In this chapter we begin our journey into research methods.  We start by describing and differentiating basic approaches from applied approaches to research.  Chapter one clarifies key concepts and terms that will be used in this textbook and it begins to answer the fundamental question of “what is research?”  We conclude this chapter by examining where research ideas come from.

Research methods defined

Research methods are a systematic process of inquiry applied in such a manner as to learn something about our social world (Schmitz, 2012). What is key in the preceding statement is that undertaking research is a systematic process. In other words, there is a system, or a right way to do research.  How to do research correctly is one of the most important things you can and should learn if you plan to undertake a research project.  However, beyond your need or desire to undertake a research project, doing research correctly is also of relevance to every profession you may choose or have chosen to enter. In fact, you already do research in your everyday life. Just think about how many times on a weekly basis you undertake a Google search.  Our collective use of Google to search for answers is one of the reasons why Google is such a successful company. Asking questions, trying to figure out what is going on, and/or why things happen in the way they do is a part of being human (Palys and Atchison, 2014).

So if you already do research, why are you taking a course on research methods? Well, as much as we intuitively “research” things all the time, there are some more formal ways of collecting and sharing knowledge. Ultimately research, in the formal sense, is really about engagement and thinking critically about the world around us.  Research can make a contribution by shaping social life, which is known as applied research. For example, a researcher may undertake a study that helps policymakers change an existing policy or create a new one. The research is applied to help shape social life.

Research can also make a contribution to sociological theories or knowledge, without having a specific application as a goal.  This is known as basic research. For example, a researcher may undertake a study that modifies an existing theory related to post-traumatic stress disorder. It is important to note, however, that even basic research may ultimately be used for some applied purpose. Similarly, applied research might not turn out to be applicable to the particular real-world social problem the researcher was trying to solve, but it might better theoretical understanding of some phenomenon.

The process of undertaking research

It is important that you understand that research itself is a process that is defined by the approach taken to it in the first place. While research uncovers some aspect of how the world is, it also reflects in large part how, where, and when we have asked the questions.
Generally speaking, research is a nine-step process:

1. Choose a topic
2. Review the literature (past research)
3. Formulate the problem (finding the gap in past research)
4. Develop a research question
5. Choose and organize the research design
6. Gather the data
7. Analyze the data
8. Interpret the data
9. Communicate the findings

Before moving on, it is important to clarify a few key terms.  Click on the following link to download a PDF that describes the difference between research methods, research techniques, and research methodology.  It is very important to understand the difference between these terms, particularly as it relates to understanding research.  It will also help you with the final assignment.  You may want to print this document up and pin it to your computer for an easy reference, as you move through the course.

Research Methods, Techniques, Methodology [PDF]