Explicate the concept of research design

According to Matheson (1970) a research design is a basic plan for research, including the
assignment of subjects to the levels of the independent variable and the manipulation of the
independent variable.

According to Kerlinger (1986) research design is the plan, structure, and strategy of
investigation conceived so as to obtain answers to research questions and to control variance.

The definition of Kerlinger reveals three important components, which are

(i)research design is a plan

(ii) research design is the structure

(iii) research design is the strategy.

These can further be explained as:

i) Research Design is the Plan: The plan is the overall scheme or program of the research. It
includes an outline of what the investigator will do from writing the hypotheses and their
operational implications to the final analysis of data.

ii) Research Design is the Structure: The structure of the research is more specific. It is the
outline, the scheme, the paradigm, of the operation of the variables. When we draw diagrams that
outline the variables and their relation and juxtaposition, we build structural schemes for
accomplishing operational research purposes.

iii) Research Design is the Strategy: Strategy as used here is also more specific than plan. It
includes the methods to be used to gather and analyze the data. In other words, strategy implies
how the research objectives will be reached and how the problems encountered in the research
will be tackled.

Need for Research Design

Research design is needed because it facilitates the smooth sailing of the various research
operations. It makes the research as efficient as possible by giving maximum information with
minimal expenditure of effort, time and money. For construction of a house, we need to have a
proper blueprint prepared by an expert architect. Similarly, we need a proper research design or
plan prior to data collection and analysis of our research project.

Preparation of research design should be done carefully as even a minute error might ruin the
purpose of the entire project. The design helps the researcher to organize his/her ideas, which
helps to identify and correct his/her flaws, if any. In a good research design, all the components
with each other or go together with each other in a coherent manner.
Need For Research Design

 Provides firm foundation to the endeavor.

 It reduces inaccuracy. Helps to get maximum efficiency and reliability.
 Eliminates bias and marginal errors.
 Minimizes wastage of time.
 Reduce uncertainty, confusion and practical haphazard related to any research problem.
 Helpful for collecting research materials.
 Helpful for testing of hypothesis.
 Gives an idea regarding the type of resources required in terms of money, manpower,
time, and efforts.
 Provides an overview to other experts.
 Guides the research in the right direction.
 Smooth & efficient sailing (sets boundaries & helps prevent blind search).

Advantages of Research Design

 Helps researcher to prepare himself/herself to carry out research in a proper and a

systematic way.
 Ensures project time schedule.
 Consumes less time.
 Better documentation of the various activities while the project work is going on.
 Provides satisfaction and confidence, accompanied with a sense of success from the
beginning of the work of
 the research projects.
 Helps in proper planning of the resources and their procurement in right time. Hence, a
research design is the
 outline, plan, or strategy that you are going to use to obtain an answer to your research
question.

Importance of Research Design

 The importance of research design lies in the fact that it makes a statement of what is to
be done in order to achieve the research objectives and how it is to be done.
 It furnishes the minimum information required for planning the research project.
 It is an expression of what is expected of the research exercise in terms of results and the
analytical input needed to convert data into research findings.
 The research design furnishes a clear idea as to the activities that would need to be
undertaken in order to achieve the research objective.
 It enables the researcher to have a frame of reference and prevent the study from
deviating.
 The research design helps in providing direction to the computation and interpretation
process to arrive at solution and recommendations
Research Design Elements

Research design elements include the following:

 Clear purpose: The research question or hypothesis must be clearly defined and focused.

 Sampling: This includes decisions about sample size, sampling method, and criteria for
inclusion or exclusion. The approach varies for different research design types.

 Data collection: This research design element involves the process of gathering data or
information from the study participants or sources. It includes decisions about what data
to collect, how to collect it, and the tools or instruments that will be used.

 Data analysis: All research design types require analysis and interpretation of the data
collected. This research design element includes decisions about the statistical tests or
methods that will be used to analyze the data, as well as any potential confounding
variables or biases that may need to be addressed.

 Type of research methodology: This includes decisions about the overall approach for
the study.

 Time frame: An important research design element is the time frame, which includes
decisions about the duration of the study, the timeline for data collection and analysis,
and follow-up periods.

 Ethical considerations: The research design must include decisions about ethical
considerations such as informed consent, confidentiality, and participant protection.

 Resources: A good research design takes into account decisions about the budget,
staffing, and other resources needed to carry out the study.

