Inquiries,

Investigations and
Immersion
Quarter 3 – Module 6:
Selecting the Appropriate
Research Design
Inquiries, Investigations, and Immersion
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 3 – Module 6: Selecting the Appropriate Research Design
First Edition, 2020

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 Inquiries,
Investigations, and
Immersion
Quarter 3 – Module 6:
Selecting the Appropriate
Research Design
Introductory Message
This Self-Learning Module (SLM) is prepared so that you, our dear learners,
can continue your studies and learn while at home. Activities, questions, directions,
exercises, and discussions are carefully stated for you to understand each lesson.

Each SLM is composed of different parts. Each part shall guide you step-by-
step as you discover and understand the lesson prepared for you.

Pre-tests are provided to measure your prior knowledge on lessons in each

SLM. This will tell you if you need to proceed on completing this module or if you
need to ask your facilitator or your teacher’s assistance for better understanding of
the lesson. At the end of each module, you need to answer the post-test to self-check
your learning. Answer keys are provided for each activity and test. We trust that you
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In addition to the material in the main text, Notes to the Teacher are also
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If you have any questions in using this SLM or any difficulty in answering the
tasks in this module, do not hesitate to consult your teacher or facilitator.

Thank you.
 What I Need to Know

This module was designed and written to guide you in selecting and describing the
appropriate research design that fits your research objectives and approach.

After going through this module, you are expected to:

1. choose appropriate research designs apt to your research approach
2. describe adequately your research design and research approach

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 What I Know

Read each question carefully. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write your answer
on your notebook.
1. These are the common research approaches except __________.
a. quantitative approach c. mixed method approach
b. qualitative approach d. experimental approach
2. The correlational research design falls under the __________ approach and is
used when conducting a/an __________ research.
a. quantitative; descriptive c. qualitative;
b. quantitative; phenomenological
experimental d. qualitative; experimental
3. The case study design is used when you want to collect __________ data.
a. numerical c. numerical and textual
b. textual d. random
4. True experimental design is a type of experimental research that is used:
a. when your control group c. when your participants
tells the truth are selected randomly
b. when your participants d. when your participants
are not selected tell the truth
randomly
5. This is a qualitative approach research design that is used when you want to
understand an experience, event, or a situation from the participant’s
perspective.
a. case study design c. experimental design
b. grounded theory design d. phenomenological design

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 Lesson

1 Research Design

In your previous modules, you have brainstormed for research topics and formulated
a research question that you want to work on to find an answer, and explored related
studies that relates to your research problem. The next step is for you to understand
and explore the possible ways to collect data.

This module will help you explore the different research designs that are used to
collect different types of data depending on the type of research approach. You have
already encountered qualitative and qualitative research in your pre-requisite
subjects but let’s have a brief refresher.

What’s In

Activity 1: Research Literatures and Type of Data

On your notebook, copy the table below. List down three (3) related literatures that
you have explored from Module 5 What I can do and write the sample data in the
next column. Write what type of data was used in each literature.

Title of Related Literature Sample Data Type of Data (Numerical

or Textual)
Ex. Multiple Impacts of Academic Performance, Numerical
School – Based Feeding BMI
Program
1.
2.
3.

Notes to the Teacher

The teacher may assess the research progress of the student and
assist in the identification of appropriate research methodology
(e.g. research approach and research design).

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 What’s New

For your first activity for this module, let’s start by checking the progress of your
research. The illustration below is your research checklist from your previous
modules. The unchecked box from the checklist is our goal for this module.

MY RESEARCH CHECKLIST
WHAT CAN I RESEARCH ON?
(Brainstorming for Research Topics)

WHAT IS MY RESEARCH PROBLEM?

(Identifying the Problem)
WHAT IS/ARE MY RESEARCH QUESTION/S?
(Asking the Question)
HOW CAN I COLLECT DATA THAT ANSWERS MY QUESTIONS?
(Understanding Ways to Collect Data – Research Design)

For you to identify which research design is the most appropriate to your research,
you need to be systematic and organized starting from the research topic up to the
research questions because these concepts, as mentioned before, are interrelated.

To assess the progress of your research, copy the table below on a notebook and
answer what is being asked.

ACTIVITY 2: MY RESEARCH PROGRESS

My research topic is about ___________________.
The research problem I want to work on/solve/find answer to is ________________.
My tentative title for my research is _______________________________________.
The research questions I have formulated to answer the research problem is/are
as follows:
 Research Question 1: ______________________________________
 Research Question 2: ______________________________________
 …
** for this part, choose one answer from the enclosed bracket**
Upon checking my research questions, I found out that the answers to my
research questions requires ______ [numerical/textural/both] _______ type of
data.
Therefore, my research approach should be ______
[Qualitative/Quantitative/Mixed-Method] ______ approach.

