Page 32 - SREENARAYANAGURU OPEN UNIVERSITY

research study on the social media habits of young adults
in a particular region. They would collect data on the
frequency of social media usage, preferred platforms and
types of content consumed. The research results would offer
a comprehensive overview of the social media behaviors
among this demographic.
The Descriptive researcher is like a sensitive antenna
receiving signals from the world around her. She knows
phenomena are irreducibly complex. Her task is not to filter
but to tune into this complexity by gathering elaborate and
textured descriptions. These descriptions provide the raw
material for later interpretive efforts. In this sense, descriptive
Observe, describe research represents the first move in understanding our
and understand
world. It provides a foundation of observations upon which
more analytical efforts can build. Descriptive inquiry is thus
a prerequisite for meaningful interpretation, modelling and
theory building. Far from being a passive recording of facts,
it actively cultivates the skills of perception and discernment
needed for penetrating inquiry. A careful description of the
world around us is essential for developing wisdom.

Explanatory Research - The purpose of explanatory
research is to understand 'why' something is the way it is.
As human beings, we have an innate curiosity to make sense
Satisfying of the world around us. We want to comprehend the reasons
curiosity behind how natural and social phenomena occur. Explanatory
research satisfies this basic human need for knowledge and
meaning. It allows us to peel back the layers of complexity in
the world and get to the core of why things are the way they
are. We engage in this type of systematic inquiry not just for
intellectual stimulation but also for practical benefits.

Knowing why things happen gives us the ability to influence
our situation. It enables us to make predictions, develop
theories and strengthen knowledge to improve aspects of life.
If we can figure out why crop yields are low, we can take
steps to boost them. When we know why certain diseases
Empowering
insight spread, we can contain epidemics. By untangling why social
problems persist, we can design effective interventions.
Explanatory knowledge is empowering on an individual level
too. When we trace an effect back to its causes, we feel more
in control rather than being helpless. Self-understanding is
emancipating too. Knowing the roots of our mental models
and behaviours facilitate self-improvement.

26 SGOU - SLM - Foundational Skills for Research and Writing