What are the basic research methods?
observation, survey, experiments, qualitative
Observation
Typically descriptive research that monitors respondents' actions without direct interaction.
Survey
Research in which an interviewer interacts (except in mail or Internet surveys) with respondents to obtain facts, opinions, and attitudes.
Experiments
Research to measure causality, in which the researcher changes one or more independent variables and observes the effect of the changes on the dependent.
Qualitative
Research such as focus groups, interviews, secondary analysis, and case studies.