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 What is It

The Research Approach

There are three approaches that you can use in conducting your research:
quantitative, qualitative, and mixed method approach.

Which research approach should you use? Your research approach will
depend on the type of data that can answers your research question.

Quantitative approach is used when your research question requires numerical

data. Here are some sample quantitative research questions:

 What percentage of the Filipinos are Anti-Vaxxers?

 Is there a significant difference between the academic performance of
female and male students?
Qualitative approach is used when your research question requires textural
data or narrative data. These includes research questions such as:

 How do students without gadgets adjust in the distance learning setup?

 What is the day to day routine of student-parents in the distance learning
setup?
Mixed method approach is used for researches that require both numerical and
textural data.

 How did the pandemic affected student’s mental health and academic
performance?
In conducting a research, your research question determines your research approach
which determines the type of data you need, which also determines your research
design.

Research Question  Research Approach  Type of Data  RESEARCH DESIGN

Understanding your Research Design

Out of all the questions most students ask when they are conducting a research, the
research design answers the “HOW?”.

A research design is the masterplan or blueprint of your research. A research design

clarifies the data collection process. It includes how the data will be collected, what
instruments are going to be used, and how the data will be analyzed (Ragma, 2019).

Describing your Research Design

The research design is described in the methodology section of your research

paper. This is how you should write your research design:

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  Specify the type of research design as well as your research approach.
 Describe the type of research design and research approach using credible
reference.
 Explain why you chose that type of research design and research approach.
 Justify the type of research design and research approach by explaining its
application to your study.

SAMPLE RESEARCH DESIGN

This method will deal with quantitative data. The Quasi-experimental

research approach will be used, specifically the pretest-posttest design.
According to the Center for Innovation in Research and Teaching at Grand
Canyon University (2019), quasi-experimental research tests for causality
with the pretest-posttest design. Furthermore, this is apt for the study as it
deals with the control variable (without SBFP) and the experimental variable
(with SBFP) without full control of the confounding variables (Price, et al., n.
d.). Since this study will deal with the data prior to the implementation and
the data during the implementation within the same subjects, that is the
beneficiaries, the aforementioned methodology is the most appropriate.

(Muli, C.L., 2019)

Choosing your Research Design

There are different types of research design depending on your research approach.
Let’s look at the diagram and explore each research approach and its corresponding
research designs.

There are three types of quantitative approach: descriptive research, experimental

research, and causal comparative. If your research is descriptive in nature, you have
four possible research designs: correlational, developmental or time series,
observational, and survey research. According to Williams (2007), “descriptive
research involves identification of attributes of a particular phenomenon based on
an observational basis, or the exploration of correlation between two or more
phenomena”.

RESEARCH TYPE OF QUANTITATIVE

APPROACH QUANTITATIV RESEARCH DESIGNS
E APPROACH CORRELATIONAL
QUANTITATIVE

DESCRIPTIVE
DEVELOPMENTAL

OBSERVATIONAL

SURVEY
RESEARCH
EXPERIMENTAL

TRUE EXPERIMENTAL

CAUSAL
COMPARATIVE QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL

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 Quantitative – Descriptive Research Designs (Williams, 2007)

1. Correlational design – examines the differences between two characteristics of

a study group.
2. Development/time series design – explores how characteristics may change
over time within a study group.
3. Observational study method – observes a particular aspect of human behavior
and records the data.
4. Survey research – is a method that involves using sampling data from
respondents that are representative of a population and uses a close-ended
instrument or open-ended items.

If you research is experimental in nature, your research design may be a true

experimental design or a quasi-experimental design. An experimental research
involves the investigation of a particular treatment or intervention by measuring the
outcomes of the experiment (Williams, 2007).

Quantitative – Experimental Research

1. True experimental – involves an experimental setup with a higher degree of

control through a random selection of study participants.
2. Quasi-experimental – involves an experimental setup with limited control and
a nonrandom selection of study participants.

If your research seeks to explore the cause and effect, your research design is causal
comparative. A causal comparative research involves examining how the
independent variable affects the dependent variable (William, 2007). This type of
quantitative research may involve multiple factors as independent variable.

For qualitative research approach, let’s take RESEARC QUALITATIVE

a look at the diagram. Each qualitative H RESEARCH DESIGNS
research designs are employed with APPROAC
different techniques that unfolds H CASE STUDY
QUALITATIVE

observational elements from experiences.

