Field Research, one of the classification of research...?

Question

Research is classified according to:library research, field research, and laboratory research..

what is field research, pls explain it for me to easily understand..

what i only knew is that it is conducted in the place where the object you want to examine is.. but other than i have no idea..

also it is both applicable to descriptive and experimental methods.. can you give example of each??

i really need help.. =(

Answer 1

If you are say a zoologist, you are obliged to study wildlife in its original environment. You might do part of your research on an experimental basis in a lab (tissue analysis) but either part of your research or specific issues (as behavior) are best addressed on the field.

If you conduct social research, then you will rarely find a way to experiment anything. You can't or shouldn't submit people to experiments. So you observe their reactions in relation to a subject matter you are interested in. You find them "on the field" meaning in their usual environment, and observe their activities and reactions and describe it on writing.

That is also true of astronomy. It is basically a science that uses descriptive methodology, since astronomers can only observe what happens in the universe. Experimental methodology is basically reduced to measuring.

Answer 2

As far as I know...this just means 'in the place where it is used'......Many years ago I worked as a researcher.  Desk research was done in the library, etc. (no www then!) Fieldwork was done out on the streets or door-to-door asking 'respondents' about products they may have bought/used/seen etc.