Applied Research – Types, Methods, Examples

Applied Research

What is Applied Research?

Applied research is a type of research that seeks to solve real-world problems. It is often conducted by businesses, government agencies, and NGOs. Applied research can be used to develop new products and processes, improve existing ones, or find new ways to use existing products and processes.

Types of Applied Research

There are three types of Applied Research:

• Evaluation Research
• Research and Development
• Action Research

Evaluation Research

Evaluation research is a systematic way of assessing how well a program or intervention is working. It is often used in applied settings, such as in social service programs, education, and public health. Evaluation research can help decision-makers understand whether a program is meeting its goals and objectives and identify areas for improvement.

Research and Development

The term Research and Development refers to the process of creating new products or services or improving existing ones. It is widely used in businesses and organizations, as well as in academia.

Action Research

Action research in applied research is a type of research that is conducted by practitioners who are also researchers. This type of research is action-oriented and focuses on solving problems that are relevant to the practitioner. The goal of action research in applied research is to improve practice through the use of scientific methods.

Applied Research Methods

Following are Applied Research Methods:

• Interviews
• Surveys

Interviews

There are two main types of interviews that are commonly used in applied research: structured and unstructured. Structured interviews are those in which the researcher asks the same set of predetermined questions to all participants. Unstructured interviews, on the other hand, allow for more flexibility and allow the researcher to ask follow-up questions based on the respondent’s answers.

Surveys

Surveys in applied research are no different; they serve as an initial means of gathering data in order to learn about a particular population or topic.
There are many different types of surveys that can be used in applied research, but the most common are questionnaire-based surveys. These types of surveys involve asking a series of questions to a group of people in order to gather information about their opinions, experiences, or knowledge on a certain topic.

When to use Applied Research

There are many times when applied research is appropriate.

• When a company wants to improve its product or service.
• When a company wants to understand its customers better.
• Applied research can be useful for exploring new markets or for developing new products and services.

In general, applied research is most appropriate when a company has a specific goal in mind that it wants to achieve. The company should have some data or knowledge about the area in which it wishes to conduct research. It is important to have access to people who can provide insights into the issue at hand.

How to conduct Applied Research

Applied research is conducted to solve specific problems. There are four steps in conducting applied research:

1. Define the problem.
2. Develop a hypothesis.
3. Test the hypothesis.
4. Evaluate the results.

The first step in conducting applied research is to define the problem. What are you trying to solve? Once you have defined the problem, you can develop a hypothesis. A hypothesis is a testable prediction about how things work.

After you have developed a hypothesis, you need to test it. This is done through experiments or surveys. Once you have collected your data, you can analyze it to see if it supports your hypothesis

Examples of Applied Research

Some examples of applied research include

• Developing new methods to recycle materials.
• Finding ways to improve the efficiency of solar panels.
• Creating new types of medical treatments.

Also see Humanities Research

Importance of Applied Research

Applied research is critical to advances in science and technology. It allows researchers to take the findings from basic research and develop them into applications that can be used to solve real-world problems.

Without applied research, many of the scientific breakthroughs that we take for granted would not be possible. For example, the development of vaccines and antibiotics would not have been possible without applied research.

Applied research is also important for developing new technologies and products. Many companies use applied research to develop new products or improve existing ones. Without applied research, innovation would grind to a halt.

Thus, we can see that applied research is essential for solving real-world problems, developing new technologies and products, and advancing science and technology.

Also see Artistic Research

Advantages of Applied Research

There are many advantages of applied research.

• It is often more affordable than Basic research and can be conducted more quickly.
• Applied research is typically more relevant to real-world problems than basic research.
• It has direct applications to solving real-world problems. For example, applied research on new medical treatments can lead to improved patient outcomes.
• Similarly, applied research on new educational methods can lead to improved student performance.

Also see Historical Research

Disadvantages of Applied Research

There are a few disadvantages to applied research.

• Applied research can be expensive because it requires special equipment and trained personnel.
• It can also be time-consuming because it often takes longer to collect data and analyze it.
• Lastly, it can be difficult to find participants, especially if the research is being conducted in a remote location.

Also see Documentary Research