unit 2(b) - research design

8/13/2019 Unit 2(b) - Research Design

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U N I T 2 ( B )

Research Design


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Introduction

Teena Y. SharmaReserch Design

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Research Design is in fact the conceptual framework within whichthe research is conducted.

Mr. Bernard Philip describe the research design as The blue-print for the collection, measurement and analysis of data.

S.L Gupta defines it as A research design provides the flow of

activities form problem formulation to hypothesis development, todata collection, to data analysis, to final results, to implications andconclusions.

According to Claire Selltiz, A research design is arrangement ofconditions, for collection and analysis of data, in a manner that aimsto combine relevance to the research purpose with economy in

procedure. It is the route map for the journey of Research. Therefore, we can say that Research design is the overall plan

about how the research would be conducted, what methods of datacollection will be used, how analysis would be done, and how results

would be computed.


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Research Design


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A Research Design aims at answering the followingquestions:

What is the study about? Why is it being done?

Where will the study be carried out?

What type of data is required?

Where and at What time required data will be found?

What will be the Sample Design?

What techniques of data collection will be used?

How will data be analyzed?

In what style will the Report be prepared?


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Research Design


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A research design provides:

Design of the Research Exploratory/Descriptive/Experimental

Type of data required

Measurement and Scaling requirements

Technique of data collection Interview/Observation etc

Sampling Process and Sample Size

Data analysis to be done


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Research Design


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Hence, we can say that the Research Design can besplit up into the following:

The Sampling Design, which deals with the method ofselecting items to be observed for the given study.

The Observational Design, which relates to the conditionsunder which the observations are to be made.

The Statistical Design, which concerns with the question ofhow many items are to be observed and how the information

and data gathered are to be analyzed. The Operational Design, which deals with the techniques by

which the procedures specific in sampling , statistical andobservational designs can be carried out.


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Important features of a Research Design


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The important features of a Research Design can bestated as under:

It is a plan that specifies the sources and types of informationrelevant to the research problem.

It is a strategy, which specifies which approach will be used forgathering and analyzing the data.

It also contains the Time and Cost budgets.


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Need of a Research Design


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A Research Design gives, series of guide posts to theresearcher, to help him moving in the right direction.

Prior planning and informed eases the process ofresearch, and makes it effective.

A well thought-out research design economizes. It helps in calculating the accuracy required for the

study. ( not too high, neither too low)

A research design helps the researcher in collecting only

the required data. It also helps the researcher in deciding what underlying

assumptions are required to conduct the research study.


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Features of a Good Research Design


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A precise statement of the research problem.

Efficient and Effective data sources and datacollection methods.

Effective data analysis techniques. Resource constraints time, cost, manpower.


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Classification of Research Design


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Based on the type of study, a researcher can havedifferent types of research design.

Hence, research design can be of the following types:

Research Design for Exploratory Research Research Design for Descriptive Research

Research Design for Experimental Research / Hypothesis-testing Research


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Research Design for Exploratory Research Studies


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Concept: An Exploratory design, also known as Formulative study, aims at

discovering more about the various dimensions of the researchproblem and its associated aspects.

It is unstructured in nature.

It aims at helping the researcher to formulate a more precise andstructured problem. The premium is on the discovery of ideas and gaining insights and

uncovering new concepts related to the problem. Usually results in formulating the problem better or hypothesis

formulation.

This design is common in young stage of the research. Katz puts exploratory design of research into two levels:

Discovery of significant variables involved in research. Relationship among these variables.


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Research Design for Exploratory Research Studies


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Uses: Better formulation of the problem.

Theoretical base for the problem, hypothesis and ultimatelythe research.

Finding of variables involved in the problem. Study of relationships between the variables involved in the

problem.

IMPORTANT : Exploratory research design maylead to developing of hypothesis, defining a problem,discover variables involved, but it does not involvetesting of hypothesis.


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Research Design for Descriptive Research


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Concept: Descriptive studies concern themselves with describing the

characteristics of a phenomenon, individual, group. At times, it is also called a Diagnostic design, when it determines the

frequency of occurrence of a phenomenon of interest or its associationwith something else.

