School Of Management

MBA second trimester

203 - Research Methodology

An Assignment on

(Research Design and its elements and types)

SUBMITTED TO: Submitted By:

Dr. Aditya Tripathy Faisal Hakimzad
MBAN1MG20065
 Research Design and its elements and types

Introduction: Research design is the framework of research methods and techniques chosen
by a researcher. The design allows researchers to hone in on research methods that are suitable
for the subject matter and set up their studies up for success. The design of a research topic
explains the type of research (experimental, survey, correlational, semi-experimental, review)
and also its sub-type (experimental design, research problem, descriptive case-study). There
are three main types of research design: Data collection, measurement, and analysis. The type of
research problem an organization is facing will determine the research design and not vice-
versa. The design phase of a study determines which tools to use and how they are used.

Research design: A research design is the set of methods and procedures used in collecting and
analyzing measures of the variables specified in the problem research. The design of a study
defines the study type (descriptive, correlational, semi-experimental, experimental, review,
meta- analytic) and sub-type (e.g., descriptive-longitudinal case study), research problem,
hypotheses, independent and dependent variables, experimental design, and, if applicable, data
collection methods and a statistical analysis plan. A research design is a framework that has been
created to find answers to research questions.

There are three main types of research design: Data collection, measurement, and
analysis. The type of research problem an organization is facing will determine the research
design and
not vice-versa. The design phase of a study determines which tools to use and how they are used.

An impactful research design usually creates a minimum bias in data and increases trust in
the accuracy of collected data. A design that produces the least margin of error in
experimental research is generally considered the desired outcome. The essential elements of
the research design are:

1. Accurate purpose statement

2. Techniques to be implemented for collecting and analyzing research
3. The method applied for analyzing collected details
4. Type of research methodology
5. Probable objections for research
6. Settings for the research study
7. Timeline
8. Measurement of analysis
characteristics of research design: Proper research design sets your study up for success.
Successful research studies provide insights that are accurate and unbiased. You’ll need to
create a survey that meets all of the main characteristics of a design. There are four key
characteristics of research design:
 Neutrality: When you set up your study, you may have to make assumptions about the data
you expect to collect. The results projected in the research design should be free from bias
and neutral. Understand opinions about the final evaluated scores and conclusion from
multiple individuals and consider those who agree with the derived results.

 Reliability: With regularly conducted research, the researcher involved expects similar
results every time. Your design should indicate how to form research questions to ensure the
standard of results. You’ll only be able to reach the expected results if your design is reliable.

 Validity: There are multiple measuring tools available. However, the only correct
measuring tools are those which help a researcher in gauging results according to the
objective of the research. The questionnaire developed from this design will then be valid.

 Generalization: The outcome of your design should apply to a population and not just a
restricted sample. A generalized design implies that your survey can be conducted on any
part of a population with similar accuracy.

The above factors affect the way respondents answer the research questions and so all the
above characteristics should be balanced in a good design.

Quantitative and qualitative research:

A researcher must have a clear understanding of the various types of research design to select
which model to implement for a study. Like research itself, the design of your study can be
broadly classified into quantitative and qualitative.

Qualitative research design: Qualitative research determines relationships between

collected data and observations based on mathematical calculations. Theories related to a
naturally existing phenomenon can be proved or disproved using statistical methods.
Researchers rely on qualitative research design methods that conclude “why” a particular
theory exists along with “what” respondents have to say about it.

Quantitative research design: Quantitative research is for cases where statistical conclusions
to collect actionable insights are essential. Numbers provide a better perspective to make critical
business decisions. Quantitative research design methods are necessary for the growth of any
organization. Insights drawn from hard numerical data and analysis prove to be highly effective
when making decisions related to the future of the business.

Types of research design into five categories:

1. Descriptive research design: In a descriptive design, a researcher is solely interested in

describing the situation or case under their research study. It is a theory-based design method
which is created by gathering, analyzing, and presenting collected data. This allows a researcher
to provide insights into the why and how of research. Descriptive design helps others better
understand the need for the research. If the problem statement is not clear, you can conduct
exploratory research.

2. Experimental research design: Experimental research design establishes a relationship

between the cause and effect of a situation. It is a causal design where one observes the impact
caused by the independent variable on the dependent variable. For example, one monitors the
influence of an independent variable such as a price on a dependent variable such as customer
satisfaction or brand loyalty. It is a highly practical research design method as it contributes to
solving a problem at hand. The independent variables are manipulated to monitor the change
it has on the dependent variable. It is often used in social sciences to observe human behavior
by analyzing two groups. Researchers can have participants change their actions and study
how the people around them react to gain a better understanding of social psychology.

