Descriptive and Normative Research

DESCRIPTIVE AND NORMATIVE RESEARCH

by Antonio C. Antonio

February 16, 2015

Research is said to be the process of putting facts and figures to “how”, “what”, “where”, “when” and “who”.  To make better sense in our study of what research is all about, it is therefore important to first put our fingers on the aims and objectives of research. 

Aims and objectives should be: (a) Concise and brief; (b) Interrelated (therefore, the aim is what is to be achieved and the objective describes how the aim is to be achieved); and, (c) Time-bound (therefore, realistic on what can be accomplished in a given period of time).  Intentions and expectations must be clear on the following: (1) How to approach the literature and theoretical issues related to the research project; (2) How to access subjects, respondents, units, good and services; (3) How to develop a sampling frame and strategy or a rationale for their analysis; (4) How to develop a design and strategy for data and information collection and analysis; and, (5) How to deal with practical and ethical problems related to the research project.  Having mentioned the ideal aims and objectives of a research project, the following “don’ts” should also be critically factored-in:  (A) Aims and objectives should not be too vague, ambitious or broad in scope; (B) Aims and objectives should not just repeat each other in different terms; (C) Aims and objectives should not just be a list of things related to the research topic; and, (D) Aims and objectives should not contradict the methods and processes (therefore, should not imply methodological goals or standards of measurement, proof or generalisability of findings that the methods and processes cannot sustain).

The aims of research are: (1) Research are broad statements of desired outcomes, or general intentions of the research, which a very clear picture of the research project; (2) Research emphasizes specifically what is to be accomplished and how this is to be accomplished; and, (3) Research addresses the long-term project outcomes, therefore, research should reflect the expectations and aspirations of the research topic.  After the aims are established, the next order of business is to formulate the objectives. 

Normally, a research project should have no more than two or three aim statements even if it includes numerous objectives.  Objectives are supposed to be mere subsidiary to aims and are: (a) The steps to be undertaken to answer the research question; (b) A specific list of tasks and procedures necessary to accomplish the aims and objectives of the project; (c) Emphasizes on how the aims and objectives are to be accomplished; (d) Must be highly focused and doable; (e) Address the more immediate project outcomes; (f) Make good and accurate use of concepts; (g) Must be sensible and accurately described; and, (e) Should be read as an individual statement to convey the intention of the researcher.

The conclusion of the research project should indicate whether or not the aims and objectives are met.  Aims and objectives may not be met in full because the research questions are insufficient or inappropriate.  Research projects have many variables and circumstances that cannot be anticipated.  When these come into play, the research design should be adjusted or re-calibrated to come up with a (more or less) accurate conclusion.

Having stated the aims and objectives of research, allow me to segue to the types of research --- descriptive and normative. 

A descriptive research is used to detail the characteristics and elements of a population or a phenomenon which is the subject of the research project.  A descriptive research does not and will not answer questions as to “how”, “when” or “why” these characteristics and elements occurred… but purely addresses the “what”.  The characteristics and elements to describe a population, a phenomenon or a situation are normally some kind of categorical scheme commonly known as descriptive categories.  A descriptive research usually precedes explanatory research.  As a rule, a descriptive research cannot describe what caused a situation but, rather, the causal relationship between two variables or how one variable affects another variable.  These descriptions are used to make statistical calculations for frequencies, averages, etc.  More often, the ideal approach to writing a descriptive research is the conduct of a survey investigation to be preceded by a qualitative research where the researcher could make an in-depth analysis why the observations exist and their implication. 

There really is very little difference between qualitative and explanatory research.  Both of them complement each other.  Descriptive research is also commonly known as statistical research… the main goal of this type of research is to describe the data and characteristics of the population, phenomenon or situation being studied. This is also regarded as highly accurate and a preferred type of research method.

On the other hand, a normative research seeks to: (a) clearly define the study population, (b) outline the phenomena under research and (c) appropriately interpret the results.  Researchers, scientists and subject matter experts use the scientific method to gather data and apply it to the generated hypothesis while, in a normative research, cross-sectional studies for which information comes from a population at one set time or through longitudinal studies where information comes repeatedly in time to measure rates of change.

“Normative” means relating to an ideal standard of a model, or being based on what is considered to be the normal or correct procedure in doing things.  A normative research differs from descriptive research since the aim and objective is not only to gather facts but also determines how the research could be improved.

There are two types of normative research.  The first is General Normative Research which produces the theory of practice for a professional activity, such as design, which can consist of recommendations, rules, standards, algorithms, advices or other tools for improving the aims and objectives of the research study.  The second is Normative Case Study which seeks to discover the methods to ameliorate (meaning: to make something bad satisfactory, something satisfactory better and something better, the best) an object.  This is also commonly called “research and development” or R&D.

Although in the real” world there appears to be less concern on the actual type of research, it is good to know the types of research to appreciate better the process by which new knowledge (through the research process) is actually gathered and processed through descriptive and normative research.

Just my little thoughts…

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