A descriptive study is one in which information is collected without changing the environment (i.e., nothing is manipulated). It is used to obtain information concerning the current status of the phenomena to describe "what exists" with respect to variables or conditions in a situation. The methods involved range from the survey which describes the status quo, the correlation study which investigates the relationship between variables, to developmental studies which seek to determine changes over time.

1. Statement of the problem

2. Identification of information needed to solve the problem

3. Selection or development of instruments for gathering the information

4. Identification of target population and determination of sampling procedure

5. Design of procedure for information collection

6. Collection of information

7. Analysis of information

8. Generalizations and/or predictions  

http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/descriptive-research-design-definition-examples-types.html#lesson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Descriptive_research

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/09/27/the-3-basic-types-of-descriptive-research-methods/

A descriptive study is one in which information is collected without changing the environment (i.e., nothing is manipulated). Sometimes these are referred to as “ correlational ” or “ observational ” studies. The Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP) defines a descriptive study as “Any study that is not truly experimental.” In human research, a descriptive study can provide information about the naturally occurring health status, behavior, attitudes or other characteristics of a particular group. Descriptive studies are also conducted to demonstrate associations or relationships between things in the world around you.

http://ori.hhs.gov/education/products/sdsu/res_des1.htm

Prof Mahfuz, in Descriptive Research, we still do stats analyses to answer questions such as “what is” or “what was.”   But experimental research answer “why” or “how”  (Bickman and Rog,1998).

http://ori.hhs.gov/education/products/sdsu/res_des1.htm

Dear @Mahfuz, the following link discusses the 3 types of descriptive research. Title: "

The 3 Basic Types of Descriptive Research Methods"  by Jamie Hale. There are three main types of descriptive methods: observational methods, case-study methods and survey methods. This article will briefly describe each of these methods, their advantages, and their drawbacks. This may help you better understand research findings, whether reported in the mainstream media, or when reading a research study on your own.See more at the link:

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/09/27/the-3-basic-types-of-descriptive-research-methods/

Dear Abedallah,

thanks for the informing URL.

The descriptive research is aimed at the definition of the competitive structure of a market / segment, or the description of the behavior of organizations or groups of consumers. The information is treated in a quantitative manner, basing the design of research on a sample that gives answers generalizable to a reference population (or market segment). Under investigation are therefore expressed behaviors, not the motivations that exist in such conduct, to investigate which is more useful exploratory survey.

A descriptive study is one in which information is collected without changing the environment (i.e., nothing is manipulated). It is used to obtain information concerning the current status of the phenomena to describe "what exists" with respect to variables or conditions in a situation. The methods involved range from the survey which describes the status quo, the correlation study which investigates the relationship between variables, to developmental studies which seek to determine changes over time.

1. Statement of the problem

2. Identification of information needed to solve the problem

3. Selection or development of instruments for gathering the information

4. Identification of target population and determination of sampling procedure

5. Design of procedure for information collection

6. Collection of information

7. Analysis of information

8. Generalizations and/or predictions  

http://education-portal.com/academy/lesson/descriptive-research-design-definition-examples-types.html#lesson

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Descriptive_research

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2011/09/27/the-3-basic-types-of-descriptive-research-methods/

Yes, dear Nageswara. "A descriptive study is one in which information is collected without changing the environment " and without interference from the researcher.

I agree with respected Dr. Abedallah and Dr. Rao. I just want to add:

This kind of research is used to support rest of the researches .

Descriptive research can be explained as a statement of affairs as they are at present with the researcher having no control over variable. Moreover, “descriptive research may be characterised as simply the attempt to determine, describe or identify what is, while analytical research attempts to establish why it is that way or how it came to be” 

http://research-methodology.net/research-methodology/research-design/conclusive-research/descriptive-research/

Descriptive research is used to describe the characteristics of a population without answering the questions about how, when or why the characteristics occurred. It involves lots of statistical analysis. Descriptive statistics analysis data to describe, show and summarize it in a meaningful way (statistics and graphs), offering a window through which raw data can be glimpsed and comprehended clearly by different researchers. 

Dear @Mahfuz, here is an interesting quote on descriptive research from very good paper: "It is characteristic for descriptive research that it is restricted to factual registration and that there is no quest for an explanation why reality is showing itself this way. In principle, de-scriptive research is not aiming at forming hypotheses or development of theory. Another characteristic of descriptive research is objectivity or neutrality. Descriptive research is about describing how reality is. In this regard descriptive research differs from prescriptive research that is primarily concerned with the question how the reality should be. Descriptive research is making inventories; prescriptive research is normative. With descriptive research in its purest form explaining and evaluating is left to the reader or to other disciplines."

