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18 Descriptive Research Examples

Descriptive research examples and definition, explained below

Descriptive research involves gathering data to provide a detailed account or depiction of a phenomenon without manipulating variables or conducting experiments.

A scholarly definition is:

“Descriptive research is defined as a research approach that describes the characteristics of the population, sample or phenomenon studied. This method focuses more on the “what” rather than the “why” of the research subject.” (Matanda, 2022, p. 63)

The key feature of descriptive research is that it merely describes phenomena and does not attempt to manipulate variables nor determine cause and effect .

To determine cause and effect , a researcher would need to use an alternate methodology, such as experimental research design .

Common approaches to descriptive research include:

  • Cross-sectional research : A cross-sectional study gathers data on a population at a specific time to get descriptive data that could include categories (e.g. age or income brackets) to get a better understanding of the makeup of a population.
  • Longitudinal research : Longitudinal studies return to a population to collect data at several different points in time, allowing for description of changes in categories over time. However, as it’s descriptive, it cannot infer cause and effect (Erickson, 2017).

Methods that could be used include:

  • Surveys: For example, sending out a census survey to be completed at the exact same date and time by everyone in a population.
  • Case Study : For example, an in-depth description of a specific person or group of people to gain in-depth qualitative information that can describe a phenomenon but cannot be generalized to other cases.
  • Observational Method : For example, a researcher taking field notes in an ethnographic study. (Siedlecki, 2020)

Descriptive Research Examples

1. Understanding Autism Spectrum Disorder (Psychology): Researchers analyze various behavior patterns, cognitive skills, and social interaction abilities specific to children with Autism Spectrum Disorder to comprehensively describe the disorder’s symptom spectrum. This detailed description classifies it as descriptive research, rather than analytical or experimental, as it merely records what is observed without altering any variables or trying to establish causality.

2. Consumer Purchase Decision Process in E-commerce Marketplaces (Marketing): By documenting and describing all the factors that influence consumer decisions on online marketplaces, researchers don’t attempt to predict future behavior or establish causes—just describe observed behavior—making it descriptive research.

3. Impacts of Climate Change on Agricultural Practices (Environmental Studies): Descriptive research is seen as scientists outline how climate changes influence various agricultural practices by observing and then meticulously categorizing the impacts on crop variability, farming seasons, and pest infestations without manipulating any variables in real-time.

4. Work Environment and Employee Performance (Human Resources Management): A study of this nature, describing the correlation between various workplace elements and employee performance, falls under descriptive research as it merely narrates the observed patterns without altering any conditions or testing hypotheses.

5. Factors Influencing Student Performance (Education): Researchers describe various factors affecting students’ academic performance, such as studying techniques, parental involvement, and peer influence. The study is categorized as descriptive research because its principal aim is to depict facts as they stand without trying to infer causal relationships.

6. Technological Advances in Healthcare (Healthcare): This research describes and categorizes different technological advances (such as telemedicine, AI-enabled tools, digital collaboration) in healthcare without testing or modifying any parameters, making it an example of descriptive research.

7. Urbanization and Biodiversity Loss (Ecology): By describing the impact of rapid urban expansion on biodiversity loss, this study serves as a descriptive research example. It observes the ongoing situation without manipulating it, offering a comprehensive depiction of the existing scenario rather than investigating the cause-effect relationship.

8. Architectural Styles across Centuries (Art History): A study documenting and describing various architectural styles throughout centuries essentially represents descriptive research. It aims to narrate and categorize facts without exploring the underlying reasons or predicting future trends.

9. Media Usage Patterns among Teenagers (Sociology): When researchers document and describe the media consumption habits among teenagers, they are performing a descriptive research study. Their main intention is to observe and report the prevailing trends rather than establish causes or predict future behaviors.

10. Dietary Habits and Lifestyle Diseases (Nutrition Science): By describing the dietary patterns of different population groups and correlating them with the prevalence of lifestyle diseases, researchers perform descriptive research. They merely describe observed connections without altering any diet plans or lifestyles.

11. Shifts in Global Energy Consumption (Environmental Economics): When researchers describe the global patterns of energy consumption and how they’ve shifted over the years, they conduct descriptive research. The focus is on recording and portraying the current state without attempting to infer causes or predict the future.

12. Literacy and Employment Rates in Rural Areas (Sociology): A study aims at describing the literacy rates in rural areas and correlating it with employment levels. It falls under descriptive research because it maps the scenario without manipulating parameters or proving a hypothesis.

13. Women Representation in Tech Industry (Gender Studies): A detailed description of the presence and roles of women across various sectors of the tech industry is a typical case of descriptive research. It merely observes and records the status quo without establishing causality or making predictions.

