Descriptive studies
Descriptive research is a type of research method that explains the existing phenomenon without considering the causes of the phenomenon under study. In this regard, the data is collected by investigating the effect of the phenomenon on the investigated population. There is a need to consider the following three characteristics in descriptive research:
1. Demographic information of the population, including age, gender, race, marital status, and nutrition status
2. Spatial characteristics of the phenomenon, including geographical setting, city, and town
3. Temporal Characteristics of the investigated phenomenon, including seasonal, periodical, and time
Definition of some keywords
Rate
Rate is a relative index of measuring the phenomenon, which is estimated as a percentage. It is used to report incidence, pregnancy, and mortality. It is worth mentioning that time is an important factor in reporting the rate.
Incidence
The incidence refers to the number of new cases that develop at a given time.
Prevalence
The prevalence refers to the total number of cases at a given time. The number includes both the new cases and the already developed ones at a given time.
Case report study
It is a close investigation of a phenomenon (e.g., disease, unique clinical status, symptoms) with an emphasis on the detailed report of the rare features of the investigated phenomenon. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of similar cases for future diagnosis.
Case series study
This study addresses a group of cases with atypical characteristics reporting by considering the similarities and scarcity of the features. The difference between case reports and cross-sectional studies is that case series studies deal with the precise observations of each feature. Therefore, it is hard to determine the total population of the study.
Cross-sectional study
This study aims to quantitatively and qualitatively investigate a variable at a given time. Some examples include the physical properties, habits, or socio-economic status of a population.
The Structure of a Descriptive Research Paper
The methods employed in descriptive research are different from those of field research. So their principles of writing and their structures are different as well. Also, these principles might differ based on the chosen topic. But the general principles of writing descriptive research are the same. Read our article to get familiar with them.
Introduction
First of all, the author must present the reader with a general view of the subject of the study, like a field research paper. This includes the statement of the problem, the purpose of the study, and the significance of the study. The researcher must also provide a review of related literature in this section. In the end, the author should close the introduction with an explanation of the aims and goals of the present study. In other words, the research questions must be explained to the reader.
Body
In this section, the author explores the essence of the stated problem. Besides, the subtopics are recognized, introduced, and distinguished from one another, based on their relation to the main topic of the research. In writing this part of the paper, the authors must pay close attention to the content and follow certain principles. For instance, the content should be logical, creative, and coherent. Also, the author should make sure that the whole discussion is in accordance with the main topic, subtopics have a reasonable relationship and are not devious from the main topic, and general statements are avoided. It is also better to base the discussion on scientific theories. In order to keep away from vagueness, the author should avoid summarizing, and explain everything clearly.
Conclusion
In this section, the researcher must reach a reasonable and logical conclusion. The conclusion should not be biased or take sides. it must link the results to the arguments already talked about in the literature review. Besides, the conclusion should present strategies and suggestions for future research, specifying the role of results in advancing fundamental and applied sciences.
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