Descriptive, Correlational, Causal Type of Discussion Questions

Introduction

The 3 research questions have significant relation to each other. Consequently, descriptive research requires several causal and relational metrics. In the same way, relational research requires proper description of phenomena to find a solid relational basis. Trochim puts its that causal research is probably the most demanding because it gives almost all other types of research one or more incorporation (2006).The following paper discusses each type of research question and explains its use case. In the use of any type of research question, it is important to remember the dynamics of the research in order to explore the scope as deeply or briefly as possible without missing important components of the research task.

Descriptive Research Question

Like a descriptive or exploratory essay, descriptive research aims to accomplish brief or comprehensive discussion of phenomena that already exists. It seeks to enlighten more on existing things-like a dictionary. Consequently, the question for research should be designed in a way that shows an aim to describe something. Descriptive questions are likely to give the landscape of something than show the reasons for the landscape. It would be described as static research (Trochim, 2006).

Question: What is the percentage annual HIV contraction in the United States?

The above question aims to describe the annual contractions of the virus reported annually in the United States. In this way, the question seeks to enlighten on the number of contractions in order to acquire the real scope of the virus. Such a question would consider several factors in descriptive research. Such a question would accomplish the following:

• Supposing it is used in a span of about 3-5 years the question would describe the trend of new infections in the entire country.
• Secondly, the question would probably indirectly lead to describing the states that contribute to the highest number of infections. This is primarily because the tally for different states would show different numbers of new infections.
• In the same way, the question would describe a pattern that shows the new infections.

In essence, the question will lead to a descriptive research on new infections in the United States. It would only seek to describe numbers that would be useful for other types of research. Descriptive research paves way for other types of research to start.

Correlational Research Question

According to Trochim, relational type of research aims to find and explore the relations or lack-thereof between various phenomena (2006). The type of research explores the relation between two or more variable acting on a similar plane. Consequently, the relational research question is designed to give relational significance by the end of the research.

Question: What are the common features between the states with high rates of new HIV infections in the United States?

The research question aims to find the specific commonalities between the states that have been observed to have high rates of new infections. The variables to be considered in the question include: the states with high rates; common features in the states. The question is important in solving the following two features:

• It will show the states that have high rates of infections.
• It will explore the common features [relations] that the states have in common that leads to the high rate of infections.

Essentially, the question would build on the research question seeking to describe the new infections in different states. Consequently, it goes further by enabling the researchers to find the things that the most hit states have in common. Specifically, the question explores the relations between the states that lead to their common phenomena of high infections.

Causal Research Questions

These are the types of questions that seek to show cause and effect between different phenomena. It takes different variables and seeks to show the things that lead or do not lead to other things. Trochim puts it that they are research questions that show the outcome of different variables interacting (Trochim, 2006).

Question: What are the top ten occupations contributing to the high rate of HIV infections in the United States?

The above question seeks to find rate occupations [cause] that lead to the higher percentage of infections [effect] in the United States.

• It tries to explore that cause leading to high rate of infection. Such a research question would lead to discovering the most at risk populations in any states.
• It would lead to discovering the top ten occupations that show high rates of new infection.
• It would not be surprising for such a question to find truckers, sexual workers and even travelling business people, just to cite a few likely ones.

The causes leading to the infections would then be treated by targeting the most at risk populations with intense focus than others. In this way, organizations are usually in better positions to combat different health concerns by using causal types of researches. The dynamic nature of the research not only describes phenomena but also tries to show why they are so.

References

Trochim, W. (2006). Research Methods Knowledge Base. Foundations. Retrieved October 22, 2018 from: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/intres.php

Trochim, W. (2006). Research Methods Knowledge Base. Types of Questions. Retrieved October 22, 2018 from: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/resques.php

Trochim, W. (2006). Research Methods Knowledge Base. Conceptualizing. Retrieved October 22, 2018 from: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/resprob.php

Trochim, W. (2006). Research Methods Knowledge Base. Qualitative Measures. Retrieved October 22, 2018 from: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/qual.php

Trochim, W. (2006). Research Methods Knowledge Base. Structure of Research. Retrieved October 22, 2018 from: http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/kb/strucres.php