RESEARCH DESIGN:

WHAT IS RESEARCH DESIGN?

Research design is the framework of research methods and techniques chosen by a researcher
to conduct a study. The design allows researchers to sharpen the research methods suitable
for the subject matter and set up their studies for success.

Creating a research topic explains the type of research (experimental, survey

research, correlational, semi-experimental, review) and its sub-type (experimental
design, research problem, and descriptive case-study).

There are three main types of designs for research:

 Data collection
 Measurement
 Data Analysis

The research problem an organization faces will determine the design, not vice-versa. The
design phase of a study determines which tools to use and how they are used.
THE PROCESS OF RESEARCH DESIGN

The research design process is a systematic and structured approach to conducting

research. The process is essential to ensure that the study is valid, reliable, and produces
meaningful results.

1. Consider your aims and approaches: Determine the research questions and
objectives, and identify the theoretical framework and methodology for the study.
2. Choose a type of Research Design: Select the appropriate research design, such as
experimental, correlational, survey, case study, or ethnographic, based on the research
questions and objectives.
3. Identify your population and sampling method: Determine the target population
and sample size, and choose the sampling method, such as random, stratified random
sampling, or convenience sampling.
4. Choose your data collection methods: Decide on the data collection methods, such
as surveys, interviews, observations, or experiments, and select the appropriate
instruments or tools for collecting data.
5. Plan your data collection procedures: Develop a plan for data collection, including
the timeframe, location, and personnel involved, and ensure ethical considerations.
6. Decide on your data analysis strategies: Select the appropriate data analysis
techniques, such as statistical analysis, content analysis, or discourse analysis, and
plan how to interpret the results.

The process of research design is a critical step in conducting research. By following the
steps of research design, researchers can ensure that their study is well-planned, ethical, and
rigorous.

RESEARCH DESIGN ELEMENTS

Impactful research usually creates a minimum bias in data and increases trust in the
accuracy of collected data. A design that produces the slightest margin of error in
experimental research is generally considered the desired outcome. The essential elements
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 to research
6. Settings for the research study
7. Timeline
8. Measurement of analysis

RESEARCH STUDY DESIGN STRUCTURE

A structured research design provides a clear and organized plan for carrying out a
study. It helps researchers to stay on track and ensure that the study stays within the bounds
of acceptable time, resources, and funding.

A typical design includes 5 main components:

Research question(s): Central research topic(s) or issue(s).

Sampling strategy: Method for selecting participants or subjects.

Data collection techniques: Tools or instruments for retrieving data.

Data analysis approaches: Techniques for interpreting and scrutinizing assembled data.

Ethical considerations: Principles for protecting human subjects (e.g., obtaining a written
consent, ensuring confidentiality guarantees).

CHARACTERISTICS OF RESEARCH DESIGN

Creating a research design warrants a firm foundation for your exploration. The cost
of making a mistake is too high. This is not something scholars can afford, especially if
financial resources or a considerable amount of time is invested. Choose the wrong strategy,
and you risk undermining your whole study and wasting resources.

To avoid any unpleasant surprises, make sure your study conforms to the key
characteristics. Here are some core features of research designs: [Original source:
https://studycrumb.com/research-design]A proper design sets your study up for success.
Successful research studies provide insights that are accurate and unbiased. There are four
key characteristics:
  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 should be free
from research bias and neutral. Understand opinions about the final evaluated scores
and conclusions from multiple individuals and consider those who agree with the
results.
 Reliability: With regularly conducted research, the researcher expects similar results
every time. You’ll only be able to reach the desired results if your design is reliable.
Your plan should indicate how to form research questions to ensure the standard of
results.
 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 method implies that your survey can be
conducted on any part of a population with similar accuracy.

The above factors affect how respondents answer the research questions, so they should
balance all the above characteristics in a good design. If you want, you can also learn
about Selection Bias through our blog.
 RESEARCH DESIGN TYPES

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

 Qualitative research

Qualitative research determines relationships between collected data and observations

based on mathematical calculations. Statistical methods can prove or disprove theories related
to a naturally existing phenomenon. Researchers rely on qualitative observation research
methods that conclude “why” a particular theory exists and “what” respondents have to say
about it.

 Quantitative research

Quantitative research is for cases where statistical conclusions to collect actionable

insights are essential. Numbers provide a better perspective for making critical business
decisions. Quantitative research methods are necessary for the growth of any organization.
Insights drawn from complex numerical data and analysis prove to be highly effective when
making decisions about the business’s future.

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH VS QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH:

Here is a chart that highlights the major differences between qualitative and
quantitative research:

Qualitative Research Quantitative Research

Focus on explaining and understanding Focus on quantifying and measuring phenomena.

Use of non-numerical data, such as words, images. Use of numerical data, such as statistics and surveys.

