Descriptive Research Design

This method of research is used to provide concise descriptions of phenomena, population, or events in academic research. It can answer the questions related to the objects, places, time, and tools. However, you cannot use it to explain the reasons and causes.

You can use various methods in a descriptive research design to make conclusions about one or several variables. You cannot control or manipulate these variables. Still, it can be used for measuring and observation.

When You Can Use a Descriptive Research Design

This is a good choice for the identification of trends, characteristics, categories, or frequencies. It can help you a lot when you do not have enough information about the problem or theme. You should use it initially, before explaining why something has happened. It is because you need the facts first of all about where, when, and how something has occurred.

For example:

• ✔️ How has the German green energy market changed over the past decade?
• ✔️ Do the clients of the X retailing company prefer A or B to get their purchases delivered?
• ✔️ What are the main differences between the outcomes of offline and online learning?
• ✔️ What is the most popular social media in the age category between 35 and 45 years old?
• ✔️ How widespread is an African elephant in the central parts of the continent?

Methods Used in Descriptive Research

Though descriptive research is always recommended as a kind of quantitative approach, you can also use it for a qualitative research design. The only thing is that you need to develop it carefully to make the results as reliable and valid as possible.

Gathering a Lot of Data via Surveys

It is true that surveys allow you obtain big volumes of data about certain phenomena or conditions for further analysis of their patterns, frequencies, or popularity.

Therefore, you can use it for:

• compiling descriptions of the regional or national demographics;
• obtaining overall opinions about some social or political issues;
• assessing the levels of customer satisfaction about products or services.

Receiving Unbiased Data from Observations

You may collect the data about behaviors or phenomena from the population or sample without the need to worry about the accuracy or honesty of participants.

Use this method in market, social, or psychological research. It helps to identify people’s behavior and decision-making ways in certain real-life environments and situations.

You can also observe phenomena or entities of nature, so this method is widely used in science. You may use observation before developing the hypotheses, putting forward theories or new models. It allows for systematic and concise description of the research subject.

Describing Characteristics with Case Studies

This method is used for description of specific characteristics of subjects under research. They can be organizations, people, events, or social and professional groups. You do not need to collect large amounts of data here for trend identification throughout locations or time periods. You define the subject of research and narrow it down. Then, you use a case study to gather specific data on certain characteristics, which are interesting for the research.

Case studies do not describe any generalizable facts but concentrate on interesting features or unusual behaviors. Such data can produce fresh assumptions, make your research more complex, or showcase some new ideas and characteristics of the research problem and questions.

Final Thoughts

You can use a descriptive research design at the initial stages of your research project to accurately define its aims, problems, proposals, and questions. This is an interesting, useful, and simple approach which is popular among many researchers because it allows you obtain surprising research results.