3. Correlational research design: Correlational research is a non-experimental research design

technique that helps researchers establish a relationship between two closely connected
variables. This type of research requires two different groups. There is no assumption while
evaluating a relationship between two different variables, and statistical analysis techniques
calculate the relationship between them.

A correlation coefficient determines the correlation between two variables, whose value ranges
between -1 and +1. If the correlation coefficient is towards +1, it indicates a positive relationship
between the variables and -1 means a negative relationship between the two variables.

4. Diagnostic research design: In diagnostic design, the researcher is looking to evaluate the
underlying cause of a specific topic or phenomenon. This method helps one learn more about
the factors that create troublesome situations.

This design has three parts of the research:

 Inception of the issue

 Diagnosis of the issue

 Solution for the issue

5. Explanatory research design: Explanatory design uses a researcher’s ideas and thoughts on a
subject to further explore their theories. The research explains unexplored aspects of a subject
and details about what, how, and why of research questions.

RESEARCH ELEMENTS

1) THE RESEARCH QUESTION:

The best research question should specify just one measurable result, as well as all the
conditions and important variables.
The question contains population, man or the conditions affecting the study population, and
the results.

2) HYPOTHESIS: Assumption, based on observations or reflections, which may lead to refutable

predictions. Also a conjecture drawn up so that it can be tested and refuted.

a) Alternative hypothesis:
Generally this is defined as stating that the null hypothesis (there are no differences) is not
true. If the objective of the trial is to compare a drug with the placebo, the null hypothesis will
state that there is no difference between the two groups, and the alternative hypothesis that
there is a difference.

b) Null hypothesis:
Hypothesis that there is no difference between the two groups (for example, two
treatments). When both groups differ in substantially, the null hypothesis is very
improbable.

3) RANDOMIZATION:

Ideally, a process which ensures that each member of a population has an equal chance of being
included in the study sample. This is not always possible.
More importantly, randomization means that the patients of the study are allocated to
treatment or placebo groups for the experiment, without taking into account any of the the
patients’ characteristics or the desires of the study personnel.

4) POPULATION:

Every person who meets the inclusion criteria for the study.

Group of people with a defined characteristic (white females) or who meet a defined requirement
(people who live in Andalucía). The denominator in the calculation of a rate.
5) SAMPLE:

The people who met the inclusion criteria of the study and who actually are incorporated into
the study. A sub-set of the population.

Selected fraction of a certain population, ideally representative of the reference population and
of a large enough size. Subgroups of observations of the study population.

6) SAMPLING:

Selection of the subjects of a population who will take part in a study.

Once the population for a clinical trial has been defined, the participants should ideally be
selected randomly, that is, in such a way that each potential participant of the population
under study has the same probabilities of being included in the sample.

This rarely happens, because the people identified as elements of the reference population
may have some characteristic which makes them specifically identifiable.

7) MANOEUVRE:

Any exposure or treatment which acts on the patients to produce a result.

8) RESULT OR OUTCOME:

The effect of a man oeuvre.

This term is also used to designate pre-determined variables in a clinical trial (for example,
cardiovascular mortality + reinfection, in clinical trials with patients who have suffered a
myocardia infarction).

9) INTERNAL VALIDITY:

Are the results of a study valid for the patient population studied?

Degree to which the experimental and reference groups have been formed and compared in
such a way that the differences observed between them in the dependent variables studied can
be attributed solely to the intervention under investigation.

10) EXTERNAL VALIDITY:

Are the results valid outside the population of patients studied? Are the results of the
studies done in men valid for women?
Degree to which the conclusions obtained with the sample of the population which participates
in a study can be generalized to its reference population or to other populations, places, times
and researchers.

11) VARIABLE: Any attribute, phenomenon or fact which may have different values. A property
of an individual which can be observed; for example, height, weight, sex; this property varies
from one individual to another.

There are three levels of precision in the measurement of a variable: nominal, ordinal
and interval. The simplest is the nominal one: the values assumed by a variable at this
level indicate simply categories (for example, sex, treatment group, etc). The variables
can also be rank ordered (ordinal grouping), for example, according to the level of dose,
categories of treatment duration or according to social class. The variables which can not
only be ordered but which also permit the measurement of the distance between
categories are called intervals (for example, height, weight, blood pressure, number of
deaths). The values which any variable can take, whether explanatory or response values,
constitute the levels of the variables.

The nature of these levels is what determines the type of the variables.
Therefore the following types of variables exist:
1. Dichotomous: a variable which can only take two possible values.
2. Nominal: a variable which can take several values.

3. Ordinal: a variable which can take several values and in which a ranking between the
categories can be established.

4. Quantitative: a variable which can take a numerical range of values.

5. Censored: a quantitative variable which can take partial or incomplete information (time
until something occurs in Analysis of Survival).