Descriptive studies narrate facts or characteristics. They are very structured in nature. Here a clear definition population and the problem faced by it is

required. Also objective of research study, with a good amount of precision, and

focused and structured data collection techniques and instruments are

required in order to avoid any kind of biases. Descriptive/Diagnostic studies usually employ the principle of sampling

as they attempt to make a certain kind of generalization about thepopulation.

Then comes collection, which is followed by data analysis, and in the endis the report writing.


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Research Design for Descriptive Research


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Uses:

As it is the research design for Descriptive Studies, which talkabout characteristics, they are quite rigid in nature.

It shows methodological aspect of data collection and

interpretation.

It helps in proper planning of the research process


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Exploratory Design Descriptive Design


Flexible andunstructured in nature

Contain Non-probabilistic Sampling ifat all it is there

Little analysis is involved

Unstructured datacollection instrumentsare there

No advance planning isthere in this process

Rigid and Structured innature

Contains SimpleRandom Sampling

Planned analysis of datais involved

Well defined datacollection tools are there Each and every step is

pre-planned

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Difference between Exploratory and DescriptiveResearch Designs


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Research Design for Experimental Research/Hypothesis-testing Research


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Concept: An Experimental design attempts to study/verify the effects of a

particular variable or a set of variables on a phenomenon of interest.

It also tests, if the variables are associated to each other, if yes, then

in what fashion. In fact, Experimental design concerns itself, with the study of cause-

effect relationship between variables, and testing of casualhypothesis.

A casual hypothesis states that, that a particular variable/its

characteristics, say X, or its occurrence in any form, determines thevalue of another variable/its characteristics, say Y.

An Experimental design is closely related to the Concept ofCausality

h f l h/


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Concept of Causality: It talks about a cause-effect relationship between variables. Operationally it can be defined as:

Variations in stimulus X (cause) results in variations in values of Y (effect). A number of other stimuli (like X), are also used to check if they have the same effect on Y. After all these observations, both with X and other similar variables, relationship between X

and Y, is said to be Causal if changes in Y are a result of changes in X only, and no other

variables. Such association between X and Y can be tested only after a series of experiments is

conducted, and also note, this association of X and Y cannot be tested only with a singleexperiment.

Such series of experiments, make us more clear about the association of variables. Concept of Causality also gives rise to another concept Producer-Product Relationship

It says that, if X and Y are causal in nature with each other, then at any given time, for Y tooccur X is necessary. X (producer) is required for Y (product) to occur.

Another important thing, any kind of Causal Relationship between variables, therelationship must posses following characteristics: The association should be strong enough for observer to believe that it has an explanatory

power. The relationship has enough theory attached to itself, to prove it to be Causal.

Research Design for Experimental Research/Hypothesis-testing Research

i i i l f i l i f


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Some Basic Principles of Experimental Design ofResearch


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Prof. Fisher has outlined three basic principles ofExperimental Design of Research:

The Principle of Replication

The Principle of Randomization

The Principle of Local Control

The Principle of Replication:

It states that the experiment should be repeated for a numberof times with the aim of increasing the statistical accuracy andprecision of study.

S i i i l f i l i f


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Some Basic Principles of Experimental Design ofResearch


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The Principle of Randomization: It states that experimental design should be planned in such a

way that the extraneous factors be randomized, evened out, orbalanced out throughout the experiment, so that they haveminimum effect on the experiment.

It acts as a safeguard for the experimental design.

The Principle of Local control: It states that the known source of variability be deliberately

varied across the two extremes and its effects be measured. This measured effect is then eliminated from the experimental

error.


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Some Important Terms


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Let us now familiarize ourselves with some termsused in Experimental Design. Variables

Non-continuous or Discrete Variables

Dependent Variable and Independent Variables

Extraneous Variables

Control

Confound Relationship

Research hypothesis

Testing of Hypothesis Experimental and Non-Experimental Hypothesis-Testing

research

Experimental and Control Group


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Types of Experimental Designs


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Experimental designs can be categorized into twobroad classes: Formal Experimental Design

Non-formal experimental Design

Non-formal Experimental Designs: They are less sophisticated in nature, and use simple analysis,

such as difference in magnitudes etc.

Formal Experimental Designs: They are more sophisticated in the sense, that they offer relatively

more control and involve the application of higher end statisticalmeasures.


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THANK YOU !!

unit 2(b) - research design

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