Chapter Ways to study - Descriptive research

Descriptive research is a study intended to portray something in an accurate manner. It may involve "birdseye" observations so as it contributes novelty or may involve an in-depth case study or may involve brand-new surveys with analysis to them.

Descriptive research is often a precursor to other research methods, and deals mainly with mapping observations through surveys or case studies. ALthough it provides a sound general overview, it does not identify causality and may lack precision and replicability because it doesn't usually manipulate variables. It may be a good place to start at for domains within the social sciences.

There are few statistics called "Descriptive Statistics" which may be used for "Descriptive Research".  Median, mean, standard deviation, percentages, and frequency are some of them.

Than you Prof Kamal for the link.

According to the opinions of several experts, descriptive research is a type of research that provides an accurate portrayal of characteristics of a particular individual, situation, or group. These studies are a means of discovering new meaning, describing what exists, determining the frequency with which something occurs, and categorizing information. In other words, the descriptive research attempts to describe, explain and interpret conditions of the present i.e. “what is’. The purpose of a descriptive research is to examine a phenomenon that is occurring at a specific place(s) and time. A descriptive research is concerned with conditions, practices, structures, differences or relationships that exist, opinions held, processes that are going on or trends that are evident. 

The descriptive research method refers to the method used to describe data and characteristics used to describe the population. The purpose of using the descriptive research method is to acquire accurate, factual, systematic data that can provide you with an actual picture of the data set that you are reviewing. It is advice that the descriptive research method should not be used to create a causal relationship, where one variable affects the other. There are several the descriptive research methods:

1. Correlational Research. Correlational research describes what exists at the moment (conditions, practices, processes, structures, etc.) and is, therefore, classified as a type of descriptive method. Nevertheless, these conditions, practices, processes or structures described are markedly different from the way they are usually described in a survey or an observational study. Correlational research comprises of collecting data to determine whether, and to what extent, a relationship exists between two or more quantifiable variables. Correlational research is aimed at determining the nature, degree and direction of relationships between variables or using these relationships to make predictions. Correlational study does not specify cause-and-effect relationships between variables under consideration. It merely specifies concomitant variations in the scores on the variables. Steps of a Correlational Research: Selection of a Problem; Selection of the Sample and the Tools; Design and Procedure; Interpretation of the Findings.

2. Causal-Comparative Research. It is a type of descriptive research since it describes conditions that already exist. It is a form of investigation in which the researcher has direct control over independent variable as its expression has already occurred or because they are essentially non-manipulable. It also attempts to identify reasons or causes of pre-existing differences in groups of individuals, i.e. if a researcher observes that two or more groups are different on a variable, he tries to identify the main factor that has led to this difference. There are two types: a) Relationship Studies. These attempts to gain insight into the variables that relate to complex variables such as academic performance, self-concept, stress, achievement motivation or creativity; and (b) Prediction Studies: These are conducted to facilitate decisions about individuals or to aid in various types of selection. They are also conducted to determine predictive validity of measuring tools as well as to test variables hypothesized to be predictors of a criterion variable.

3. Case Study. Case study research is descriptive research that involves describing and interpreting events, conditions, circumstances or situations that are occurring in the present. Case study seeks to engage with and report the complexities of social activity in order to represent the meanings that individual social actors bring to their social settings. It excels at bringing us to an understanding of a complex issue or object and can extend experience or add strength to what is already known through previous research. Case studies emphasize detailed contextual analysis of a limited number of events or conditions and their relationships

4. Ethnography. Ethnographic studies are usually holistic, founded on the idea that human beings are best understood in the fullest possible context, including the place where they live, the improvements they have made to that place, how they make a living and gather food, housing, energy and water for themselves, what their marriage customs are, what language(s) they speak and so on. Ethnography is a form of research focusing on the sociology of meaning through close field observation of socio-cultural phenomena. Typically, the ethnographer focuses on a community (not necessarily geographic, considering also work, leisure, classroom or school groups and other communities)

5. Document Analysis. Documentary Analysis is closely related to historical research since in such surveys we study the existing documents. But it is different from historical research in which our emphasis is on the study of the past; and in the descriptive research we emphasize on the study of the present. Descriptive research in the field of education may focus on describing the existing school practices, the attendance rate of the students, health records, and so on.