14. Impact of Urban Green Spaces on Mental Health (Environmental Psychology): When researchers document and describe the influence of green urban spaces on residents’ mental health, they are undertaking descriptive research. They seek purely to understand the current state rather than exploring cause-effect relationships.

15. Trends in Smartphone usage among Elderly (Gerontology): Research describing how the elderly population utilizes smartphones, including popular features and challenges encountered, serves as descriptive research. Researcher’s aim is merely to capture what is happening without manipulating variables or posing predictions.

16. Shifts in Voter Preferences (Political Science): A study describing the shift in voter preferences during a particular electoral cycle is descriptive research. It simply records the preferences revealed without drawing causal inferences or suggesting future voting patterns.

17. Understanding Trust in Autonomous Vehicles (Transportation Psychology): This comprises research describing public attitudes and trust levels when it comes to autonomous vehicles. By merely depicting observed sentiments, without engineering any situations or offering predictions, it’s considered descriptive research.

18. The Impact of Social Media on Body Image (Psychology): Descriptive research to outline the experiences and perceptions of individuals relating to body image in the era of social media. Observing these elements without altering any variables qualifies it as descriptive research.

Descriptive vs Experimental Research

Descriptive research merely observes, records, and presents the actual state of affairs without manipulating any variables, while experimental research involves deliberately changing one or more variables to determine their effect on a particular outcome.

De Vaus (2001) succinctly explains that descriptive studies find out what is going on , but experimental research finds out why it’s going on /

Simple definitions are below:

  • Descriptive research is primarily about describing the characteristics or behaviors in a population, often through surveys or observational methods. It provides rich detail about a specific phenomenon but does not allow for conclusive causal statements; however, it can offer essential leads or ideas for further experimental research (Ivey, 2016).
  • Experimental research , often conducted in controlled environments, aims to establish causal relationships by manipulating one or more independent variables and observing the effects on dependent variables (Devi, 2017; Mukherjee, 2019).

Experimental designs often involve a control group and random assignment . While it can provide compelling evidence for cause and effect, its artificial setting might not perfectly mirror real-worldly conditions, potentially affecting the generalizability of its findings.

These two types of research are complementary, with descriptive studies often leading to hypotheses that are then tested experimentally (Devi, 2017; Zhao et al., 2021).

Benefits and Limitations of Descriptive Research

Descriptive research offers several benefits: it allows researchers to gather a vast amount of data and present a complete picture of the situation or phenomenon under study, even within large groups or over long time periods.

It’s also flexible in terms of the variety of methods used, such as surveys, observations, and case studies, and it can be instrumental in identifying patterns or trends and generating hypotheses (Erickson, 2017).

However, it also has its limitations.

The primary drawback is that it can’t establish cause-effect relationships, as no variables are manipulated. This lack of control over variables also opens up possibilities for bias, as researchers might inadvertently influence responses during data collection (De Vaus, 2001).

Additionally, the findings of descriptive research are often not generalizable since they are heavily reliant on the chosen sample’s characteristics.

See More Types of Research Design Here

De Vaus, D. A. (2001). Research Design in Social Research . SAGE Publications.

Devi, P. S. (2017). Research Methodology: A Handbook for Beginners . Notion Press.

Erickson, G. S. (2017). Descriptive research design. In  New Methods of Market Research and Analysis  (pp. 51-77). Edward Elgar Publishing.

Gresham, B. B. (2016). Concepts of Evidence-based Practice for the Physical Therapist Assistant . F.A. Davis Company.

Ivey, J. (2016). Is descriptive research worth doing?.  Pediatric nursing ,  42 (4), 189. ( Source )

Krishnaswamy, K. N., Sivakumar, A. I., & Mathirajan, M. (2009). Management Research Methodology: Integration of Principles, Methods and Techniques . Pearson Education.

Matanda, E. (2022). Research Methods and Statistics for Cross-Cutting Research: Handbook for Multidisciplinary Research . Langaa RPCIG.

Monsen, E. R., & Van Horn, L. (2007). Research: Successful Approaches . American Dietetic Association.

Mukherjee, S. P. (2019). A Guide to Research Methodology: An Overview of Research Problems, Tasks and Methods . CRC Press.

Siedlecki, S. L. (2020). Understanding descriptive research designs and methods.  Clinical Nurse Specialist ,  34 (1), 8-12. ( Source )

Zhao, P., Ross, K., Li, P., & Dennis, B. (2021). Making Sense of Social Research Methodology: A Student and Practitioner Centered Approach . SAGE Publications.