Characteristics of Research Design

Some basic characteristics of research design are common to different research design types.
These characteristics of research design are as follows:

 Neutrality: Right from the study assumptions to setting up the study, a neutral stance
must be maintained, free of pre-conceived notions. The researcher’s expectations or
beliefs should not color the findings or interpretation of the findings. Accordingly, a good
research design should address potential sources of bias and confounding factors to be
able to yield unbiased and neutral results.
 Reliability: Reliability is one of the characteristics of research design that refers to
consistency in measurement over repeated measures and fewer random errors. A reliable
research design must allow for results to be consistent, with few errors due to chance.
 Validity: Validity refers to the minimization of nonrandom (systematic) errors. A good
research design must employ measurement tools that ensure validity of the results.
  Generalizability: The outcome of the research design should be applicable to a larger
population and not just a small sample. A generalized method means the study can be
conducted on any part of a population with similar accuracy.
 Flexibility: A research design should allow for changes to be made to the research plan
as needed, based on the data collected and the outcomes of the study

A well-planned research design is critical for conducting a scientifically rigorous study that will
generate neutral, reliable, valid, and generalizable results. At the same time, it should allow some
level of flexibility.

Important concepts of Research Design

(i)Variable- is a concept that can take on various quantitative values. For instance, weight,
height, etc.

(ii) Dependent Variable-a dependent variable is a variable that is tested in an experiment. It is

dependent, in some way on the variation of an independent variable.

(iii) Independent Variable-an independent variable in an experiment is considered to stand on

its own. For instance, if the test scores of a class are an outcome of their efforts; efforts are an
independent variable, and the score is a dependent variable.

(iv) Hypothesis-It is defined as the hypothesis that needs to be tested in an experiment.

Types of Research Design

A researcher must be well-versed in different types of research design. Moreover, a clear

understanding of different research designs helps choose the proper technique for the research.

Research design is broadly divided into quantitative and qualitative research design. We’ll walk
you through them in detail below.

Quantitative research design

Quantitative research design aims at finding answers to who, what, where, how, and when
through the course of research. Moreover, the outcome of the quantitative analysis is easy to
represent in the form of statistics, graphs, charts, and numbers.

Qualitative research design

Qualitative research design focuses on finding answers to how and why. It uses open-ended
questions and helps the subjects express their views clearly.
Qualitative research is ideal for businesses that aim to understand customers’ behaviors and
requirements.
You can further break the types of research designs into five categories.
 (i) Experimental design

This type of research design looks at a problem scientifically by establishing a clear cause and
effect of every event. It also tries to understand the impact of the independent variable on the
dependable variable.
Often social sciences use it to observe human behaviours and understand the social psychology
of human being better.

(ii) Correlational design

Correlation research design establishes a relationship between two related variables. The
researcher observes the variables over time and then draws conclusions based on them. This type
of research design requires two different groups.
A correlation coefficient determines the relationship between two variables. The value of the
correlation coefficient ranges between -1 and +1. If the correlation coefficient is +1, it indicates a
positive relationship between the two variables, and -1 means a negative relationship.

(iii) Descriptive design

Descriptive design is a theory-based research method describing the research’s primary subject
matter. This type of research design uses data collection techniques like natural observation, case
studies, and surveys to derive results.
This type of research design provides insight into the why and how of research.

(iv) Diagnostic design

In diagnostic research, the design strives to explore the reason behind an issue and find solutions
to solve it. This type of research design tries to solve the problems in a structured form divided
into three phases- the issue’s inception, diagnosis of the issue, and solution for the issue.

(v) Explanatory design

In this research design, the researcher explores concepts and ideas on a subject to explore more
theories. The main aim of the research is to explore the subjects’ undiscovered aspects and
answer questions like what, how, and why.

Qualitative research design types and qualitative research design examples

The following will familiarize you with the research design categories in qualitative research:

 Grounded theory: This design is used to investigate research questions that have not
previously been studied in depth. Also referred to as exploratory design, it creates
sequential guidelines, offers strategies for inquiry, and makes data collection and analysis
more efficient in qualitative research.
Example: A researcher wants to study how people adopt a certain app. The researcher collects
data through interviews and then analyzes the data to look for patterns. These patterns are used to
develop a theory about how people adopt that app.

 Thematic analysis: This design is used to compare the data collected in past research to
find similar themes in qualitative research.

Example: A researcher examines an interview transcript to identify common themes, say, topics
or patterns emerging repeatedly.

 Discourse analysis: This research design deals with language or social contexts used in
data gathering in qualitative research.

Example: Identifying ideological frameworks and viewpoints of writers of a series of policies.