6. Analytical Method. It involves the identification and interpretation of data already existing in documents, pictures and art facts. It is a form of research in which events, ideas, concepts or artefacts are examined through analysis of documents, records, recordings or other media. Here, contextual information is very essential for an accurate interpretation of data. Historical research comprises of systematic collection and analysis of documents, records and artefacts with the objective of providing a description and interpretation of past events or persons.

Descriptive research can answer questions such as who, what, when and where. Questions regarding why and how, on the other hand, usually require an experiment. These descriptive research typically consists of observing behavior over a period of time. Once you begin to manipulate the environment in order to answer a specific research question, you are no longer engaged in descriptive research.

Thank you Jeorge for your detailed and interesting answer. "It is advice that the descriptive research method should not be used to create a causal relationship, where one variable affects the other". This is a very important statement.

In my opinion, that kind of research is the one that just try to describe what is happening but doesn´t look to answers questions about why or how something is happening.

Descriptive researches are those that do not involve an experimental design with true hypothesis testing. Descriptive research can answer questions such as who, what, when and where. Questions regarding why and how, on the other hand, usually require an experiment. Descriptive studies typically consist of observing behavior over a period of time.

http://www.ehow.com/about_6663890_meaning-descriptive-method-research_.html

Dear all, I´ve learned a lot. Thanks.

Thank you dear friend Hanno.

We all learn from each other.

Dear Mahfuz. Thanks for your comment. Indeed, this is an important statement.

Dear Jeorge,

You are always welcome.

Some believe that the descriptive research does not answer questions on how/when/why the phenomenon occurred. I would say that descriptive research does answer questions on when the phenomenon occurred

Thank you my dear Prof Shafig for the interesting and useful link you have provided.

Some scholars state that one of the goals of descriptive researches is prediction. We know that the main goal of descriptive research is to describe a sample, an object or a situation; they do not make accurate predictions.

Descriptive research is simply that which describes a phenomenon as is.

Yes, Dr. Marwan. Descriptive research describes a phenomenon as is, and does not go further to causation relationship or analysis.

In this type of research, we use descriptive statistics, while in other researches, we may use inferential statistics, through which we try to reach conclusions that extend beyond the immediate data alone.

Dear @Mahfuz, it is very good paper about descriptive statistics which may be used, but not necessary, in descriptive research! Inferential statistics may be applied also in descriptive research.

Article Descriptive statistics

Dear Ljubomir,

Thank you for the paper "Descriptive Statistics" of Runhua Shi and Jerry W. McLarty. It is interesting.

Descriptive research is the process of describing a population, as it is, without presupposing some theory describing the same population. 

For differences about descriptive, analytical etc. methods, see:

http://sydney.edu.au/stuserv/learning_centre/help/analysing/an_distinguishTypes.shtml 

Thank you dear Costas for the interesting link you attached.

As I understand, a descriptive answer may include a 'rigorous' statistical analysis if the analysis states only "what" happened statistically (rather than explaining "why" happened). In other words, a statistical answer may state only whether the statistical results are significantly different or not (without explaining clearly the 'intuitive' or 'economic' explanations of the statistical significant differences). In order to be a good answer helpful to the final decision-makers, a descriptive rigorous statistical analysis should be strongly supported by intuitive/economic explanations as well as 'creative'/original contributions.

Thanks for giving me the opportunity to share my limited knowledge.

Best wishes,

Mansur Masih

___________

Yes dear Mansur, " a descriptive answer may include a 'rigorous' statistical analysis if the analysis states only "what" happened statistically rather than explaining "why" happened".

Respected Scholars, 

I have a set of queries regarding the Descriptive Research. Kindly follow the link below and assist me in my problem, Thanks for your interest. 

https://www.researchgate.net/post/Can_qualitative_descriptive_study_using_observation_and_survey_technique_be_done_on_brand_equity_in_Pakistan_cognitive_construct_as_the_gap?_tpcectx=qa_overview_loggedout

As per my understanding "Descriptive Research" is different and "Discriptive Statistics" is different.    Discriptive statistics are just describing what had happend to the data: describing its pattern, mean, median, mode etc.....But Descriptive research is a strategy fo the research like Survey, Case study, Experiment. 

When the type of research hypothesis is testing the the relationship between dependent variables and independent variables, descriptive research is applied.

A good description is necessary to accurately describe the relationship between dependent variables and independent variables. Descriptive research provides raw data both of the dependent and the independent variables. This raw data is summarized to draw inferences about the relationship between dependent variables and independent variables, which can be validated statistically.

From all the answers regarding the descriptive research method, is anyone have the journal references, if any appreciate if can share it to me too. Thank You