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  • Chris Drew (PhD) #molongui-disabled-link 25 Positive Punishment Examples
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Home Market Research

Descriptive Research: Definition, Characteristics, Methods + Examples

Descriptive Research

Suppose an apparel brand wants to understand the fashion purchasing trends among New York’s buyers, then it must conduct a demographic survey of the specific region, gather population data, and then conduct descriptive research on this demographic segment.

The study will then uncover details on “what is the purchasing pattern of New York buyers,” but will not cover any investigative information about “ why ” the patterns exist. Because for the apparel brand trying to break into this market, understanding the nature of their market is the study’s main goal. Let’s talk about it.

What is descriptive research?

Descriptive research is a research method describing the characteristics of the population or phenomenon studied. This descriptive methodology focuses more on the “what” of the research subject than the “why” of the research subject.

The method primarily focuses on describing the nature of a demographic segment without focusing on “why” a particular phenomenon occurs. In other words, it “describes” the research subject without covering “why” it happens.

Characteristics of descriptive research

The term descriptive research then refers to research questions, the design of the study, and data analysis conducted on that topic. We call it an observational research method because none of the research study variables are influenced in any capacity.

Some distinctive characteristics of descriptive research are:

  • Quantitative research: It is a quantitative research method that attempts to collect quantifiable information for statistical analysis of the population sample. It is a popular market research tool that allows us to collect and describe the demographic segment’s nature.
  • Uncontrolled variables: In it, none of the variables are influenced in any way. This uses observational methods to conduct the research. Hence, the nature of the variables or their behavior is not in the hands of the researcher.
  • Cross-sectional studies: It is generally a cross-sectional study where different sections belonging to the same group are studied.
  • The basis for further research: Researchers further research the data collected and analyzed from descriptive research using different research techniques. The data can also help point towards the types of research methods used for the subsequent research.

Applications of descriptive research with examples

A descriptive research method can be used in multiple ways and for various reasons. Before getting into any survey , though, the survey goals and survey design are crucial. Despite following these steps, there is no way to know if one will meet the research outcome. How to use descriptive research? To understand the end objective of research goals, below are some ways organizations currently use descriptive research today:

  • Define respondent characteristics: The aim of using close-ended questions is to draw concrete conclusions about the respondents. This could be the need to derive patterns, traits, and behaviors of the respondents. It could also be to understand from a respondent their attitude, or opinion about the phenomenon. For example, understand millennials and the hours per week they spend browsing the internet. All this information helps the organization researching to make informed business decisions.
  • Measure data trends: Researchers measure data trends over time with a descriptive research design’s statistical capabilities. Consider if an apparel company researches different demographics like age groups from 24-35 and 36-45 on a new range launch of autumn wear. If one of those groups doesn’t take too well to the new launch, it provides insight into what clothes are like and what is not. The brand drops the clothes and apparel that customers don’t like.
  • Conduct comparisons: Organizations also use a descriptive research design to understand how different groups respond to a specific product or service. For example, an apparel brand creates a survey asking general questions that measure the brand’s image. The same study also asks demographic questions like age, income, gender, geographical location, geographic segmentation , etc. This consumer research helps the organization understand what aspects of the brand appeal to the population and what aspects do not. It also helps make product or marketing fixes or even create a new product line to cater to high-growth potential groups.
  • Validate existing conditions: Researchers widely use descriptive research to help ascertain the research object’s prevailing conditions and underlying patterns. Due to the non-invasive research method and the use of quantitative observation and some aspects of qualitative observation , researchers observe each variable and conduct an in-depth analysis . Researchers also use it to validate any existing conditions that may be prevalent in a population.
  • Conduct research at different times: The analysis can be conducted at different periods to ascertain any similarities or differences. This also allows any number of variables to be evaluated. For verification, studies on prevailing conditions can also be repeated to draw trends.

Advantages of descriptive research

Some of the significant advantages of descriptive research are:

Advantages of descriptive research

  • Data collection: A researcher can conduct descriptive research using specific methods like observational method, case study method, and survey method. Between these three, all primary data collection methods are covered, which provides a lot of information. This can be used for future research or even for developing a hypothesis for your research object.
  • Varied: Since the data collected is qualitative and quantitative, it gives a holistic understanding of a research topic. The information is varied, diverse, and thorough.
  • Natural environment: Descriptive research allows for the research to be conducted in the respondent’s natural environment, which ensures that high-quality and honest data is collected.
  • Quick to perform and cheap: As the sample size is generally large in descriptive research, the data collection is quick to conduct and is inexpensive.

Descriptive research methods

There are three distinctive methods to conduct descriptive research. They are:

Observational method

The observational method is the most effective method to conduct this research, and researchers make use of both quantitative and qualitative observations.

