Descriptive research focuses on studying and describing the existing conditions of a given phenomenon It is a type of research aimed at discovering facts or explaining current phenomena and conditions as they truly exist. It may involve using a survey research method, Correlation research, or longitudinal study. The research is commonly focused on beliefs, opinion, attitude, or the current situations or circumstances.
Main features of Descriptive Research
- Descriptive research and interpretation of phenomena that occur according to the conditions.
- The researcher does not collect any new data but only gathers existing data, analyzes it, and presents the findings.
- The study does not control any variables and allows the conditions to occur naturally.
The purpose of descriptive research
- To collect data related to the current existing conditions.
- To use the data for interpretation, explanation, evaluation, and comparison.
- To understand the relationships and trends of events.
- To establish benchmarks or standards of what has been studied in order to compare approaches to seeking knowledge and truth.
- To understand the rationale and practices in order to solve problems and find ways to improve.
3 Type of Descriptive Research
- Survey Research: This type of research focuses on studying facts, stories, events, or existing conditions at the time of the study in order to compare each variable. It is popular for social science research and business administration research such as Surveys in education, community surveys, referendums etc.
- Expost facto/post facto/causal-comparative research: It is similar to experimental research, but the variables studied cannot be manipulated because they have already occurred. It is a study that works backward from the results to find the causes such as Case studies correlational studies etc.
- Developmental research: It is a study that examines the progress of conditions or phenomena, including the changes that occur over a period of time to observe the evolution, development, or changes of the sample group such as Growth Studies, Trend Studies etc.
The Step of Descriptive Research
- Selecting a Research Problem: Research problems often arise from previous study results, where the researcher wants to investigate the phenomena that have occurred. The issues in descriptive research arise from certain causes. The problem statements often relate to expressing opinions, studying trends, monitoring, and similar aspects.
- Definition of the Research Problem: Selecting a good research problem leads to a clear and precise definition of the problem, and this allows the research to proceed smoothly, especially since the research objectives must be clear about the goals to be achieved in order to comprehensively address the research problem
- Research Planning
- Defining the Sample Group and Sampling Methods
- Creating data collection tools, such as questionnaires, interviews, and etc.
- Planning data collection to obtain accurate and reliable information.
- Planning the selection and use of statistics to align with the data and hypotheses.
- Data analysis and interpretation.
It occurs after collecting data from the relevant sample group by using tools for data analysis and interpretation. This step takes place after data has been collected from the sample group using the developed tools. The interpretation will be based on the main objectives of the research, including hypothesis
testing. The analysis results will be used to address the research questions or problems.
- Summary and Discussion of Research Findings
This step follows the data analysis and interpretation phase. It involves writing a summary of the research findings, using references from various statistics to show the relationships among the studied variables according to the research problem. This process helps enhance the credibility of the research.
- Report Writing and Publication
This step occurs after reaching the conclusions of the research. The report writing follows the standards of research reporting and includes references from various sources to ensure the information is comprehensive. The report is then presented in appropriate future opportunities.
Weaknesses of descriptive research
- If the sampling is not done properly, the sample may not represent the population
- If the research problem is not clearly defined, the research process will become vague, resulting in low-quality research outcomes.
- . Descriptive research mostly obtains secondary data; therefore, it is less reliable than data collected from primary sources.
- Some research instruments lack accuracy and reliability
- If the chosen statistical methods for analysis do not align with the nature of the data, the research results may be incomplete or inaccurate
- If the research conclusions are too narrow, they may not keep up with the changing realities of society
Benefits of descriptive research
- It provides clear and accurate understanding of various situations and phenomena.
- It helps to understand facts based on the situation and variables, which can be used for effective planning toward achieving goals.
- It helps to identify the relationships between relevant variables, which can be effectively used to solve various problems.
- It is suitable for social science research, as it allows for an in-depth study of issues related to the population
- It can be used as foundational data for identifying and defining problems and their causes.
- Compared to other types of research, it is easier to conduct and more beneficial to the general public
It is evident that the steps involved in conducting descriptive research. It is a type of research that can be quite complex; therefore, it requires time and careful attention in both data collection and analysis. Therefore, if you are looking for a professional team to conduct descriptive research, you won’t need to spend time searching elsewhere. We offer a complete range of research services to support your needs.