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A research masters in design allows students to become specialized in their chosen field by exploring an object of study while following a scientific approach. Based on a case study of the maîtrise en design avec mémoire (MDM) (Master’s Degree in Design with Thesis) at the School of Design at Université Laval, it appears that students experience a degree of confusion when it comes to differentiating between action research, practice-based research, and project-grounded research, as they can often overlap. In order to help these budding researchers, this theoretical essay attempts to clarify these three types of research by proposing a conceptual model highlighting their similarities and differences. A critical analysis of about thirty scientific articles was carried out, then supplemented by three semi-structured interviews with researchers conducting action research, practice-based research, and project-grounded research. The results highlight that action research differs mainly from project-grounded research and practice-based research in that it does not lead to an artifact, while in practice-based research and project-grounded research, the artifact is part of the research process. In practice-based research, the artifact is created in parallel with ongoing research. In project-grounded research, the research is generally done at an earlier stage, making it possible to plan the subsequent design project leading to the artifact.