A quantitative observation is the objective collection of data primarily focused on numbers and values. It suggests “associated with, of or depicted in terms of a quantity.” Results of quantitative observation are derived using statistical and numerical analysis methods. It implies observation of any entity associated with a numeric value such as age, shape, weight, volume, scale, etc. For example, the researcher can track if current customers will refer the brand using a simple Net Promoter Score question .

Qualitative observation doesn’t involve measurements or numbers but instead just monitoring characteristics. In this case, the researcher observes the respondents from a distance. Since the respondents are in a comfortable environment, the characteristics observed are natural and effective. In a descriptive research design, the researcher can choose to be either a complete observer, an observer as a participant, a participant as an observer, or a full participant. For example, in a supermarket, a researcher can from afar monitor and track the customers’ selection and purchasing trends. This offers a more in-depth insight into the purchasing experience of the customer.

Case study method

Case studies involve in-depth research and study of individuals or groups. Case studies lead to a hypothesis and widen a further scope of studying a phenomenon. However, case studies should not be used to determine cause and effect as they can’t make accurate predictions because there could be a bias on the researcher’s part. The other reason why case studies are not a reliable way of conducting descriptive research is that there could be an atypical respondent in the survey. Describing them leads to weak generalizations and moving away from external validity.

Survey research

In survey research, respondents answer through surveys or questionnaires or polls . They are a popular market research tool to collect feedback from respondents. A study to gather useful data should have the right survey questions. It should be a balanced mix of open-ended questions and close ended-questions . The survey method can be conducted online or offline, making it the go-to option for descriptive research where the sample size is enormous.

Examples of descriptive research

Some examples of descriptive research are:

  • A specialty food group launching a new range of barbecue rubs would like to understand what flavors of rubs are favored by different people. To understand the preferred flavor palette, they conduct this type of research study using various methods like observational methods in supermarkets. By also surveying while collecting in-depth demographic information, offers insights about the preference of different markets. This can also help tailor make the rubs and spreads to various preferred meats in that demographic. Conducting this type of research helps the organization tweak their business model and amplify marketing in core markets.
  • Another example of where this research can be used is if a school district wishes to evaluate teachers’ attitudes about using technology in the classroom. By conducting surveys and observing their comfortableness using technology through observational methods, the researcher can gauge what they can help understand if a full-fledged implementation can face an issue. This also helps in understanding if the students are impacted in any way with this change.

Some other research problems and research questions that can lead to descriptive research are:

  • Market researchers want to observe the habits of consumers.
  • A company wants to evaluate the morale of its staff.
  • A school district wants to understand if students will access online lessons rather than textbooks.
  • To understand if its wellness questionnaire programs enhance the overall health of the employees.

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Descriptive Research

Descriptive research questions: Definition, examples and designing methodology

  • October 4, 2021

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Conducting thorough market research is all about framing the right questions that provide accurate answers to research questions. The two main categories of questions namely: Quantitative and Qualitative questions focus on differential aspects. 

While quantitative research questions are based on numerical data that provides a substantial backing to the decision making process, qualitative research questions aim to derive insights based on textual responses. Both these questions are used based on their relevance and suitability to meet end objectives of the user. 

One such useful quantitative question type are the descriptive research questions.

What is descriptive research?

Descriptive research questions aim to provide a description of the variable under consideration. It is one of the easiest and commonly used ways to quantify research variables. 

Questions that begin with:

  • How much: How much time does an average teenager spend on watching documentaries on OTT platforms?

Variable: time spent on watching documentaries 

Group: Teenagers

  • How often: How often do you take an international family trip in a year?

Variable: International trips 

Group: Families

  • How likely: How likely is it for a person to purchase life insurance within the age group of 20-26?

Variable: Likelihood of purchasing a life insurance

Group: People within the age group of 20-26

  • What percentage: What percentage of high school students exercise on a daily basis?

Variable: Daily Exercise

Group: High School Students 

  • How many: How many smartphone users make use of curated apps to manage daily tasks?

Variable: Usage of curated apps 

Group: Smartphone users 

  • What proportion: What proportion of students prefer online education to offline education?

Variable: Educational format

Group: Students

  • How regularly: How regularly does a woman engage or purchase from a cosmetic brand outlet as against e-commerce websites?

Variable: Purchasing Behaviour of cosmetics

Group: Women

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  • What is: What is the ratio of passengers indulging in train travel to travelling by flight?

Variable: Travelling medium

Group: Passengers

  • What are: What are the influencing factors that impact the choice of purchasing a house in the UK?

 Variable: Influencing factors 

Group: UK property investors/ New buyers

Among other such phrases are all classified as descriptive questions. By gathering sufficient responses to such questions, end users are able to make intelligent decisions based on hard figures that help in gathering stakeholder confidence. 

