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DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

By

Ana Maria DO Regala

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH

• Descriptive research is used to obtain information concerning the current status of the phenomena to describe "what exists" with respect to variables or conditions in a situation.

• The methods involved range from the survey which describes the status quo, the correlation study which investigates the relationship between variables, to developmental studies which seek to determine changes over time.

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH• Descriptive research can be either quantitative or

qualitative. • It can involve collections of quantitative information that

can be tabulated along a continuum in numerical form, such as scores on a test or the number of times a person chooses to use a-certain feature of a multimedia program,

• or it can describe categories of information such as gender or patterns of interaction when using technology in a group situation.

• Descriptive research involves gathering data that describe events and then organizes, tabulates, depicts, and describes the data collection

DESCRIPTIVE STUDIES

• Descriptive studies, primarily concerned with finding out "what is," might be applied to investigate the following questions: – Do teachers hold favorable attitudes toward using

computers in schools? – What kinds of activities that involve technology occur

in sixth-grade classrooms and how frequently do they occur?

– What have been the reactions of school administrators to technological innovations in teaching the social sciences?

– How have high school computing courses changed over the last 10 years?

Developmental Studies

• Trend Studies - Used to make predictions from social trends, economic conditions, technological advances, etc. to future status

• The purpose of developmental studies is to assess changes over an extended period of time. – For example, developmental research would be an

ideal choice to assess the differences in academic and social development in low-income versus high-income neighborhoods.

– It is most common when working with children as subjects for obvious reasons and can be undertaken using several methods

trend analysis• The term "trend analysis" refers to the

concept of collecting information and attempting to spot a pattern, or trend, in the information

• Although trend analysis is often used to predict future events, it could be used to estimate uncertain events in the past, such as how many ancient kings probably ruled between two dates, based on data such as the average years which other known kings reigned.

Interrelationship Studies

• Correlation Studies - Determine the extent of the relationship between two or more variables 

• "Correlational research involves collecting data in order to determine whether, and to what degree, a relationship exists between two or more variables."

• Usually examine a complex, major idea by seeing how lesser variables relate to it – If variable doesn't relate, can drop from further

analysis – If variable relates, can do a more expensive causal-

correlational or experimental study

Historical Research• Historical research - mean gathering data from

situations that have already occurred and performing statistical analysis on this data just as we would in a traditional experiment.

• Since historical research relies on data from the past, there is no way to manipulate it.

• Studying the grades of older students, for example, and younger students may provide some insight into the differences between these two groups, but manipulating the work experience is impossible.

• Therefore, historical research can often lead to present day experiments that attempt to further explore what has occurred in the past.