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How Many Recommendations Are Needed for Research?

Published in Research Methods 2 mins read

The number of recommendations needed for research varies significantly depending on the type of research, its scope, and the specific goals.

Factors Influencing Recommendation Number:

  • Research Type:
    • Qualitative research: Focuses on understanding experiences, perspectives, and meanings, often using smaller sample sizes. It might involve fewer recommendations than quantitative research.
    • Quantitative research: Involves collecting and analyzing numerical data, often using large sample sizes. It might require more recommendations to address different variables and relationships.
  • Research Scope:
    • Narrow research: Concentrates on a specific topic or question, requiring fewer recommendations.
    • Broad research: Covers a wider range of topics or questions, potentially requiring a larger number of recommendations.
  • Research Goals:
    • Descriptive research: Aims to describe phenomena, which might require fewer recommendations compared to research focused on intervention or policy.
    • Applied research: Aims to solve practical problems, requiring more recommendations to guide action or implementation.

Examples:

  • Qualitative study on student experiences with online learning: Might have 3-5 recommendations based on themes identified from student interviews.
  • Quantitative study on the effectiveness of a new teaching method: Might have 10-15 recommendations based on statistical analysis of student performance data.

Practical Insights:

  • Focus on actionable recommendations: Recommendations should be clear, concise, and specific enough to be implemented.
  • Consider the audience: Tailor recommendations to the intended audience, such as policymakers, practitioners, or researchers.
  • Prioritize recommendations: Highlight the most important or impactful recommendations for maximum impact.

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