Research Skills
Finding the Right Primary & Secondary Research
Once you have settled on your research question, it's time to look for sources to help you answer it.
The first important tip here is not to assume the only place to look is the internet. Although the internet will be helpful and will provide some of your evidence, it should be used sparingly, or in equal measure to other types of sources, including:
- books
- academic and scientific journals
- relevant magazines
- newspapers and newspaper archives
- recorded interviews (audio and visual)
- radio and TV programmes
- questionnaires
- statistics
and much more.
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It is important to consider the types of research you will need to refer to before you begin your search for an answer. For instance, if you are trying to find out the effects of pupil absenteeism on grades, you would need to find official statistics, educational research papers and books, possibly journals and interviews, and maybe carry out your own interviews or questionnaire. But if you were comparing the last works of three major artists, you might need to read scholarly books, journals, diaries, or visit the artists' works first hand for your own primary analysis. If you do need to make additional trips to museums, archives or libraries, make sure to add those to your research targets plan.
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When analysing research, it is also a good idea to understand what sort of sources and data you are collecting. There are two major types of research you can gather - primary and secondary:
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Primary research
Primary research is the research you generate by asking questions, conducting experiments or interviews and collating results. This research can take the form of quantitative or qualitative research:
Quantitative research
Quantitative research is inquiry into an identified problem, based on testing a theory, measured with numbers, and analysed using statistical techniques. The goal of quantitative research methods is to determine whether the predictions of a theory hold true. Examples of quantitative research are experiments and closed-question surveys and questionnaires. The best way to remember what this type of research involves is to think of quantitative = quantity, e.g. numbers.
Qualitative research
A study based upon a qualitative process of inquiry has the goal of understanding a social or human problem from multiple perspectives. Qualitative research is conducted in a natural setting and involves a process of building a complex and holistic picture of the phenomenon of interest. Examples of this include case studies, research interviews, observations and field work, as well as open-question surveys and questionnaires. Again, to hep you remember what this type of research involves, think qualitative = quality, e.g. the values that we give to something (good/bad, right/wrong).
The quantitative/qualitative debate
These two forms of research, in spite of the differences stated above, have many things in common. They do, however, offer different perspectives on a subject under study. As a result, some researchers like to use a combination of the two methods to gain both quantifiable and more holistic information. Your research question will ultimately determine which of the two methods you should use.
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Secondary research
Secondary research is based on the findings from other people's research, and is often the most common type of research students turn to. It involves the gathering of results and information of other people's research from books, reports or the Internet. Selections or summaries are made of the research allowing for evidence to be gathered to support your conclusions.
Secondary research can save time, as you can easily incorporate your sources from Internet searches and books, etc., into your project. However, these need to be referenced, commented upon and analysed. You also need to make sure you avoid plagiarism. Secondary sources may also give you ideas for how to develop, collate and present your own primary research.
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To sum up: it is important to use a mix of sources in your research, including primary sources you have gathered, and secondary sources you can corroborate. If in doubt, use the CRAVEN scale to help you analyse a source and make sure it is reliable and credible.
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Information on this page was adapted from http://teachingcommons.cdl.edu/cdip/facultyresearch/Typesofresearch.html and http://www.hsc.csu.edu.au/design_technology/producing/develop/2662/primary.htm