What are the two main types of research methods?

The two main types of research methods are qualitative and quantitative research methods. Qualitative research focuses on exploring and understanding the meaning individuals or groups ascribe to social or human phenomena. It often involves collecting data through interviews, open-ended surveys, observations, and content analysis, which allows for in-depth insights into participants' emotions, motivations, and experiences.

On the other hand, quantitative research emphasizes numerical data and statistical analysis. This approach is useful for testing hypotheses, identifying patterns, and making generalizations across larger populations. It often involves structured methods such as surveys with closed-ended questions, experiments, and statistical tests to draw conclusions based on measurable data.

Both qualitative and quantitative methods serve distinct purposes and can be used complementarily in social research to provide a more comprehensive understanding of a research question. For instance, combining qualitative insights with quantitative data can enrich findings and validate results.