For example: What percentage of college students make use of e-libraries for their academic needs. In this example the variable under observation is usage of e-libraries and the group that is evaluated are the college going students.

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH QUESTIONS2

By providing percentages, averages, sum, proportions and other such figures, descriptive research questions provide a complete view of the target groups responses with respect to that variable. The above example has restricted the usage of variables to one, but many researchers alternatively choose to incorporate multiple variables under a single head.

Why are descriptive research questions important?

Descriptive research questions are a systematic methodology that helps in understanding the what, where, when and how. Important variables can be rigidly defined using descriptive research, unlike qualitative research where the subjectivity in responses makes it relatively difficult to get a grasp on the overall picture. The multiple methods available allow for in-person as well as online research to be carried out based on whatever the need of the end user is. 

The data provided by descriptive research assists comprehensive understanding by providing an in-depth view of the variable that is being studied. 

Steps to conduct Cluster Sampling

These are the following steps used to perform single-stage cluster sampling:

  • Decide on a target population and desired sample size.
  • Divide the target population into clusters based on a specific criteria.
  • Select clusters using methods of random selection while keeping in mind the desired sample size.
  • Collect data from the final sample group.

Further steps may be taken using two-stage or multistage sampling to achieve desired sample size if it cannot be achieved through one-stage sampling.

Types of descriptive research questions?

Descriptive research questions has divisions based on multiple business applications:

Market performance:

Descriptive research questions can be centred around organizational market performance in terms of sales figures, competitive appeal, updated practices, market share analytics, concept studies and other data collection processes that intend to gather market know-how. Target market analysis can also be done using descriptive question types wherein organizations can precisely define their niche audience.

Consumer behaviour:

Consumer perceptions and ideas about what suits them best can be understood using descriptive question types. These studies are used to design curated products that meet target market requirements. Anything from products, services, offers, incentives, promotions and marketing, pricing, packaging, feedback mechanism can be put into perspective and gauged to extract material results.

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH QUESTIONS3

Internal trends:

While market performance looks at external variables, internal trends focus on departmental contributions, revenue generation, product specific demands, sales figures etc. This internal summary helps appraise performance within the organization and contrast it with external performance for benchmarking purposes.

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH QUESTIONS4

How to frame descriptive research questions?

There is no rocket science behind framing the right question for your variable. It’s just a matter of figuring out what you want to assess and the numerical measure you’re looking for. The usage of descriptive questions in your study also comes with the condition of keeping the entire process concise and to the point. 

To start off, figure out the variable that you wish to gauge and the target group that needs to be evaluated. This will determine the centre point of your research questions. Avoid providing vague descriptions and instead, try narrowing the details. Such a practice will direct the questioning to the exact audience you wish to examine without adding in unnecessary responses.

Choose the starting phrase that encompasses what you’re looking to measure. For example: If you’re looking to examine or separate a certain type of person from the entire target audience, phrases such as “what proportion” or “what percentage” can prove highly useful.

Questioning tips:

  • Proceed from general to specific questions while making sure that you don’t lose focus of your target variable and audience. 
  • Avoid using ambiguous terminologies that are likely to confuse your respondents into misunderstanding questions as this can adversely affect the quality of your responses.
  • Keep the questions simple and easy to understand in such a way that all targeted respondents are able to grasp the overall meaning equally. 
  • Avoid leading questions that skew the respondent into answering a certain way. Research is all about getting the information that you want in an authentic manner and such questions can sway the respondent into giving artificial responses.

Make sure that your answer choices are balanced. This is another bias that forces the respondent into altering their actual responses. Try to provide equal representation to all possible answers such that the probability of receiving each response is equally likely.

Lastly, look for variables of questions that you can club together without affecting the overall questioning process. However, it is often useful to bifurcate combined questions wherever you can, combining relevant questions together can provide useful information about existing relationships. This goes without saying that such clubbing must not act as a hindrance to the understanding of these variables as separate characteristics.

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Descriptive research questions: Definition, examples and designing methodology sample size

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Statistical Research Questions: Five Examples for Quantitative Analysis

Table of contents, introduction.

How are statistical research questions for quantitative analysis written? This article provides five examples of statistical research questions that will allow statistical analysis to take place.

In quantitative research projects, writing statistical research questions requires a good understanding and the ability to discern the type of data that you will analyze. This knowledge is elemental in framing research questions that shall guide you in identifying the appropriate statistical test to use in your research.

Thus, before writing your statistical research questions and reading the examples in this article, read first the article that enumerates the  four types of measurement scales . Knowing the four types of measurement scales will enable you to appreciate the formulation or structuring of research questions.

