Abstract:

A research is valid when a conclusion is accurate or true and research design is the conceptual
blueprint within which research is conducted. A scholar for his research, prepare an action
plan, it constitutes the outline of collection, measurement and analysis of data. Research
design is not associated to any particular technique of data collection or any particular type of
data. When designing research it is necessary that we recognize the type of evidence
required to answer the research question in a reasonable way. This chapter has sketched the
purpose, nature its importance and types of research design.
Introduction:
Research design can be considered as the structure of research it is the “Glue” that holds
all of the elements in a research project together, in short it is a plan of the proposed research
work. Research design is defined by different social scientists in different terms; some of the
definitions are as: according to Jahoda, Deutch & Cook “A research design is the
arrangement of conditions for the collection and analysis of data in a manner that aims to
combine relevance to the research purpose with economy and procedure”. Research design
is the plan, structure and strategy and investigation concaved so as to obtain ensured to search
question and control variance”. Henry Manheim says that research design not only
anticipates and specifies the seemingly countless decisions connected with carrying out data
collection, processing and analysis but it presents a logical basis for these decisions. Zikmund
defined as “a master plan specifying the methods and procedure for collectingand analyzing the
needed information”. The definitions stress systematic methodology in collecting right
information for interpretations with economy and procedure. In-fact the research design is
the conceptual within which research is conducted:

1. The blueprint for the collection.

2. Measurement and

3. Analysis of data.

A research design should be based more or less on some methodology the research design
should be made once the topic and problem of research have been selected and formulated,
objectives have been properly outlined, concepts have been properly defined and the
hypothesis have been properly framed. The research design should be able to provide answers of
the following reserve queries:

1. What is the study about and, what type of data is required?

2. What is the purpose of study?

3. What are the sources of needed data?

4. What should be the place or area of the study?

5. What time, approximately, is required for the study?

6. What should be the amount of materials or number of cases for the study?

7. What type of sampling should be used?

8. What method of data collection would be appropriate?

9. How will data be analysed?

10. What should be the approximate expenditure?

11. What should be the specific nature of the study?

Origins:
Research design emerged as a recognizable field of study in the 1960s, at first marked by a
conference on Design Method at Imperial college, London in 1962. It led to the founding of the
Design Research Society (DRS) in 1966. John Christopher Jones founded a postgraduate Design
Research laboratory at the University Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (who
initiated the 1962 conference) and L. Bruce Scher founded the postgraduate Department of
Design Research at the Royal College of Art, London and became the first professor of
Research Design. Some of the origin of design methods and research design lay in the
emergence after the and world management decision making technique the most fundamental
challenge to conventional ideas on design has been the grouching advocacy of systematic
methods of problem and the development of design solutions. Herbert Simon (1969)
established the foundations for a science of design which would be a body of intellectually
tough, analytic, partly formalizable, partly empirical, teachable doctrine about the design
process.

Features:
1. It is a plan that specifies the sources and type of information relevant to the research
problem.

2. It is a strategy specifying which approach distill be used gathering and analyzing data.

3. It also includes the time and cost budgets since most studies are done under these two
constraints. In brief research design must at least contain-

i. A clear statement of research problem.

ii. Procedures and technique to be used for gathering data or information.

iii. The population to be studied.

iv. Methods to be used in processing & analysis data.

Need for Research Design :
Research design is necessary because it makes possible the smooth sailing of the various
research procedures, thereby creation research as professional as possible, yielding
maximum information with a minimum expenditure of effort, time and money. For better,
economical and attractive construction of a house, we need a blueprint (or what is a
community called the map of the house) prepared by an expert architect, similarly we need a
research design or a plan in advance of data collection and analysis for four research projects.
Research design stands for advance planning of the methods to be adopted for collecting
the relevant data and the techniques to be used in the analysis, keeping in view the objective of
the research and the audibility of staff, time and money. Designing the research project may
result in rending the research exercise unsuccessful. It is, therefore, imperative that an
efficient and appropriate design must be prepared before starting research processes. The
research design helps the investigator to organize his ideas in a shape whereby it will be possible
for him to look for errors and shortages.

Nature of Good Research Design:

A good research design is regularly characterized by adjectives like flexible, appropriate,
efficient, and economical and soon. Generally, the design which minimizes bias and
collected & analyses is considered a good design. The design which gives the smallest
experimental error in supposed to be the best design in many investigations similarly; a
design which yields maximal information many different aspects of a problem is considered
most appropriate and efficient design in respect of many research problems. Some of the
strategies of good research design are as follows:

1. Theory – Grounded:

-Good research reflects the theories which are being investigated where specific theoretical
expectations can be hypothesized these are incorporated into the design.

