1. 描述性研究：
描述性研究是指描述一种现象或正在研究的群体的研究，并且由于操纵变量而在社会科学中很容易进行。它主要用于收集有关特定人群、情况和事件的数据。描述性研究更倾向于收集数据，并尝试使用统计分析从这些数据中找出一些见解。
描述性研究的例子包括人口普查和产品营销调查等。
2. 实验研究：
实验研究是指研究人员操纵变量得出结论或发现的研究，由于操纵变量而难以在社会科学中进行的研究。它有助于找出偶然关系和相关性的因果关系。实验研究也在做同样的分析，但它总是分析实验数据的来源。
实验研究的例子包括实验室实验。
描述性研究和实验研究的区别：
| S.NO. | DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH | EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH |
|---|---|---|
| 01. | Descriptive research refers to research which describes a phenomenon or else a group under study. | Experimental research refers to research where the researcher manipulates the variable to come to an conclusion or finding. |
| 02. | Descriptive research is easy to do in social sciences due to manipulating variables. | Experimental research is difficult to do in social sciences due to manipulating variables. |
| 03. | It is useful in gathering data on a certain population, situations and events. | It is useful in finding out the cause effect of a casual relationship and correlation. |
| 04. | In descriptive research the researcher observe the things, situation or events and describes the best of it. | In experimental research the researcher researches the things mainly in closed environment or laboratory and results the best output of it. |
| 05. | Descriptive research cannot determine the causality of events and as such cannot make future predictions. | Experimental research accurately determines causality and therefore can make future predictions. |
| 06. | Mainly Descriptive research tries to answer the question “What is”. | Mainly Experimental research tries to answer the question “What if”. |
| 07. | Descriptive research typically includes sociological and psychological, political science studies. | Experimental research typically includes biological, forensic studies, other laboratory studies. |
| 08. | It uses both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. | It primarily uses quantitative methodology. |
| 09. | Descriptive research is more towards collecting data and try to find out some insight out of that data using statistical analysis. | Experimental research is also do this same sort of analysis but also it always analyzes where the data of an experiment comes from. |