These research designs are case studies,
ETHNOGRAPHY
ethnography, grounded theory, content
analysis, and phenomenological studies.
PHENOMENOLOGICAL
Qualitative Research Designs

1. Case study – is an in-depth GROUNDED THEORY

exploration of a program, an event,
an activity, a process, or one or more
individuals (Creswell, 2003, cited in CONTENT ANALYSIS
Williams 2007).
2. Ethnography – is similar to a case
study in which it “studies an entire
group that shares a common culture by focusing on their behaviors to identify

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 norms, beliefs, social structures, and other factors” (Leedy & Ormrod, 2001;
Williams 2007).
3. Grounded theory – is a research design in which the researcher attempts to
develop a theory, abstract, or interaction that is grounded in the views of
participants in the study (Creswell, 2003 cited in Williams, 2007).
4. Phenomenological study – is a type of research design explores to give meaning
of a phenomenon and “to understand and interpret an experience from the
participants’ point of view” (Leedy & Ormrod, 2001 cited in Williams 2007).
5. Content analysis study – this type of design as described by Williams (2007)
involves “a detailed and systematic examination of the content of a particular
body of material for the purpose of identifying patterns, themes, or biases”

RESEARC MIXED METHOD The mixed method approach utilizes

H RESEARCH DESIGNS both elements of qualitative and
APPROAC
H
SEQUENTIAL quantitative approach within different
EXPLANATORY
phases of the research process
MIXED METHOD

SEQUENTIAL
(Tashakkori & Teddlie, 2008). Each
EXPLORATORY research design under the mixed method
approach deals with how both the
SEQUENTIAL qualitative and quantitative data are
TRANSFORMATIVE
handled or integrated. These research
CONCURRENT designs are sequential explanatory,
TRIANGULATION sequential exploratory, sequential
transformative, concurrent triangulation,
CONCURRENT concurrent nested, and concurrent
TRANSFORMATION
transformative.
CONCURRENT
NESTED Mixed Method Research Designs

1. Sequential Explanatory – Quantitative

 Qualitative; in this research design, the initial data collection and analysis
is done quantitatively then followed by qualitative data collection and analysis.
However, as stated by Terrell (2011) “equal priority is given to the two phases
and data are integrated during the interpretation.
2. Sequential Exploratory – Qualitative  Quantitative; this research design is
the opposite of the sequential explanatory where in the initial data collection
and analysis is done qualitatively then followed by quantitative data collection
and analysis. In this research design, one approach can be given a priority
than the other.
3. Sequential Transformative – in this type of research design, either quantitative
or qualitative data collection can be done first. Terrell (2011) mentioned that
“priority can be given to either or both data types”.
4. Concurrent Triangulation – data collection and analysis are done
simultaneously while the equal priority is given to each approach (Terrell,
2011).
5. Concurrent Nested - this type of research design embeds the data collection
phase of one approach within the other (Terrell, 2011).

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 6. Concurrent Transformative – this type of research simultaneously collects data
using qualitative and quantitative approach and transforms or validates either
qualitative data or quantitative data (Terrell, 2011).

What’s More

Activity 3: Knowing Which Research Design to Use

Read the situation below and answer the follow up questions. Write your answers
on your notebook.

Situation #1: Liwayway is a student researcher and she wants to do an in-depth study
on the situation of teenage moms’ learning through distance education.

A. What should be her research approach? _________________________________

B. Why? ___________________________________________________________________

C. What is her research design? ____________________________________________

D. Why? ___________________________________________________________________

Situation #2: Liraya noticed that not every student took down notes. She wants to
know if there is a relationship between note-taking and academic performance.

A. What should be her research approach? _________________________________

B. Why? ___________________________________________________________________

C. What is her research design? ____________________________________________

D. Why? ___________________________________________________________________

Situation #3: Chicana wants to do an in-depth study of the experience of the students
participating in the School-based Feeding Program and integrate it with the correlation
between their BMI index and their academic performance.

A. What should be her research approach? _________________________________

B. Why? ___________________________________________________________________

C. What is her research design? ____________________________________________

D. Why? ___________________________________________________________________

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 What I Have Learned

Activity 4: Filling in my Learnings

Fill in the blanks below with the word/s that will complete each statement based on
our discussion. Write your answer on your notebook.

In conducting a research, your (A) _______________ determines your research

approach which determines the (B) ______________ you need, which also determines
your research design. A research design is the (C)___________or (D)___________ of your
research.

There are different types of research design for every approach. For a descriptive
quantitative research, the types of research design are (E)_________, (F)__________,
(G)__________, and survey research. For an experimental research design, the types
of research design are true experimental research, and quasi-experimental research.
And lastly, for the causal comparative qualitative research, the research design is
(H)_________________.

For a qualitative research approach, the types of research design are (I) _____________,
ethnography, (J)_________, (K)_________, (L)___________. And lastly for
(M)_____________ research approach, the types of research design are sequential
exploratory, sequential explanatory, (N)_____________, concurrent transformative,
(0)______________.

