Research Methods & Types
Types of handwriting research methods with examples
Researchers select tools that are most appropriate for “identifying, analyzing, and reporting patterns … within data” (Braun and Clarke, 2006, in Lochmiller, 2021). Both qualitative or quantitative methods can be used, depending on the research question.
Descriptive study methods
Any aspect of handwriting may be the subject of an exploratory or descriptive research study if ethical standards are maintained. Past studies have described hand and body movements, brain activity, writing strategies, letter formation, or pressure while writing so that the writing process is better understood. Other studies have examined features found in handwriting samples or obtained information from writers or professionals about their experiences with writing.
Common data collection methods include the following (Billups, 2021; Holosko, 2011)
- Direct observation of writing as it is produced
- Direct observation of documents and writing samples
- Case studies
- Cohort, cross-sectional, and longitudinal studies
- Surveys
- Focus groups and interviews are used in descriptive research studies to gather information on the writers’ thoughts and experiences with writing (Billups, 2021).
Literature reviews and meta-analyses of existing studies are a form of descriptive research with the aim of synthesizing findings from several sources of evidence (Borenstein et al., 2011).
A special case of descriptive research: correlational research
Correlational studies in handwriting measure the strength of an association among handwriting variables and individual characteristics. They show patterns in the relationships among variables – whether the variables increase together, decrease together, move in opposite directions, or have no relationship at all. Correlational studies can reveal whether a relationship exists, but it does not produce the type of evidence needed to decide why a relationship exists or does not exist. They are most useful when the conditions for writing are not controlled by the researcher (Nurdianingsih, 2018) for practical or ethical reasons.
Correlational research example
Houston (2018) obtained handwriting samples from pupils and their scores for composition. She discovered that quality and organization of the pupils’ compositions improved as their handwriting skills improved. Because she was conducting a correlational study, it is not possible to identify the causes for the changes she observed in handwriting skill and writing quality since those factors cannot be randomly assigned to students.
