Types of research: fundamental, Applied, action, descriptive, exploratory, evaluation, diagnostic research

Classification – I General Classification

a) Fundamental Research/Pure Research/Basic Research:

• It is undertaken for the sake of knowledge without any intention to apply it in practice.
• This research helps in developing theories by discovering broad generalization and principles.
• It is organized through different procedures of research like sampling, hypothesizing facts, etc. It can experiment in a psychological laboratory.
• Research concerning some natural phenomenon or relating to pure mathematics, research studies concerning human behavior carried on with a view to making generalizations about human behavior are examples of fundamental research.
• Used when developing theories, generalizations, and principles- Methods: Sampling, Hypothesizing, and laboratories

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 b) Applied Research

• Utilizes principles made by fundamental research to know the problems with best possible manner- Undertaken to solve an immediate problem
• Aims at finding a solution for an immediate problem facing a society or an industrial/business organization.
• Solve the practical problem of the modern world, rather than to acquire knowledge for knowledge sake.
• Marketing research is an example of applied research.

 c) Action Research

• Its aim is an immediate application but not any development of theory.
• It is research either initiated to solve the immediate problem or if the researcher finds any problem during the course of his field investigation and observation he applies it.

d) Exploratory Research

• It is a preliminary study of an unfamiliar problem about which researcher has little or no knowledge.
• The objective of exploratory research is the development of hypothesis rather than their testing.

(e) Descriptive study

• Includes surveys and fact findings inquiries of different kinds.
• The major purpose of descriptive research is a description of the state of affairs, as it exists at present.
• In social science and business research, the term often used is ex-post fact research.
• The researcher has no control over the variables, he can only report what has happened or what is happening.

(f) Evaluation Study

• It is a type of applied research.
• It is made for assessing and taking stock of effectiveness of social or economic programs.
• For example Family planning scheme, Irrigation project.

(g) Diagnostic Study

• Similar to descriptive study but with a different focus, which is directed towards discovering what is happening? Why is it happening and what can be done about it?
• It aims at identifying the causes of problems and possible solutions for it.

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