Primary research - Experiments, investigations, or tests carried out to acquire data first-hand, rather than being gathered from published sources.

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/primary-research.html#ixzz1tEFOHLIH



Secondary research - Market research that's already compiled and organized for you. Examples of secondary information include reports and studies by government agencies, trade associations or other businesses within your industry.


http://www.entrepreneur.com/encyclopedia/term/82616.html


Qualitative - all about exploring issues, understanding phenomena and answering questions. While there's a whole industry engaged in its pursuit, qualitative research also happens in nearly every workplace and study environment, nearly every day.  

Quantitative - The use of sampling techniques (such as consumer surveys) whose findings may be expressed numerically, and are amenable to mathematical manipulation enabling the researcher to estimate future events or quantities.

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/quantitative-research.html#ixzz1tEHOqhTV



Focus groups - 1. Market research: Small number of people (usually between 4 and 15, but typically 8) brought together with a moderator to focus on a specific product or topic. Focus groups aim at a discussion instead of on individual responses to formal questions, and produce qualititive data (preferences and beliefs) that may or may not be representative of the general population.

2. Problem solving: Idea generation or forecasting technique where several experts or informed individuals share their point of view on a specific topic or problem. 

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/focus-group.html#ixzz1tEQv5pQm



Surveys - 1. Marketing: A detailed study of a market or geographical area to gather data on attitudes, impressions, opinions, satisfaction level, etc., by polling a section of the population.

2. Real estate: A map or plat drawn by a licensed-surveyor after measuring a piece of land, to show its area, boundaries, contours, elevations, improvements, and its relationship to the surrounding land. A property survey confirms that a particular piece of land or building is sited in accordance to its legal description. 

http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/survey.html#ixzz1tET9wbCq

Best ways to carry out customer research with your chosen Generation e.g which media to use. For Generation Y/ Millennials the media to use would be to produce a questionnaire and then post it on Facebook, the younger generation there would be more people that would access it and for the older generation perhaps put it in a magazine.