Survey the target population. This is the simplest way to gather information. A survey can ask questions related to a public school system or collect information used to structure corporate change. Public opinion questionnaires can improve government services or law enforcement policies. For example, the leadership of an athletic program may send out a questionnaire to graduates to find out how to get them to give more money and attend more games.
Develop a study on the interrelationship among factors such as events, conditions or processes. Case studies investigate an individual situation or person as a way to describe a more encompassing situation and suggest ways to improve conditions. For example, a person from a particular socioeconomic level from a rural environment with a specific level of education might represent a group of people from the same area with similar characteristics.
Study the existing status and interrelationship of events and circumstances that change and take place over time, such as studying a group of people over a 10-year period. Longitudinal studies work well when studying human development while cross-sectional studies take less time to conduct, cost less and are more often used. For example, epidemiological studies, or studies about health trends in the population, collect data at one time from a cross-section of the population.
Consider observational research methodology, such as conducting face-to-face interviews or monitoring specific behaviors. This involves training reliable interviewers or observers and requires predefined, agreed upon behavior and systematic scoring procedures. Educational researchers might use this method to study group dynamics and then recommend strategies for teaching strategies.