Once you feel confident that you can correctly identify the nature of your data, the following examples of statistical research questions will strengthen your understanding. Asking these questions can help you unravel unexpected outcomes or discoveries particularly while doing exploratory data analysis .

Five Examples of Statistical Research Questions

In writing the statistical research questions, I provide a topic that shows the variables of the study, the study description, and a link to the original scientific article to give you a glimpse of the real-world examples.

Topic 1: Physical Fitness and Academic Achievement

A study was conducted to determine the relationship between physical fitness and academic achievement. The subjects of the study include school children in urban schools.

Statistical Research Question No. 1

Is there a significant relationship between physical fitness and academic achievement?

Notice that this study correlated two variables, namely 1) physical fitness, and 2) academic achievement.

To allow statistical analysis to take place, there is a need to define what is physical fitness, as well as academic achievement. The researchers measured physical fitness in terms of  the number of physical fitness tests  that the students passed during their physical education class. It’s simply counting the ‘number of PE tests passed.’

On the other hand, the researchers measured academic achievement in terms of a passing score in Mathematics and English. The variable is the  number of passing scores  in both Mathematics and English.

Both variables are ratio variables. 

Given the statistical research question, the appropriate statistical test can be applied to determine the relationship. A Pearson correlation coefficient test will test the significance and degree of the relationship. But the more sophisticated higher level statistical test can be applied if there is a need to correlate with other variables.

In the particular study mentioned, the researchers used  multivariate logistic regression analyses  to assess the probability of passing the tests, controlling for students’ weight status, ethnicity, gender, grade, and socioeconomic status. For the novice researcher, this requires further study of multivariate (or many variables) statistical tests. You may study it on your own.

Most of what I discuss in the statistics articles I wrote came from self-study. It’s easier to understand concepts now as there are a lot of resource materials available online. Videos and ebooks from places like Youtube, Veoh, The Internet Archives, among others, provide free educational materials. Online education will be the norm of the future. I describe this situation in my post about  Education 4.0 .

The following video sheds light on the frequently used statistical tests and their selection. It is an excellent resource for beginners. Just maintain an open mind to get rid of your dislike for numbers; that is, if you are one of those who have a hard time understanding mathematical concepts. My ebook on  statistical tests and their selection  provides many examples.

Source: Chomitz et al. (2009)

Topic 2: Climate Conditions and Consumption of Bottled Water

This study attempted to correlate climate conditions with the decision of people in Ecuador to consume bottled water, including the volume consumed. Specifically, the researchers investigated if the increase in average ambient temperature affects the consumption of bottled water.

Statistical Research Question No. 2

Is there a significant relationship between average temperature and amount of bottled water consumed?

In this instance, the variables measured include the  average temperature in the areas studied  and the  volume of water consumed . Temperature is an  interval variable,  while volume is a  ratio variable .

In this example, the variables include the  average temperature  and  volume of bottled water . The first variable (average temperature) is an interval variable, and the latter (volume of water) is a ratio variable.

Now, it’s easy to identify the statistical test to analyze the relationship between the two variables. You may refer to my previous post titled  Parametric Statistics: Four Widely Used Parametric Tests and When to Use Them . Using the figure supplied in that article, the appropriate test to use is, again, Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient.

Source: Zapata (2021)

Topic 3: Nursing Home Staff Size and Number of COVID-19 Cases

research question

An investigation sought to determine if the size of nursing home staff and the number of COVID-19 cases are correlated. Specifically, they looked into the number of unique employees working daily, and the outcomes include weekly counts of confirmed COVID-19 cases among residents and staff and weekly COVID-19 deaths among residents.

Statistical Research Question No. 3

Is there a significant relationship between the number of unique employees working in skilled nursing homes and the following:

  • number of weekly confirmed COVID-19 cases among residents and staff, and
  • number of weekly COVID-19 deaths among residents.

Note that this study on COVID-19 looked into three variables, namely 1) number of unique employees working in skilled nursing homes, 2) number of weekly confirmed cases among residents and staff, and 3) number of weekly COVID-19 deaths among residents.

We call the variable  number of unique employees  the  independent variable , and the other two variables ( number of weekly confirmed cases among residents and staff  and  number of weekly COVID-19 deaths among residents ) as the  dependent variables .

This correlation study determined if the number of staff members in nursing homes influences the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths. It aims to understand if staffing has got to do with the transmission of the deadly coronavirus. Thus, the study’s outcome could inform policy on staffing in nursing homes during the pandemic.

A simple Pearson test may be used to correlate one variable with another variable. But the study used multiple variables. Hence, they produced  regression models  that show how multiple variables affect the outcome. Some of the variables in the study may be redundant, meaning, those variables may represent the same attribute of a population.  Stepwise multiple regression models  take care of those redundancies. Using this statistical test requires further study and experience.

