Types of Research

I Based on the research goal:

1. Pure research
2. Applied Research

• Pure Research

• It is driven by curiosity, interest & intuition.
• No specific goal is planned.
• It is exploratory in nature.
• It is also called as Fundamental Research or Basic Research.
• The main is to advance knowledge and to identify/explain the relationship between variables.
• Here, very minimum usage of technology is seen.
• Funding required to carry out such research is usually very minimum.
• The work area in basic research is usually restricted with controlled variable.
• The outcome of pure research are in the form of:

  • New Theories/Principles.
  • New way of analyzing a phenomenon.
  • It can act as base for applied research.
  • The findings may have future implications.
  • Application is universal with wide area coverage.

• In Ayurveda, all the Literary Studies, Works on Manuscriptology, Survey based Studies are coming under basic research.
• Examples:

  • Comprehensive review of doshagati from brihatrayi.
  • Conceptual analysis of shatkriyakaala from pathological perspective.
  • Critical analysis of emerging disease “Covid-19” from an Ayurveda perspective.
  • Critical Comparative study of various commentaries of Carakasamhita with reference to shareerasthana.
  • Collation, Editing & Publication of unpublished Manuscripts related to Ayurveda.

• Applied Research

• It is driven by a specific problem existing at a given point of time.
• Goal is preset by the researcher.
• It is descriptive in nature.
• Technology usage for such research is on a higher scale.
• Good Funding is required.
• Area of work is real life situations with many variables coming into picture.
• The application of applied research is usually for present time and may not be applicable in future.
• It usually is planned on the basis of results of pure research.
• The applied research has commercial value as new products/services/instruments are designed.
• In Ayurveda, all the Clinical Studies, Animal Experiments & Tools developing studies can be taken under Applied Research.
• Examples:

  • Clinical studies to assess the efficacy of drugs by comparing with standard.
  • Tool to assess prakriti of a person by preparing a questionnaire.
  • Development of new instrument to administer surgical, parasurgical & pancakarma therapies.

.Major differences between Pure Research & Applied Research
Parameter	Pure Research	Applied Research
Pre-Research Mindset	No specific goal	Clear goal is set
Main aim	Advancement of knowledge	Solve a particular problem
Nature of Work	Exploratory	Descriptive
Area Covered	Usually Theoretical	Mostly Practical
Base	Out of curiosity & intuition	Derived from Basic Research
Outcome	May have future implications	Usually designed for present
Scope	Universal – Diverse Applications	Particular Field
Commercial Outcomes	Nil	New Products/technologies/ services
Technology Usage	Minimum	High
Economy	Usually nil or very minimum	More funding is necessary
Environmental Factors	Usually done in a controlled environment	Done in real-life environment where even unexpected variable may intervene.
Publications	Only high quality works qualify for academic publications	Usually high percentage of acceptance for academic publications

II Based on the type of variables chosen in research

1. Qualitative Research
2. Quantitative Research
3. Mixed

• Qualitative Research

• It deals with words and meanings while data collection & analysis.
• It is applied when concepts or thoughts need to be understood.
• It gives clear insights of the topics that are not well understood.
• This type of research is usually followed by taking interviews (open-ended questions), observational studies & literature reviews.
• This research can have certain biases like observer bias & recall bias.
• In Ayurveda, commonly followed qualitative research are literary reviews, Survey based studies.
• Examples:

  • Comprehensive study of Tantrayukti in Brihatrayi
  • Survey Study on Etiological factors leading to Kushtha in Coastal India.
  • Survey study on Vegadharana leading to common diseases in today’s time.

• Quantitative Research

• It deals with numbers & graphs while data collection & analysis.
• Theories or assumptions can be tested through this research.
• Common methods in quantitative research include experimental studies, observations with numbers, closed ended surveys.
• This research can have certain biases such as sampling bias & information bias.
• In Ayurveda, commonly followed quantitative research is experimental & clinical studies.
• Examples:
  • Efficacy of a particular drug in various dosage forms.
  • Immunogenicity effect of Ashwagandha & Guduci.

