Types of Research

There are 3 broad types of research: descriptive (what's happening now?), historical (what happened in the past?), experimental (what happens if...?). The choice of questions determines the type of research, and the type of research directs the questions. It is a matter of the chicken or egg, which comes first?

Using my figgy topic, question choices for each type would be:

Descriptive Research
How do figs compare to other fruit for baking?
What do middle school students think about figs as a lunchbox snack?
What relationship do figs have with the economic climate in the US today?

Historical Research
How prevalent were figs in colonial America?
What are the fig references in the Bible?
What is the evolution of fig production across continents?

Experimental Research
If figs were sold as individually packaged snacks, would middle school students eat them?
What would happen if figgy pudding was made with different sweeteners?
At what point do figs become a tasty treat instead of a bitter orb?

The essential question for my research project will determine the kind of research ultimately done. Right now, I am leaning toward descriptive research since I want to develop a fig orchard and make figs a farmers' market commodity so my interest will be how things need to be done now.

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