Source: McGarry et al. (2021)

Topic 4: Surrounding Greenness, Stress, and Memory

Scientific evidence has shown that surrounding greenness has multiple health-related benefits. Health benefits include better cognitive functioning or better intellectual activity such as thinking, reasoning, or remembering things. These findings, however, are not well understood. A study, therefore, analyzed the relationship between surrounding greenness and memory performance, with stress as a mediating variable.

Statistical Research Question No. 4

Is there a significant relationship between exposure to and use of natural environments, stress, and memory performance?

As this article is behind a paywall and we cannot see the full article, we can content ourselves with the knowledge that three major variables were explored in this study. These are 1) exposure to and use of natural environments, 2) stress, and 3) memory performance.

Referring to the abstract of this study,  exposure to and use of natural environments  as a variable of the study may be measured in terms of the days spent by the respondent in green surroundings. That will be a ratio variable as we can count it and has an absolute zero point. Stress levels can be measured using standardized instruments like the  Perceived Stress Scale . The third variable, i.e., memory performance in terms of short-term, working memory, and overall memory may be measured using a variety of  memory assessment tools as described by Murray (2016) .

As you become more familiar and well-versed in identifying the variables you would like to investigate in your study, reading studies like this requires reading the method or methodology section. This section will tell you how the researchers measured the variables of their study. Knowing how those variables are quantified can help you design your research and formulate the appropriate statistical research questions.

Source: Lega et al. (2021)

Topic 5: Income and Happiness

This recent finding is an interesting read and is available online. Just click on the link I provide as the source below. The study sought to determine if income plays a role in people’s happiness across three age groups: young (18-30 years), middle (31-64 years), and old (65 or older). The literature review suggests that income has a positive effect on an individual’s sense of happiness. That’s because more money increases opportunities to fulfill dreams and buy more goods and services.

Reading the abstract, we can readily identify one of the variables used in the study, i.e., money. It’s easy to count that. But for happiness, that is a largely subjective matter. Happiness varies between individuals. So how did the researcher measured happiness? As previously mentioned, we need to see the methodology portion to find out why.

If you click on the link to the full text of the paper on pages 10 and 11, you will read that the researcher measured happiness using a 10-point scale. The scale was categorized into three namely, 1) unhappy, 2) happy, and 3) very happy.

An investigation was conducted to determine if the size of nursing home staff and the number of COVID-19 cases are correlated. Specifically, they looked into the number of unique employees working daily, and the outcomes include weekly counts of confirmed COVID-19 cases among residents and staff and weekly COVID-19 deaths among residents.

Statistical Research Question No. 5

Is there a significant relationship between income and happiness?

Source: Måseide (2021)

Now the statistical test used by the researcher is, honestly, beyond me. I may be able to understand it how to use it but doing so requires further study. Although I have initially did some readings on logit models, ordered logit model and generalized ordered logit model are way beyond my self-study in statistics.

Anyhow, those variables found with asterisk (***, **, and **) on page 24 tell us that there are significant relationships between income and happiness. You just have to look at the probability values and refer to the bottom of the table for the level of significance of those relationships.

I do hope that upon reaching this part of the article, you are now well familiar on how to write statistical research questions. Practice makes perfect.

References:

Chomitz, V. R., Slining, M. M., McGowan, R. J., Mitchell, S. E., Dawson, G. F., & Hacker, K. A. (2009). Is there a relationship between physical fitness and academic achievement? Positive results from public school children in the northeastern United States.  Journal of School Health ,  79 (1), 30-37.

Lega, C., Gidlow, C., Jones, M., Ellis, N., & Hurst, G. (2021). The relationship between surrounding greenness, stress and memory.  Urban Forestry & Urban Greening ,  59 , 126974.

Måseide, H. (2021). Income and Happiness: Does the relationship vary with age?

McGarry, B. E., Gandhi, A. D., Grabowski, D. C., & Barnett, M. L. (2021). Larger Nursing Home Staff Size Linked To Higher Number Of COVID-19 Cases In 2020: Study examines the relationship between staff size and COVID-19 cases in nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities. Health Affairs, 40(8), 1261-1269.

Zapata, O. (2021). The relationship between climate conditions and consumption of bottled water: A potential link between climate change and plastic pollution. Ecological Economics, 187, 107090.

© P. A. Regoniel 12 October 2021 | Updated 08 January 2024

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Writing a research article: how to paraphrase, about the author, patrick regoniel.