Quantitative research design types and quantitative research design examples

Note the following research design categories in quantitative research:

 Descriptive research design: This quantitative research design is applied where the aim
is to identify characteristics, frequencies, trends, and categories. It may not often begin
with a hypothesis. The basis of this research type is a description of an identified
variable. This research design type describes the “what,” “when,” “where,” or “how” of
phenomena (but not the “why”).

Example: A study on the different income levels of people who use nutritional supplements
regularly.

 Correlational research design: Correlation reflects the strength and/or direction of the
relationship among variables. The direction of a correlation can be positive or negative.
Correlational research design helps researchers establish a relationship between two
variables without the researcher controlling any of them.

Example: An example of correlational research design could be studying the correlation between
time spent watching crime shows and aggressive behavior in teenagers.

 Diagnostic research design: In diagnostic design, the researcher aims to understand the
underlying cause of a specific topic or phenomenon (usually an area of improvement) and
find the most effective solution. In simpler terms, a researcher seeks an accurate
“diagnosis” of a problem and identifies a solution.

Example: A researcher analyzing customer feedback and reviews to identify areas where an app
can be improved.

 Explanatory research design: In explanatory research design, a researcher uses their

ideas and thoughts on a topic to explore their theories in more depth. This design is used
 to explore a phenomenon when limited information is available. It can help increase
current understanding of unexplored aspects of a subject. It is thus a kind of “starting
point” for future research.

Example: Formulating hypotheses to guide future studies on delaying school start times for
better mental health in teenagers.

 Causal research design: This can be considered a type of explanatory research. Causal
research design seeks to define a cause and effect in its data. The researcher does not use
a randomly chosen control group but naturally or pre-existing groupings. Importantly, the
researcher does not manipulate the independent variable.

Example: Comparing school dropout levels and possible bullying events.

 Experimental research design: This research design is used to study causal

relationships. One or more independent variables are manipulated, and their effect on one
or more dependent variables is measured.

Example: Determining the efficacy of a new vaccine plan for influenza.

Qualitative research vs. Quantitative research

Qualitative research Quantitative research

 Deals with subjective aspects, e.g.,
experiences, beliefs, perspectives, and
concepts.
 Deals with non-numerical data, such as
words, images, and observations.
 In qualitative research design, data are
collected via direct observations,
interviews, focus groups, and naturally
occurring data. Methods for conducting
qualitative research are grounded
theory, thematic analysis, and discourse
analysis.
 Measures different types of variables and
describes frequencies, averages,
correlations, etc.
 Tests hypotheses about relationships
between variables. Results are presented
numerically and statistically.
 Quantitative research design is empirical.
Data collection methods involved are
experiments, surveys, and observations
expressed in numbers. The research
design categories under this are
descriptive, experimental, correlational,
diagnostic, and explanatory.

 Data analysis involves interpretation  Data analysis involves statistical analysis

and narrative analysis. and hypothesis testing.
 The reasoning used to synthesize data  The reasoning used to synthesize data is
is inductive. deductive.

 Typically used in fields such as  Typically used in fields such as

 sociology, linguistics, and economics, ecology, statistics, and
anthropology. medicine.
 Example: Focus group discussions with
women farmers about climate change
 Example: Testing the effectiveness of a
perception.
new treatment for insomnia.

Benefits of research design

There are numerous benefits of research design. These are as follows:

 Clear direction: Among the benefits of research design, the main one is providing
direction to the research and guiding the choice of clear objectives, which help the
researcher to focus on the specific research questions or hypotheses they want to
investigate.

 Control: Through a proper research design, researchers can control variables, identify
potential confounding factors, and use randomization to minimize bias and increase the
reliability of their findings.

 Replication: Research designs provide the opportunity for replication. This helps to
confirm the findings of a study and ensures that the results are not due to chance or other
factors. Thus, a well-chosen research design also eliminates bias and errors.

 Validity: A research design ensures the validity of the research, i.e., whether the results
truly reflect the phenomenon being investigated.

 Reliability: Benefits of research design also include reducing inaccuracies and ensuring
the reliability of the research (i.e., consistency of the research results over time, across
different samples, and under different conditions).

 Efficiency: A strong research design helps increase the efficiency of the research process.
Researchers can use a variety of designs to investigate their research questions, choose
the most appropriate research design for their study, and use statistical analysis to make
the most of their data. By effectively describing the data necessary for an adequate test of
the hypotheses and explaining how such data will be obtained, research design saves a
researcher’s time.

Overall, an appropriately chosen and executed research design helps researchers to conduct high-
quality research, draw meaningful conclusions, and contribute to the advancement of knowledge
in their field.