6. Binary variable: variable or result which can only take one of two possible values.

7. Categorical variable (synonym: discrete variable): Said of the variable which presents
interruptions.

 A variable is categorical if, among several potentially observable values, there is a

value which cannot be observed.
 Binary variables are a type of categorical variable, which can only take two values.

Continuous variable: said of the variable which does not present interruptions; a variable is
continuous if, between two observable values, there is always the possibility of there being
another observable value. Examples; age, weight, height, blood pressure.
Dependent variable: variable whose value depends on the effect of another or other
variables (independent variables). Manifestation or result, the value of which is explained
or justified by the influence of independent variables, especially the regression model. In
statistics, the variable which can be predicted by means of a regression equation.
Independent variable: characteristic whose influence on a fact or a manifestation is
assumed (the dependent variable). In statistics, the independent variable is one of the
elements of a regression equation.

Intermediate variable (synonym: contingency): variable present in a causal chain from

an independent variable to another dependent one.

It determines the dependent variable, but at the same time is the object of modification by
the independent variable and simultaneously associates with both.

12) RANDOM ALLOCATION:

In a study in which two or more types of treatment are compared, it is advisable for the
groups formed to be similar in all the prognostic characteristics except in the treatment
received, so that any difference in the clinical course which is recorded can be attributed to
the different treatments administered (and only to them).

Random allocation consists of distributing each participant to one of the treatment groups
by means of a random method, so that each subject has exactly the same probabilities of
forming part of one treatment group or another. The patients of one group have, on
average, the same probability of possessing a certain characteristic as those of the other
group; this occurs with all the prognostic factors, known or unknown. When the number
of patients included in a clinical trial is limited, random allocation may determine the
formation of somewhat different groups; this is less probable the greater the number of
patients.

With a view to evaluating whether random allocation has been carried out by chance, the
distribution of the prognostic characteristics known in each group should be compared at the
end of the trial.
Most publications about clinical trials contain a comparative table of these
characteristics. In order to prevent unequal distribution of the prognostic
characteristics in each group, an allocation in block can be carried out or the known
differences can be corrected with a stratified analysis or with a regression analysis.

Random allocation is the defining characteristic of controlled clinical trials, and

differentiates these trials from cohort studies.
 Stratified random allocation:

Method whereby, before random allocation, the patients are included in subgroups
(strata) of similar prognostic characteristics and are then allocated randomly, separately
for each stratum, to each of the types of treatment. In this way, the final treatment
groups and subgroups formed are comparable, at least in terms of the factors which have
been considered when forming the blocks or strata. For example, the risk of
cardiovascular complications associated with high blood pressure is greater in diabetic
patients, but it might also happen that a group of antihypertensive drugs may produce
more undesirable effects among the diabetic patients.

In a clinical trial on antihypertensive drugs, a general random allocation can be made, or

diabetic and non-diabetic patients may be allocated separately to each type of treatment;
in both cases, the results in diabetic and non-diabetic patients could be analyzed
separately. Nevertheless, the results will have greater validity if the allocation has been
carried out separately, than if only an analysis of subgroups were made.

Block random allocation:

Random allocation applied to successive groups of patients (for example, groups of four,
groups of ten, etc), with a view to preventing imbalances between groups in the case of
intermediate analysis or interruption of the trial.

Random allocation by minimization: This consists of :

1. Identifying the relevant variables which are to be distributed in a well-balanced way

to both treatment groups (for example, in a clinical trial on the treatment of acute
myocardial infarction, age, smoking habit, antecedents of coronary heart disease
and diabetes).

2. Forming strata according to the variables of interest (in the example, patients under 70
or 70 and over, smokers or non-smokers, with or without antecedents of coronary heart
disease, and diabetics or non-diabetics).

3. Counting, for each stratum, how many patients have been allocated to each of the
types of treatment.

4. Adding the patients included in each of the stratum in one or other type of treatment.

5. Allocating new patients to the type of treatment in which the subjects of

their characteristics are least represented.
 Alternate allocation: In a clinical trial with two groups, method of treatment allocation in
which the first patient receives treatment A, the second patient receives the alternative (B),
the third patient treatment A, the fourth one B, and like this successively, in a predictable way.
This type of allocation is not optimum (it generally means that the researcher knows which
technique, A or B, corresponds to the next patient) and therefore can give rise to unequal
groups and it is rarely compatible with maintaining the double-blind character of a trial.

Conclusion: The purpose of a historical research design is to collect, verify, and synthesize
evidence from the past to establish facts that defend or refute your hypothesis. It uses
secondary sources and a variety of primary documentary evidence, such as, logs, diaries,
official records, reports, archives, and non-textual information [maps, pictures, audio and
visual recordings]. The limitation is that the sources must be both authentic and valid.

Prepared by:
Faisal Hakimzad
MBAN1MG20065
View publication stats