphs or charts, to enhance comprehension and engage your audience.

The difference between types of questions and research methods

Depending on your hypothesis or objective, there are certain research methods that will facilitate your process of creating questionnaires.

When we choose to use a particular type of question, we do it because it is linked to a purpose we are seeking to achieve. Now, there are many possibilities to formulate a question, which is why it is so important that we are clear about the objective.

Let’s look at an example with the following question:
How likely are you to recommend us?
This can be a simple scale from 1 to 10.

But if we transform it into an NPS, this question becomes a method, because the answers are automatically categorised into :

• Promoters

• Passive

• Detractors

The method automatically calculates a score based on these categories.

If we would simply use a scale (like the first example) all this work would have to be done manually. This implies time and also more margins of error. That is why it is essential to take into account the use of methods that are appropriate to the objectives we have.

Summary:

• Question type = The format of how you ask something.
  (e.g., multiple choice, Likert scale, open-ended text)

• Research method = A structured approach to answering a specific research goal.(e.g., NPS to measure loyalty, MaxDiff to find priorities)

Each research method may use different question types, but it always serves a specific purpose.

Choose the right method to leverage your Surveys

At Survalyzer we have several research methods integrated directly into our software. Accessible, easy to implement and ready to use.

Let’s review the main ones.

Net Promoter Score (NPS)

Purpose: Assess likelihood to recommend. Measures the willingness to recommend using a 0-10 scale. Answers are divided into promoters, neutrals and detractors

• Detractors are participants who ticked 0 – 6

• Neutrals have ticked 7 or 8

• Promoters ticked 9 and 10

NPS = % share of promoters minus % share of detractors

Available with: Professional, Expert and Enterprise
Try it here: NPS

Customer Effort Score (CES)

Purpose: Measure customer ease-of-use on a specific problematic. Grouping of participants in:

• % Difficult (scale points 1 – 2)

• % share neither (scale points 3 – 5)

• % share Difficult (scale points 6 – 7)

No standardised scaling or evaluation method.

Available with: Professional, Expert and Enterprise
Try it here: CES

A/B Testing (Monadic Test)

Purpose: Test the influence of product or concept variants. Participants evaluate one version of several. A/B test is a monadic design with 2 concepts.

Available with: Expert and Enterprise
Try it here: A/B test

Implicit association test

Purpose: reveals subconscious biases.

• Reaction time-based test – Measures automatic associations between concepts.

• Categorisation of concepts Participants quickly assign words/images.

• Recognising unconscious preferences Reduction of social desirability effects.

• Comparison of reaction patterns Faster categorisation = stronger association

Learn more about this method in the following article: Implicit Association Test, Explained Simply

Available with: Expert and Enterprise
Try it here: Implicit Association

MaxDiff

Purpose: Decide which product features matter most.

• Query preferences of equivalent attributes

• Suitable for longer attribute lists

• Recording of relative importance

• Ideal method for international studies, as scale-independent

Learn more in this article: MaxDiff vs. Rating Scales: Definition, Examples, and Advantages

Available with: Expert and Enterprise
Try it here: Max Diff

Key Driver Analysis

Purpose: understand what drives NPS, CES or satisfaction. Various factors can have different effects on the target value to be optimised:

• Pricing

• Quality

• Product range

• Customer Support

Learn more about this method in the following article: How to conduct AI-based Key Driver Analysis with Survalyzer

See an interactive Key Driver Analysis here

Available with: Expert and Enterprise
Try it here: Key Driver analysis

Gabor Granger

Purpose: This method aims to test the purchase likelihood across prices by discovering the willingness to pay. By presenting a variety of price points, you get as a result a willing price estimation.

Available with: Expert and Enterprise
Try it here: Gabor Granger

Van Westendrop

Purpose: Find acceptable price range. By asking the participants at what price they would find a product too cheap, too expensive, etc, they reveal a price perception to find an accurate price offer.

Available with: Expert and Enterprise
Try it here: Van Westendrop

A quick summary of the Methods

Conclusion: Choose methods, not just questions

As you have seen, choosing the right research method goes far beyond selecting question types. Each method serves a specific purpose, responds to a different research objective and offers different types of insights.

Tip:

When designing your survey in Survalyzer:

• Start with your research objective, not the type of question.

• Then choose the method that fits that objective.

• Finally, use the question types to bring that method to life.