2. Situational:

-Good research designs make known the settings for the study, this was shown above
where a specific need of teacher and administrators was openly addressed in the design plan.
Similarly, demoralization, intergroup competition and competition might be accessed
throughout the use of the additional comparison group who are not in direct contact with the
original group.

3. Feasible:
-Good design can be implemented. The series and timing of events are cautiously throughout.
Possible problems in measurement, devotion to project database construction and the like,
are predictable.

4. Redundant:

-Good research designs have some flexibility built into them often this flexibility results from
the repetition of essential design features.

5. Efficient:

-Good research design strikes a balance between redundancy and the tendency to over
design. Where it is responsible, other, less costly, strategies for ruling out potential threats
validity cure utilized.

Types of Sociological R One may split the overall research design into following parts:

 The Sampling Design: This deals with the method of selecting items to be observed for
the given study.

 The Observational Design: This relates to the conditions under which the observations
are to be made.

 The Statistical Design: This concern with the question of how many times are to be
observed and how the information and data gathered are to be analyzed.

 The Operational Design: This deals with the techniques by which the procedures
specified into sampling, statistical and observational design can be carried out.

Hence, through a research design you:

 Conceptualize an operational plan to undertake the various procedures and tasks required
to complete your study;

 Ensure that these procedures are adequate to obtain valid, objective and accurate answers
to the research questions. Kerlinger calls this function the ‘control of variance’. (1986)

Basic elements of research design:

  Stating Problem i.e. to show whether it will be descriptive, explanatory or exploratory,
action, or theoretical research and what will it contribute to academics or to
understanding society.

 Review of other studies, i.e. going through the findings, hypothesis or theories
developed by other scholars in one’s own discipline or other disciplines.

 Operationalizing Concepts, i.e. giving specific meanings to terms used, e.g. ‘political
elite’, ‘development’, ‘sub-culture’, etc.

 Identifying Variables of Study, i.e. pointing out key variables in study and methods of
measurement.

 Fixing Sample, i.e. deciding the number of subjects from whom the data is to be
collected and how these subjects to be chosen are.

 Specifying tools of study, i.e. whether data are to be obtained through questionnaire,
schedule, interview, or observation.

 Designing the kind of analysis, i.e. whether any statistical test will be conducted and
which one? Specifying the logic of type of analysis chosen. Will it be cohort study?

 Fixing time schedule, i.e. providing various stages of the research process and
describing time to be devoted to each stage.

 Budget, i.e. if someone has sponsored the study. Amount is to be specified for salaries,
travelling, contingency, computer analysis and miscellaneous expenses.

Types of Research Design:

 1. Exploratory Research Design: Exploratory research studies are also termed as
formulative research studies. The main purpose of such studies is that of formulating
a problem for more precise investigation or of developing the working hypotheses
from an operational point of view. Such a study can have other functions as well
namely more structured investigation, phenomena which an investigator wishes to
study in the subsequent, etc. Such a study helps in clarifying concepts, establishing
priorities for further research, etc. The major emphasis in such studies is on the
discovery of ideas and insights. According to Hansraj, “Exploratory research is
necessary for establishing hypothesis and to get experience related with it for any
particular study.” Since most of the theories in Social Sciences are either too general
or too specific, therefore, these do not provide clear guidance for empirical research.
Exploratory research is therefore essential for gaining experience in formulation of
hypothesis for any definite investigation. This type of study is also essential for the
areas where not much is known.

However, there are certain conditions which are necessary for its success:

 Review of Pertinent literature: In this type of study, hypothesis is yet to be

developed and as such it is most desirable that researcher should gain out of
the experience of others. If he properly surveys the literature then he will be
saved from the trouble of ‘trial and error’. Many of his efforts, much of his
time, money and energy will be saved and it also helps him in knowing the
utility of hypothesis.

 Experience Survey: In exploratory studies, it is also essential that those

persons should be surveyed who have already done some work in field under
study. These people have the knowledge to guide and practical difficulties to
explain. These might be persons who might be social workers, senior
officials and professionals having a lot of untapped material at their disposal
on one hand and opportunity of viewing the problem from different angles
on the other.

