Descriptive research aims to

• A. Describe conditions and classify phenomena
• B. Determine cause-and-effect relationships
• C. Compare two treatments
• D. Test a new medication

Answer: (A)

Descriptive research aims to describe conditions and classify phenomena. It gathers information to portray what exists in a group or setting, capturing patterns, frequencies, and attributes without trying to explain why things happen or to test interventions. This approach is ideal for outlining the current state—such as the prevalence of a symptom, the types of responses people have, or how variables are categorized—and for organizing observations into meaningful groups. By not manipulating variables, descriptive studies map out the landscape so researchers can see what’s present and how it naturally occurs. In contrast, determining cause-and-effect requires altering conditions and controlling for confounding factors, which is the realm of experimental or quasi-experimental designs. Similarly, comparing two treatments or testing a new medication involves evaluating outcomes after an intervention, not merely describing what exists.