Research & Intelligence > Terminology...?

Ok your confused about research? Well here are a few explanations...sorry for the crossing the road analogy!

Research – the name given to work undertaken to gain additional information for the purposes of gaining extra knowledge

Methodology – (Often confused with method) is the theoretical (philosophical) approach used to underpin research methods.

Method – The processes of observing your theoretical (philosophical) assumptions in action. The choice of methods is often dictated by your theoretical assumptions. Most methods encompass some form of observation, whether it be watching how people cross the road or counting how many people cross the road at a given period of time. So methods may include structured surveys and questionnaires or observation and interviews

Qualitative – If you are interested in how people cross the road for example why they choose to hop or skip across then you are more likely to be interested in the qualitative research. You may use observation underlined by assumptions based on your judgments of the people crossing the road and create research which generates text. You may also read reports on how people cross the road, interview people and ask them why they cross in the manner they do and why they cross road at certain points and not others; much of your observation is subjective.

Quantitative – This term is underlined by the use of numerical (numbers) information upon which you would base your research findings. You may conduct a survey on what age the people crossing the road are. This would entail counting how many people fall within certain age ranges; you may continue this by asking them what gender they identify with or what colour are their eyes.

Ok its not a definitive guide to research but we do hope that it gives you some idea on what is involved. Check out the following link to Prof T Wilson of the University of Sheffield © for more detailed information.

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