Research Methods: Historical, Descriptive, Experimental and Delphi.

Historical Method of Research

Concept and Definition Historical research is defined as the systematic collection and objective evaluation of data related to past occurrences in order to test hypotheses concerning the causes, effects, or trends of those events. This process helps explain present events and anticipate future ones. True historical research, or historiography, is concerned with analyzing and interpreting the meanings of historical events. It is a scholarly attempt to discover what has happened, reconstructing the past systematically and objectively by collecting, evaluating, verifying, and synthesizing evidence to establish facts and reach defensible conclusions.

What it Constitutes and Involves Historical research is a flowing, dynamic account of past events involving the interpretation of these events to recapture the nuances, personalities, and ideas that influenced them. It involves the application of reflexive thinking to understand past events.

The process demands:

• A great deal of social insight and historical orientation.
• Objective approach in discovering facts as well as interpreting them.
• The use of both an analytical and a synthetic view of the facts.
• The reconstruction of the past based on interpretation of relics or available evidence.

Sources of Information The sources are classified into Primary sources and Secondary sources.

• Primary Sources contain eye witness testimony which enhances validity and reliability. These are closest to the historical event and include documents generated by the events themselves (like archival records, internal letters, and memoranda), documents produced immediately to record events (like diaries, reports by journalists), and artifacts (relics).
• Secondary Sources are records or accounts prepared by someone other than the person who participated in or observed an event. They report events based on the use of primary and other secondary sources.

Limitations A key limitation is that the past can only be known through the relics that become available to the researcher, and the past cannot be re-enacted. Due to its inherent subjectivity, the final truth on any important subject can never be written. Historical research is considered ex post facto, meaning events have already taken place, giving the researcher no control over the variables. Furthermore, neither the data nor the inferences are capable of verification or measurement as in statistical methods.

Descriptive Method of Research (Survey Research)

The sources often treat the descriptive method and survey research synonymously.

Concept and Definition Descriptive research basically describes what is. It tries to find the existing status, trend, and state of art of a phenomenon. It involves the collection, recording, describing, and analyzing the facts related to the study. The major purpose is the description of the state of affairs of the phenomenon at hand. Survey research is undertaken to study and describe the ground realities or current state-of-the-art of a situation, group of persons, or institutions. It seeks answers to "what," "when," and "where" questions by gathering facts and verbal data.

Characteristics and Scope

• The main characteristic is that the researcher has no control over the variables; the researcher only observes and reports what is happening.
• It often involves surveys, but these are not merely data collection; they include measurement, classification, analysis, comparison, and interpretation.
• Survey research typically deals with a representative population.
• It is generally conducted in natural settings.
• It provides necessary information that helps administrators make decisions and plans for improvement.

Data Collection Survey research is characterized by the selection of random samples from large populations to obtain empirical knowledge of a contemporary nature. The researcher selects a small proportion of the population (sample) from the whole and then makes a study and generalizes findings to the larger group. Field methods used in survey research typically consist of a combination of techniques such as mailed questionnaires, interviews with respondents, and participant observation. Other tools include questionnaires, telephonic surveys, and electronic surveys.

Experimental Method of Research

Concept and Definition Experimental research is central to the scientific method. It is designed to study the cause-effect relation between two entities (variables) by direct observation and measurement under controlled conditions. It is essentially a causal investigation.

Key Components

1. Variables: A changeable element in a phenomenon.
   • Independent Variable (Cause): The variable that is manipulated, controlled, or changed by the researcher.
   • Dependent Variable (Effect): The factor which is influenced by the independent variable.
2. Control: Control is central to experimental research. A Control Group is similar to the experimental group but is left in a natural condition and is not given any treatment or exposure; it helps in the process of comparison.
3. Hypothesis: An informed guess predicting the relations between two or more variables, which is then tested. Experimental research usually starts with a hypothesis.
4. Random Assignment/Randomization: Used to assign subjects to experimental and control groups to eliminate personal bias. This is a requirement for statistical tests of significance.

Types of Experiments

• Laboratory Experiment: Conducted in a setting created specifically for the purpose (an artificial situation). This allows for securing relatively complete control over extraneous factor(s) and yields precise, replicable results. However, results cannot be simply generalized to real-life situations.
• Field Experiment: Conducted in a real-life situation (natural setting) where the experimenter manipulates an independent variable. This involves less control than laboratory experiments.

Relevance to LIS/Social Sciences Experimental research in Library and Information Science (LIS) covers areas such as testing the compatibility of different indexing systems, classification codes, and innovative teaching methods. While experimentation in social sciences is difficult because phenomena cannot be easily isolated or repeated endlessly under controlled conditions, recent developments in statistical methods have improved its application.

Delphi Method

Concept and Context The Delphi method is explicitly mentioned as a type or method of research. The sources note that the Delphi technique is a method used for collecting data or eliciting opinions from the population. It is also listed as a technique that Action Research employs.

The Delphi technique is used by researchers when studying the behavior of library users.