Research Methods: The Complete Guide
It’s 3:00 AM. Your algorithm just flagged a volatility spike while you were asleep. You later discover it was triggered by a market research report anal...
It’s 3:00 AM. Your algorithm just flagged a volatility spike while you were asleep. You later discover it was triggered by a market research report analyzing retail sentiment shifts—data you never had time to gather manually. This is how research methods transform trading from guesswork into a strategic advantage. Research methods are systematic approaches to gathering and analyzing information to increase understanding of a market or trading phenomenon. For traders, mastering these methods means moving beyond gut feelings to data-driven decisions. Whether you’re analyzing market sentiment or backtesting strategies, the right research framework separates profitable traders from the rest. Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness to controlling sources of bias and error. According to Wikipedia, this process is essential for advancing human knowledge across all disciplines. Key fact: Research methods are not interchangeable—they must align with the specific question being asked.