TYPES OF RESEARCHType of

research

Definition and types of

data

Advantages of method Disadvantages of method Examples of techniques

PRIMAR

Y

Experiments,

investigations, or tests

carried out to acquire

data first-hand, rather

than being gathered from

published

sources.(business

dictionary.com) it is

research that you carry

out yourself.

• Recency of Data. The data will not be out of

date because it would have been collected

recently.

• You can research exactly what you want to

search so there will not be any other

unnecessary things searched.

• You have more control over what you want to

search

• a disadvantage or primary

research is that it is very time

consuming

• Another disadvantage is that it is

very costly

• Finally a disadvantage of primary

research is that it isn't feasible.

• Questionnaires

• Surveys

• Telephone interviews

• Observations

SECOND

ARY

Research based on

secondary data.

It is data that has already

been conducted and it is

being re used.

• One advantage is that it is easy to access

because you could just get it off the internet.

• Secondly it isnt very costly so you would save

money collecting secondary data

• Another advantage is that it covers a large

spectrum of issues so businesses can just filter

and take what they want from it.

• One disadvantage is it may not

be exactly specific to what you

want to research.

• Secondly it isnt up to date

because it would be research

that was done in the past.

• Another disadvantage is that it

takes time to do

• Data that already exists

• Internet

• books

QUALITA

TIVE

Data that approximates or

characterizes but does not

measure the attributes,

characteristics, properties,

etc., of a thing or

phenomenon. Qualitative

data describes whereas

quantitative data defines.

• One advantage is that it allows participants to

speak their own words so they don’t have to

pick from a set variety.

• Another advantage is that it is a more in depth

answer so you would get more of an opinion.

• Finally it uncovers peoples experience more

because it focuses on small groups.

• One disadvantage is that it is

hard to analyse because it is all

opinions and not short answers.

• Another disadvantage is that it is

long to do.

• Finally the people doing it might

not want to do it because its

long and they may get bored.

• Surveys

• Panels

• Pressure groups

QUANTIT

ATIVE

Data that can be quantified

and verified, and is

amenable to statistical

manipulation. Quantitative

data defines whereas

qualitative data describes.

• One advantage is that it is easy to analyse

• Another advantage is that it allows the

researcher to measure and analyse data.

• Relationship between independent and

dependant variable is studied in detail.

• One disadvantage is that you do

not get an in depth answer.

• Another disadvantage is that it

does not study things in a

natural setting

• Another disadvantage is that you

have to study a large sample of

the population.

• Questionnaires

• Test results

• Reports

• percentages

TYPES OF RESEARCHType of research and

sources

Definition and types of data

generated by this technique

Advantages of method Disadvantages of method Examples of techniques

DATA

GATHERING

AGENCY - BARB

A major source of TV audience

data in the UK, comparable to

the nielsen ratings in the UK

• You can find out how

many people watch a

certain programme and

which is the most

popular.

• you can find out when

the best time to show

programmes is.

• people do not want the

public to be able to see

what they are viewing.

• only some people have

the box so they cant

really generalizes results

on the whole country

• Barb hire people to

gather their information.

Ethnographic The branch of anthropology

that deals with the scientific

description of specific human

cultures

• you get to see properly

what ethnic minorities

do.

• You know what yopu get

to see is real.

• The person may get too

attatched.

• It may become more

personal than work.

• Personal observation