Research Design

Research Design-1
Master plan of research study , giving a general statement
of methods to be used.

Function of a research design - to ensure that requisite

data in accordance with problem at hand is collected
accurately and economically.

Framework- blueprint for research study which guides

collection and analysis of data.

Research design- detailed statement or minimum

information required for planning research project.
Research Design-2
 Experimental Research
Research conducted with a scientific approach, where a set
of variables are kept constant while other set of variables
are being measured as subject of experiment.

Experimental research is one of founding quantitative

research methods and involves conducting a laboratory test.

Experimental research is conducted in following situations:

• Time is a vital factor for establishing a relationship between

cause and effect.

• Invariable behavior between cause and effect.

 Experimental Design

A blueprint of the procedure that enables the

researcher to test his hypothesis

by reaching valid conclusions about

relationships between independent and
dependent variables.

It refers to the conceptual framework within

which the experiment is conducted.
 Basic principles of experimental designs

•Randomization-
to provide an estimate of experimental error

•Replication-
to ensure that this estimate is statistically valid

•Local control-
to reduce experimental error by making experiment more
efficient
Randomization -first principle of an experimental design
Randomization-is a random process of assigning treatments to the
experimental units.

Random process implies that every possible allotment of treatments

has same probability.

Experimental unit-smallest division of experimental material, and a

treatment means an experimental condition whose effect is to be
measured and compared.

Purpose of randomization is to remove bias and other sources of

extraneous variation which are not controllable.

Randomization (accompanied by replication)–forms basis of any valid

statistical test. Hence, treatments must be assigned at random to
experimental units.

Randomization is usually done by drawing numbered cards from a

well-shuffled pack of cards, by drawing numbered balls from a well-
shaken container or by using tables of random numbers.
 Replication-Second principle of experimental design
Replication-–repetition of basic experiment.

It is a complete run for all the treatments to be tested in experiment.

In all experiments, some kind of variation is introduced because experimental

units (individuals or plots of land) cannot be physically identical. This variation
can be removed by using a number of experimental units. Experiment is
performed more than once- repeated. An individual repetition is called a
replicate.
Number, shape and size of replicates depend upon nature of experimental
material. A replication is used to:
(i) Secure a more accurate estimate of experimental error, a term which
represents differences that would be observed if same treatments were applied
several times to same experimental units;
(ii) Decrease experimental error and thereby increase precision, which is a
measure of variability of the experimental error; and
(iii) Obtain a more precise estimate of mean effect of a treatment
 Local Control
All extraneous sources of variation are not removed by randomization and replication. This
necessitates a refinement of experimental technique.

It is necessary to choose a design so that all extraneous sources of variation are brought under
control.

Local control is used, a term referring to amount of balancing, blocking and grouping of
experimental units.

Balancing - treatments should be assigned to experimental units in such a way that result is a
balanced arrangement of treatments.

Blocking -like experimental units should be collected together to form a relatively homogeneous
group. A block is also a replicate.

Main purpose of principle of local control is to increase efficiency of an experimental design by

decreasing experimental error.

Local control should not be confused with control. Control in experimental design is used for a
treatment which does not receive any treatment when we need to find out effectiveness of other
treatments through comparison.
Unit 2

Research Design - Features of a

good design - Types of Research
Design - Basic principles of
Experimental Design