  • Analysis of shareerapramana & relation with health.

• Mixed Approach

In certain cases, both the methodologies maybe adopted one after the other or simultaneously to gain maximum data.

.Major differences between Qualitative & Quantitative Research
Parameter	Qualitative Research	Quantitative Research
Data	Words	Numbers
Main Aim	Formulating Hypothesis	Testing Hypothesis
Respondents	Few also sufficient	Requires large number
Questionnaire	Open-Ended	Close-Ended
Expressed in	Words	Numbers, Graphs & Tables

Data Collection Techniques:

Certain methods of data collection can be common for both qualitative and quantitative research. But, few of them can be exclusive to one of them.

Qualitative Data Collection Tools:

• Interviews: Open-ended Questionnaire.
• Focus Groups: Discussion with group of people on a common topic.
• Ethnography: Observation of culture and behavior in a community.
• Literature Review: Survey of Published works.

Quantitative Data Collection Tools:

• Surveys: Closed-Type Questionnaire.
• Experiments: Different variables under controlled environment to establish cause-effect relationship.
• Observations: Subjects being observed in natural environment without modifying the variables.

III Based on Intervention

1. Observational Research
2. Interventional Research

• Observational Research

• Here, the subjects are not given any input by the researcher.
• Researcher observes the subject as he/she is following in routine life over a period of time.
• It usually takes less time for participation.
• One subject can enroll for multiple observational researches simultaneously as there is no modifying variable.
• In Ayurveda, Survey based studies are commonly followed observational researches.
• Example:
  • Study to analyze the effect of specific seasonal traditional food on the residents of that area.

  • Study to compare ratrijagarana & effect on shukra dhatu.

• Interventional Research

• It is commonly called as Clinical Research.
• It involves giving external input to the body such as medicines, activities, devices or procedures.
• Here, the participant has to undergo the process for a longer duration.
• A participant can enroll in only one interventional research at a given point of time.
• In Ayurveda, All Clinical & Animal based Researches come under interventional research.
• Example:
  • Effect of madhumehari churna on diabetes induced mice.

  • Efficacy of Ayurveda therapy in comparison to modern surgeries.

Phases of Clinical Research:

Phase I	Purpose: Safety ChecksTo determine how and where the drug distributes within the body Sample Size: Small Group of people around 20-80Healthy Volunteers.Even Animal Experiments can be considered under Phase I. Monitoring: Serious adverse events”— that is, any toxic, undesirable, or unwanted effect that causes death or danger to health, like a disability or permanent damage, birth defect, heart attack, or other serious medical condition.
Phase II	Purpose: Right DoseEfficacy Sample Size Large Volunteers with disease.Usually, there is a control group which receives the standard treatment or placebo. Monitoring: By comparing the groups with standard protocol & with trial drug.This phase can last several months to years.
Phase III	Purpose: Right DoseEfficacy Sample Size Large Volunteers with disease.There is a control group which receives the standard treatment or placebo. Monitoring: By comparing the groups with standard protocol & with trial drug.This phase can last several years.
Phase IV	It is also called Post-Market Surveillance. Monitoring: Long term public safety and potentially serious adverse events.This phase can last several years.

.Major differences between Observational & Interventional Research
Parameter	Observational Research	Interventional Research
Nature of Work	Not interfering in the routine life of subject	Subject is intervened with medicines/procedures/activities/devices.
Duration of Research	Comparatively less	Usually for a longer duration
Subjects	Can enroll to multiple observational research simultaneously.	Can enroll only to one interventional research at a given point of time.S
Outcome	May have future implications	Usually designed for present
Scope	Universal – Diverse Applications	Particular Field
Commercial Outcomes	Nil	New Products/technologies/ services
Economy	Usually nil or very minimum	More funding is necessary
Publications	Only high quality works qualify for academic publications	Usually high percentage of acceptance for academic publications