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Formal or informal: Formal research is controlled, objective, and systematic gathering of data. The researcher carefully defines the things under study and what will and won't be studied. It is systematic in that we carefully follow prescribed rules in gathering and assessing data. It is controlled in that we carefully define, gather, and evaluate the data according to prescribed rules that can be reviewed for error. The formal method provides a description based upon agreed upon units that can be measured and assessed for reliability, whereas the informal method describes the data based on the intuition of the researcher. (page 6 of Don Sacks's book, "Primer of Public Relations Research.")

Formal research methods

Informal research methods

Data Collection

Controlled

Uncontrolled Save

Objective

Subjective

Systematic observation

Random observation

Data Assessment

Can be measured reliably

Can't be measured reliably

Validity can be measured

Validity is assumed

Is deductively interpreted Deductive (reasoning is a logical process in which a conclusion drawn from a set of premises contains no more information than the premises taken collectively.)

Is inductively interpreted (an educated guess) a kind of reasoning that allows for the possibility that the conclusion is false even where all of the premises are true.

Outcomes

Description

Description

Understanding

Understanding

Prediction

Control

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13y ago
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2w ago

Formal research follows a structured methodology with clearly defined research objectives, data collection methods, and analysis techniques. It is often conducted by professionals or academics for academic or scientific purposes. Informal research, on the other hand, lacks a structured approach and may involve gathering information through casual observations, personal experiences, or opinions. It is often used to explore topics of interest without the rigorous procedures of formal research.

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Q: Difference between formal research and informal research?
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What is the difference between formal and informal research techniques?

Formal research techniques are structured, systematic, and follow a specific methodology, such as surveys, experiments, or case studies. Informal research techniques are more unstructured and rely on personal observations, experiences, or interactions for gathering information, such as interviews or focus groups. Formal research tends to be quantitative, while informal research is often qualitative in nature.


What is an informal research method?

An informal research method is a flexible and unstructured approach to gathering information and data. It typically involves methods like observations, interviews, surveys, or informal conversations. This approach allows for more creativity and adaptability in data collection compared to formal research methods.


What is informal career research?

Informal career research involves gathering information about various careers through personal experiences, conversations with friends or family, online resources, or informational interviews with professionals in the field. It is a way to explore different career options before making a formal decision.


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Perhaps you meant Information Resource management, or Information Management... but either way.Information research management would indicate to me a job consisting of collecting data (data farming) and collating it into information that could be easily interpreted, for example looking at trends.


What is the difference between a research report and an essay?

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