Usually uses small sample sizes. Usually uses larger sample sizes.
 Qualitative Research Quantitative Research

Typically emphasizes in-depth exploration Typically emphasizes precision and objectivity.

Data analysis involves statistical analysis and hypothesis

Data analysis involves interpretation and narrative
testing.

Results are presented descriptively. Results are presented numerically and statistically.

TYPES OF RESEARCH DESIGN:

DESCRIPTIVE:
 In a descriptive composition, a researcher is solely interested in describing the
situation or case under their research study. It is a theory-based design method 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.

EXPERIMENTAL:

Experimental research establishes a relationship between the cause and effect of a

situation. It is a causal research 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 an efficient research method as it contributes to solving a problem.

The independent variables are manipulated to monitor the change it has on the
dependent variable. Social sciences often use it to observe human behavior by analyzing two
groups. Researchers can have participants change their actions and study how the people
around them react to understand social psychology better.

CORRELATIONAL RESEARCH:

Correlational research is a non-experimental research technique. It helps researchers

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

A correlation coefficient determines the correlation between two variables whose

values range 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.

DIAGNOSTIC RESEARCH:
 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

EXPLANATORY RESEARCH:

Explanatory design uses a researcher’s ideas and thoughts on a subject to further

explore their theories. The study explains unexplored aspects of a subject and details the
research questions’ what, how, and why.

BENEFITS OF RESEARCH DESIGN:

There are several benefits of having a well-designed research plan. Including:

 Clarity of research objectives: Research design provides a clear understanding of

the research objectives and the desired outcomes.
 Increased validity and reliability: To ensure the validity and reliability of results,
research design help to minimize the risk of bias and helps to control extraneous
variables.
 Improved data collection: Research design helps to ensure that the proper data is
collected and data is collected systematically and consistently.
 Better data analysis: Research design helps ensure that the collected data can be
analyzed effectively, providing meaningful insights and conclusions.
 Improved communication: A well-designed research helps ensure the results are
clean and influential within the research team and external stakeholders.
 Efficient use of resources: reducing the risk of waste and maximizing the impact of
the research, research design helps to ensure that resources are used efficiently.

A well-designed research plan is essential for successful research, providing clear and
meaningful insights and ensuring that resources are practical.
CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF A GOOD RESEARCH DESIGN:
Designing a research, particularly in the field of social sciences is very complex as the
selection of a method or methods of logic and planning of the design was not always
guarantee sound results. As a blue print, the research design may at best be only tentative and
useful to the extent of providing the researcher with a series of guide posts to keep him
headed is the right direction.

Although every design has its own strengths and weaknesses and simultaneously the
possibility of a single perfect research design is difficult, a good research design is often
believed to possess characteristic features like flexibility, appropriateness, efficiency,
economically sound and so on. A design which minimizes bias and maximizes the reliability
of data is construed as a good design.

Similarly the design giving the smallest experimental error is considered to the best
design and the design yielding maximal information covering various aspects of a problem is
construed as the most efficient design because it is appropriate to the research problem.
Hence, consideration of a design as good depends too much upon the objective of the
research problem and also the nature of the problem under investigation.

A single design can never serve the purpose of all types of research problems because
what appears to be suitable in one case may be lacking in one respect or the other in the
context of some other research problems. A good research design should always fulfill the
following four conditions; objectivity, reliability, validity and generalizability of the findings.

(a) Objectivity:
The findings are said to be objective when they pertain to the method of data
collection and the scoring of the responses. The objectivity in respect of the procedure may
be judged by the degree of agreement between the final scores assigned to various persons by
more than one independent observer.

The more the agreement among the observers the more objective are the observation,
recording and evaluation of the responses. Therefore, a good research design should permit
fairly objective measuring instruments in which every observer visualizing a performance
comes to the same conclusion.

(b) Reliability:
 The question of reliability of knowledge is usually raised when the presence of a
problem arouses in the knower a demand, not only for something more than mere conjecture,
but for something for which it shall be useful in a given situation and perhaps in other similar
situations. Reliable knowledge means any claim that is substantiated as trustworthy for a
given purpose.

(c) Validity:
Validity implies self-consistency or absence of self-contradiction. It is identified with
formal truth or self-consistency. A valid reasoning conforms to the rules of correct reasoning.
It is that type of reasoning where conclusions automatically follow from the premises
legitimately.

(d) Generalizability:
The degree of generalizability is known in terms of the replicability and
reproducibility of the findings in spite of different measures and settings respectively.

CONCLUSION:

QuestionPro offers a comprehensive solution for researchers looking to conduct

research. With its user-friendly interface, robust data collection and analysis tools, and the
ability to integrate results from multiple sources, QuestionPro provides a versatile platform
for designing and executing research projects.

Our robust suite of research tools provides you with all you need to derive research
results. Our online survey platform includes custom point-and-click logic and advanced
question types. Uncover the insights that matter the most.