What I Can Do

Activity 5: Writing my Research Design

Now that you have understood and chosen the research design that you will use in
your research, let’s now write the research design section in your research paper. On
your notebook, follow the template below to write your own research design. Answer
what is being asked in the brackets to complete your output.

Writing My Research Design

1. This study will deal with ___________ [your type of data] _______________ data.
2. The ___________________ [your approach] ____________ approach will be used,
specifically the _____________ [your research design] _________ design.
3. A __________ research design ________________ [write a paraphrased definition of
your chosen research design, include an in-text APA citation at the end of the
sentence] ____________________________________________________ (______, ______).

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4. This type of research design is the most appropriate for this study because
________ [explain why your chosen research design is appropriate to the study]
____________________.
5. In addition to that, a/an _________ research design ___________ [specify how your
research design is applicable to your study] _________________.

Sample Research Design Template:

Research Design
This study will deal with ______ data. The ________ research approach will be used,
specifically the _______ design. According to ______ (_____), a ___________ research
design is _________________________________________________________________. This
type of research design is the most appropriate for this study because
__________________________________________________. In addition to that, a/an
___________ research design is used for ___________________________, which makes it
apt for this study since ___________________________________.

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 Assessment

Read each question carefully. Choose the letter of the best answer. Write your
answers on your notebook.

1. This is a qualitative approach research design that is used when you want to
understand an experience, event, or a situation from the participant’s
perspective.
a. case study design c. experimental design
b. grounded theory design d. phenomenological design
2. The correlational research design falls under the ______ approach and is used
when conducting a/an ________ research.
a. quantitative; descriptive c. qualitative;
b. quantitative; phenomenological
experimental d. qualitative; experimental
3. These are the common research approaches except;
a. quantitative approach c. mixed method approach
b. qualitative approach d. experimental approach
4. True experimental design is a type of experimental research that is used:
a. when your control group c. when your participants
tells the truth are selected randomly
b. when your participants d. when your participants
are not selected tell the truth
randomly
5. The case study design is used when you want to collect _____ data.
a. numerical c. numerical and textual
b. textual d. random
6. This qualitative research design seeks to find meaning on an experience,
situation or phenomena.
a. grounded theory design c. ethnography design
b. case study design d. phenomenological design
7. This a research approach that have emerged from the integration of qualitative
and quantitative elements.
a. grounded theory c. correlational
b. true experimental d. mixed method
8. This is a quantitative research approach that seeks to understand the cause
and effect between the variables.
a. causal comparative c. experimental
b. descriptive d. quasi-experimental
9. This is a research design under the mixed method approach that prioritizes
the collection and analysis of quantitative data followed by the collection and
analysis of qualitative data.
a. sequential explanatory c. concurrent triangulation
b. sequential exploratory d. concurrent exploratory

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10. This is a research design under the mixed method wherein both data
collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data are happening at
the same time and is compared at the end of the data collection phase.
a. concurrent exploratory c. concurrent
b. concurrent explanatory transformative
d. concurrent triangulation

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 Additional Activities

On your notebook, write a short essay using the prompt question given below.

A. In your perspective as a student-researcher, how important it is for you to know

and understand the research design used in your research?

B. Among all the types of research design that was discussed, which research
design/s resonate the most to you? Why?

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 3
What I have learned
Assessment A. Research Question What's In What I Know
B. Type of Data
1. D C. Masterplan Qualitative 1. D
2. A D. Blueprint 2. A
3. D E-G Correlational, 3. B
4. C developmental, 1. Explore 4. C
5. B observational 2. Interview 5. D
6. D H. Causal 3. Observe
7. D Comparative 4. In-depth
8. A Quantitative
I-L Case Study,
9. A Content Analysis,
10. B 1. Correlate
Phenomenological,
2. Investigate
Grounded Theory
3. Survey
M. Mixed Method
N. Content 4. Calculate
Triangulation Mixed Method
O. Content Nested
1. Triangulate
2. Integrate
Answer Key
References

Creswell, J. (2003). Research Design: Qualitative, quantitative and mixed methods

approaches (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications
Leedy, P. & Ormrod, J. (2001). Practical Research: Planning and Design (7 th ed.)
Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill Prentice Hall.
Muli, C.L. (2019). Multiple Impacts of the School- Based Feeding Program (SBFP)
on the students of Luakan National High School – Main. [unpublished]
Ragma, F. (2019) Research 2 (Quantitative Research), Manila, Philippines:
Mindshapers Co. INC
Tashakkori, A. & Teddlie, C. (2008). Introduction to mixed method and mixed
module studies in the social and behavioural science. In V.L. Plano-Clark &
J.W. Creswell (Eds.), The mixed method reader, (pp.7-26).
Terrell, S. (2011). Mixed-methods research methodologies. The Qualitative Report,

17(1), 254-280. Retrieved from http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR17-

1/terrell.pdf

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