Research methods encompass the diverse range of specific techniques, procedures, and tools that are used by researchers in various disciplines, including sociology, to gather empirical (factual) material or data that can be used to investigate social phenomena, test theories, and answer research questions. These methods can be broadly categorised into quantitative methods, which focus on numerical data and statistical analysis (e.g., surveys, experiments), and qualitative methods, which focus on non-numerical data and in-depth understanding (e.g., interviews, observations, content analysis). The choice of research methods depends on the nature of the research question, the goals of the study, and the type of data needed to address the question effectively.