Dr. Regoniel, a faculty member of the graduate school, served as consultant to various environmental research and development projects covering issues and concerns on climate change, coral reef resources and management, economic valuation of environmental and natural resources, mining, and waste management and pollution. He has extensive experience on applied statistics, systems modelling and analysis, an avid practitioner of LaTeX, and a multidisciplinary web developer. He leverages pioneering AI-powered content creation tools to produce unique and comprehensive articles in this website.

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COMMENTS

  1. Which research question is an example of a descriptive question for a

    In the context of quantitative research, that involves specific data obtained through surveys or interviews, and can be analysed statistically, the question asking 'What is the prevalence of elevated salivary cortisol in adolescents?' would be considered a descriptive question. Here's why: this question seeks to determine a statistic or a ...

  2. 18 Descriptive Research Examples (2024)

    6. Technological Advances in Healthcare (Healthcare): This research describes and categorizes different technological advances (such as telemedicine, AI-enabled tools, digital collaboration) in healthcare without testing or modifying any parameters, making it an example of descriptive research. 7.

  3. Descriptive Research: Characteristics, Methods + Examples

    Some distinctive characteristics of descriptive research are: Quantitative research: It is a quantitative research method that attempts to collect quantifiable information for statistical analysis of the population sample. It is a popular market research tool that allows us to collect and describe the demographic segment's nature.

  4. Descriptive research questions: Definition, examples and ...

    Descriptive research questions: Definition, examples and designing methodology. Conducting thorough market research is all about framing the right questions that provide accurate answers to research questions. The two main categories of questions namely: Quantitative and Qualitative questions focus on differential aspects.

  5. 10 Research Question Examples to Guide your Research Project

    The first question asks for a ready-made solution, and is not focused or researchable. The second question is a clearer comparative question, but note that it may not be practically feasible. For a smaller research project or thesis, it could be narrowed down further to focus on the effectiveness of drunk driving laws in just one or two countries.

  6. Descriptive Research

    Revised on June 22, 2023. Descriptive research aims to accurately and systematically describe a population, situation or phenomenon. It can answer what, where, when and how questions, but not why questions. A descriptive research design can use a wide variety of research methods to investigate one or more variables.

  7. Writing Strong Research Questions

    A good research question is essential to guide your research paper, dissertation, or thesis. All research questions should be: Focused on a single problem or issue. Researchable using primary and/or secondary sources. Feasible to answer within the timeframe and practical constraints. Specific enough to answer thoroughly.

  8. Statistical Research Questions: Five Examples for Quantitative Analysis

    Five Examples of Statistical Research Questions. In writing the statistical research questions, I provide a topic that shows the variables of the study, the study description, and a link to the original scientific article to give you a glimpse of the real-world examples. Topic 1: Physical Fitness and Academic Achievement

  9. Descriptive type of research examples

    In conclusion, descriptive research is a type of research that aims to describe or summarize the characteristics, behaviors, or attitudes of a population or sample. Some examples of descriptive research include surveys, observational studies, case studies, cross-sectional studies, and longitudinal studies.

  10. Which of the following is an example of descriptive research?

    The question asks which of the following examples represents descriptive research. Descriptive research aims to observe, describe, and document aspects of a situation as it naturally occurs. When we look at the given options, a cohort study is an example of observational study but is not purely descriptive as it often aims to analyze exposure ...

  11. Solved Which of the following is an example of descriptive

    Question 2 options: Evaluation research examining the effectiveness of crime prevention progra Longitudinal research examining competing explanations for criminal behavior ( examples: self - control, delinquent peers ) Monitoring the Future estimates the percentage of high schoolers who use tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs each ye

  12. example of descriptive research

    Example of descriptive research - 19313920. Answer: Some examples of descriptive research are: A specialty food group launching a new range of barbecue rubs would like to understand what flavors of rubs are favored by different people.

  13. Solved An example of Descriptive research question is: Was

    This problem has been solved! You'll get a detailed solution that helps you learn core concepts. Question: An example of Descriptive research question is: Was your last project on-time and on-budget?" true or false. An example of Descriptive research question is: Was your last project on - time and on - budget?" true or false.

  14. give the one example of descriptive design

    Survey research allows you to gather large volumes of data that can be analyzed for frequencies, averages and patterns. Common uses of surveys include: Describing the demographics of a country or region. Gauging public opinion on political and social topics. Evaluating satisfaction with a company's products or an organization's services.

  15. Which of the following is not an example of descriptive research?

    Answer: The correct answer to this question is a respondent's reason for not buying a particular product that was sent in the mail as a sample.. Explanation: Given - descriptive research. To Find - Choose the correct option. A respondent's reason for not buying a particular product that was sent in the mail as a sample is not an example of descriptive research.