Research Techniques

Primary Research

Primary research is any type of research that you go out and collect yourself. Examples include surveys, interviews, observations, and ethnographic research. A good researcher knows how to use both primary and secondary sources in her writing and to integrate them in a cohesive fashion.

Examples of Primary Research: 

• Questionnaire 
• Survey
• Interview

Secondary Research

Secondary Market Research. Definition: Market research that's already compiled and organized for you. Examples of secondary information include reports and studies by government agencies, trade associations or other businesses within your industry. 

Examples of Secondary Research

• Reviews
• Data Statistics
• Reports

Qualitative Research

Qualitative Research is primarily exploratory research. It is used to gain an understanding of underlying reasons, opinions, and motivations. It provides insights into the problem or helps to develop ideas or hypotheses for potential quantitative research.

• Focus Groups
• Questionnaire 
• Ethnography

Quantitative Research 

Quantitative methods emphasize objective measurements and the statistical, mathematical, or numerical analysis of data collected through polls, questionnaires, and surveys, or by manipulating pre-existing statistical data using computational techniques.

• Observations 
• Surveys 
• Reports