 Selection of proper respondents: An exploratory study by all means is of

an exploratory nature and aims at providing insights and as such it is
essential that only such respondents should be selected who can provide real
insight to study, otherwise whole purpose of study will be defeated

 Proper questioning: The questions which are going .to be asked from the
subjects must be framed in advance and investigator is clear about the
concepts. He may take the help of books, professionals, etc.
  Analysis of insight stimulating cases: There are certain areas where there is
very little experience available to guide. In such areas analysis of insight
stimulating cases has been found very useful for intensive study.

According to Zikmund, there are three purposes of formulating exploratory research design:

 Diagnosing a situation

 Screening alternatives

 Discovering new ideas

2. Descriptive and Diagnostic Research Design: Descriptive research studies are

those studies which are concerned with describing the characteristics of a particular
individual, or of a group, whereas diagnostic research studies determine the frequency
with which something occurs or of its association with something else. The studies
concerning whether certain variables are associated are examples of diagnostic
research studies. As against this, studies concerned with specific predictions, with
narration of facts and characteristics concerning individual, group or situation are all
examples of descriptive research studies. Most of the social research comes under this
category. From the point of view of the research design, the descriptive as well as
diagnostic studies share common requirements and as such we may group together
these two types of research studies. The steps involved in both the types of research
studies are as under:

 Formulating the objective of the study

 Determining the methods of data collection

 Selecting the sample

 Collecting the data

 Processing and analyzing the data

 Reporting the findings

Basic features of Descriptive Research Design

 A Descriptive research design begins with the research about past form of the problem. It
does not bother about diagnostic action, approach, or activities.
 In a descriptive study, designs are not entirely motivated by hypothesis. Hypotheses are
formulated on the basis of the description of the existing data or material.

 In a descriptive study, primary aim is not to pose a problem and provide its solution, but
to acquire knowledge.

 Here the basic design is rigid. There is pre-planned design for analysis and advance
decisions are taken about operationalizing the study.

 The various steps of descriptive research are just like the steps of scientific method. For
e.g. selection of suitable subject, proper techniques of data collection, biased free
conclusion, analysis of data, etc.

Research Design Type of Study

Exploratory or Formulative Descriptive/Diagnostic

Overall Design Flexible design (design Rigid design (design must

must provide opportunity take enough provision for
for considering different protection against bias and
aspects of the problem) must maximize reliability
1. Sampling Design Non-probability sampling Probability sampling design
design (purposive or (Random sampling)
judgment sampling)

No pre-planned design for Pre-planned design for

2. Statistical design analysis analysis

Unstructured instruments Structured or well thought

for collection of data out instruments for
3. Observational collection of data
design No fixed decisions about
the operational procedures Advanced decisions about
operational procedures
4. Operational design

3. Research Design in case of hypothesis testing research studies

Hypothesis testing research studies (generally known as experimental studies) are those where
the researcher tests the hypotheses of causal relationships between variables. Such studies
require procedures that will not only reduce bias and increase reliability, but will permit drawing
inferences about causality. Usually experiments meet this requirement. Hence, when we talk of
research design in such studies, we often mean the design of experiments. Professor R.A.Fisher’s
name is associated with experimental designs. Testing of hypotheses can be done through chi-
square, F-test, Z- test, etc. taking null and alternative hypothesis into account. In null hypothesis,
we presume that there is no significant difference between the observed variables or they are
equal, whereas in alternative hypothesis we assume that there is significant difference in the
observed variables. Alternative hypothesis is usually the one which one wishes to prove and the
null hypothesis is the one which one wishes to disprove.

4. Surveys:

The survey is the most common method by which sociologists gather their data. The Gallup Poll
is perhaps the best-known example of a survey and, like all surveys, gathers its data with the help
of a questionnaire that is given to a group of respondents. The Gallup Poll is an example of a
survey conducted by a private organization, but it typically includes only a small range of
variables. It thus provides a good starting point for research but usually does not include enough
variables for a full-fledged sociological study. Sociologists often do their own surveys, as does
the government and many organizations in addition to Gallup.

Conclusion:
From the above defined notes we can say that design means “drawing an outline” or
arranging or planning details. It is the method of building decisions before a situation arises
in which the decision has to be carried out. Research design is the preparation of a strategy of
conducting research these are the important points to be considered in formulating any research.
All these steps are to be put on paper to avoid ambiguity at a later stage. The work in research
design, thus starts after the selection of problem and ends before collection of data. The gap
between two should be bridged carefully with a well planned research design.Thus, it can be said
that a research design should contain detailed information about Research topic, Objectives,
Concepts and their operational definition, Variables, Hypothesis, Method of data collection
& method of the data process, Analysis and interpretation, Time dimension of study and
approximate expenditure involve.