Chapter Four

Research Design

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022

 Expected outcome
2

 Up on the completion of this chapter the

students will be able to:
Define research design

Explain important features of a good research

design

 Discuss concepts relevant to research design

Explain types of Research Designs

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022

 Brainstorming question
3

 What is a research design?

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022

 Meaning of Research Design
4

 Research design is a plan of collecting

and analyzing data in an economic manner.

 It is conceptual structure with in which

research is conducted.

 It constitutes the blue print for collection,

measuring and analysis of data.

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022

 Important features of
a good research design
5

 It is a plan that contain a clear statement of the

research problem and specifies the source and
types of data relevant to the research problem

 It is a strategy specifying which approach will be

used for gathering the relevant data

 Indicate the population to be studied and methods

to be used in processing and analyzing the data

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022

 Concepts relevant
to research design
6

1 • Dependent variable
2 • Independent variable
3 • Extraneous variable
4 • Control variables
5 • Confounded relationship
6 • Experimental and control groups
7 • Treatments
8 • Experiment

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022

 Important concepts relevant
to research design….
7

1. Dependent variable (DV): one variable depends

upon or a consequence of the other variable
o Is a variable that is to be predicted or explained

Independent variable (IV) : is a variable that is

expected to influence the dependent variable.

Ex. IV: Participation in intensive study program

DV: Graduation rates.

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022

 Group discussion
8

 Identify the research question which

has dependent and independent
variable (5 minutes)

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022

 Important concepts relevant
to research design…..
9

 Extraneous variable: independent variables that

are not related to the purpose of a study, but may
affect the dependent variable.
o E.g., if someone wants to test the effect of
compensation on individual productivity,
o other variables like age of workers, or
personal problem of worker may as well affect
the level of productivity.
o Since they are not related to the purpose of a study,
they are called extraneous variable.

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022

 Important concepts relevant
to research design….
10

 Control variables : A good research design has to

minimize the influences of extraneous variable.
o To do so the researcher uses control as a remedy
to minimize the effects of extraneous variable.
Eg.
o The relationship between compensation and
the level of individual productivity
o Consider the same age level of employees.

Control variable: Age

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022
 Important concepts relevant
to research design….
11

 Confounded relationship:
o When dependent variable is not free from the
influence of extraneous variable
 Experimental and control groups:
o a group is exposed to usual condition
o a group is exposed to special condition
o These two groups should be identical in every
respect except one: the independent variable is
 changed for the experimental group,
 but is held constant in the control group.
Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022
 Important concepts relevant
to research design….
12
Example
Suppose a researcher wants to study whether special
studies program affects students test performance level
for a group of students
o The researcher randomly selects 50 students from a group
of students who take a course in statistics to tests the
relationship between their test performance level and
special studies program by calculating the coefficient of
correlation between the two sets of scores.
o Then divides them into two groups by randomly
assigning
 25 to Group A, the usual studies program,

 25 to Group B, the special studies program.

o Administers a test to each group

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022

 Important concepts relevant
to research design….
13
 Treatments: The different condition under which
experimental and controlled groups are put
◦ Eg. To determine the comparative impact of three
working shift of employees on their productivity,
the three shift of worker will be treated as three
treatments.
 Experiment: The process of examining the truth of a
statistical hypothesis, relating to some problem
◦ E.g., examining the usefulness of a newly
developed drug.
 Experimental unit: the pre-determined plots (or
blocks or group) where different treatments are used.
Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022
 Types of Research Designs
14

 Research design is unique to a methodology.

 Two broad methodology groups can be used to answer
any research problem.
i. Experimental
ii. Non-experimental.
 The main difference between these two methodologies
lies in :
o the control of extraneous variables and
o manipulation of at least one independent
variable by the intervention of the investigator
in experimental research.

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022

 I. Non- experimental research design
15

 Purposes
o Describes current characteristics of interest or

o Examines the relationships between things

without any direct manipulation of conditions
that are experienced by the subject

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022

 Types of non- experimental research design:
16

Exploratory
Cross-
sectional Descriptive
research

Causal
Types
Trend
study

Longitudinal Cohort
research study
Panel
study

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022

 Types of non- experimental research design:
i. Cross-sectional research
17

 Cross-sectional research is used to observe and analyze

the exact time of the research to cover various study
groups or samples.
 Exploratory research: aimed at identifying and
formulating a research problem or developing
working hypothesis.
 Descriptive: are concerned with describing the
characteristics or function of a particular individual, or
of a group or a phenomenon
 Causal: explaining the reasons and relationship
that exists between variables in a given time.

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022

 Types of non- experimental research design:
ii. Longitudinal research:
18

 In a longitudinal study, researchers aim to analyze the

changes and development of the relationships
between variables over time.
 Panel studies: measure the same sample of
respondents (heterogeneous) at different points in time.
 Trend studies: provides information about net changes
at an aggregate level
 Sample different groups of people at different times
from the same population and ask same questions.
 Cohort studies: selecting a group based on a specific
event or defining characteristics.
 In which some characteristics of one or more cohorts is
measured at two or more points in time
Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022
 II. Experimental research design
19

 Experimental studies are those in which the

researcher can control and manipulate at least one
of the independent variable and test the hypothesis
of causal relationship between variables.

 Basic principle of experimental design

- The Principle of Replication: the experiment
should be repeated more than once

- The Principle of Randomization: is applied in

order to reduce the effect of extraneous factor by
randomizing the application of treatments

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022

 II. Experimental research design….
20

o To reduce the effect of extraneous variable,

which is intelligence, a researcher can
randomly assign students in different
groups or we can apply different treatments
randomly.

- The Principle of Local Control: is used

to measure and eliminate the variability
caused by extraneous variable.

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022

 21

End of the chapter

Compiled by: Zinashbizu L. (PhD) 12/29/2022