CHAPTER- 5 RESEARCH DESIGN Introduction: Designing of the research is done mainly to solve the problem of getting the various stages of the research under control. This control factor is very important for the researcher during any of the research operation. Preparation of the design for the research forms a very critical stage in the process of carrying out some research work or a research project. Research Design in general terms can be referred to as the scheme of work to be done or performed by a researcher during the various stages of a research project. With the help of the research design, one can very easily handle and operate research work as research design acts as a working plan, which is made by a researcher even before he starts working on his research project. By this, researcher gets a great help and guidance in achieving his aims and goals. According to Russell Ackoff,- research design is the process of making decisions before a situation arises in which the decision has to be carried out. It is actually a process of deliberate anticipation directed towards bringing an unexpected situation under control. Russell Ackoff has in a great way explained about the research design in his book ‘Designs of Social Research’. Meaning of research design like an architect prepares a blue print before he approves a construction – in the same way researcher makes or prepares a plan or a schedule of his own study before he starts his research work. This helps the researcher to save time and also save some of his crucial resources. This plan or blue print of study is referred to as the research design. 1. WHAT IS RESEARCH DESIGN? Definition of research design: A research design is the arrangement of condition for collection and analysis of data in a manner that aims to combine relevance to the research purpose with economy in procedure. Research Design Constitutes Decisions like: What, Where, When, How, How much OR Research design The strategic plan for a research project or research programme, setting out the broad outline and key features of the work to be undertaken, including the methods of data collection and analysis to be employed, and showing how the research strategy addresses the specific aims and objectives of the study, and whether the research issues are theoretical or policy-oriented. OR Research design is a detailed outline of how an investigation will take place. A research design will typically include how data is to be collected, what instruments will be employed, how the instruments will be used and the intended means for analyzing data collected. OR Research design is the plan, structure and strategy of investigation of answering the research question is the overall plan or blue print, the researcher select of carryout their studies. WHAT ARE THE FEARTURE OF GOOD RESEARCH DESIGN? Feature good research design: A research design appropriate for a particular research problem, usually involves the following features. -The mean of obtaining information. -The availability and skills of the researcher and his staff, if any. -The objective of the problem to be studied. -The nature of the problem to be studied. -The availability of time and money for the research work. WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF RESEARCH DESIGN? TYPES OF RESEARCH DESIGN: 1. Exploratory 2. Descriptive 3. Diagnostic 4. Experimental Exploratory design: Exploratory research is most commonly unstructured, “informal” research that is undertaken to gain background information about the general nature of the research problem. Exploratory research is usually conducted when the researcher does not know much about the problem and needs additional information or desires new or more recent information Exploratory research is used in a number of situations: – To gain background information – To define terms – To clarify problems and hypotheses To establish research priorities A variety of methods are available to conduct exploratory research: • Secondary Data Analysis • Experience Surveys • Case Analysis • Focus Groups – Descriptive design: -Descriptive research is undertaken to provide answers to questions of who, what, where, when, and how – but not why. -Two basic classifications: 1. Cross-sectional studies 2. Longitudinal studies Cross-sectional studies -measure units from a sample of the population at only one point in time. Sample surveys are cross-sectional studies whose samples are drawn in such a way as to be representative of a specific population. • On-line survey research is being used to collect data for cross-sectional surveys at a faster rate of speed. Longitudinal studies repeatedly draw sample units of a population over time. • One method is to draw different units from the same sampling frame. • A second method is to use a “panel” where the same people are asked to respond periodically. • On-line survey research firms recruit panel members to respond to online queries. Diagnostic design: Diagnostic research determines the frequency with which something occurs or its association with something else. Example: studies concerned with specific prediction, with narration of facts and characteristics concerning individuals or group or situation. Experimental design: • Prof. R.A. Fisher – agricultural research • Also called Hypothesis testing Research. • These are those where the researcher tests the hypothesis of causal relationships between variables Formal experimental design: • Completely randomized design • Randomized block design • Latin square design • Factorial design Informal experimental design: • Before-and-after without control design: = level of phenomenon after the treatmentlevel of phenomenon before the treatment. • After-only with control design: value of dependent variable in the test area-value of dependent variable in the controlled area. • Before-and-after with control design: change in dependent variable in the test area-change in dependent variable in the controlled. Other types of research design: Classified research design based upon the type of exposure… 1. Observational research design: Where the researcher has no control over the exposure. This includes-- Descriptive study - Analytical study - Cross sectional study - Case control study - Cohort study 2. Experimental research design: Where the researcher have control to the exposure . This include- - Randomized Controlled Trials ( RCT) - Field trials or community intervention study - Community trials Another types of research design: Historical Research Design - the purpose is to collect, verify, synthesize Evidence to establish facts that defend or refute your hypothesis. It uses Primary sources, secondary sources, and lots of qualitative data sources Such as logs, diaries, official records, reports, etc. The limitation on is that the Sources must be both authentic and valid. Case and Field Research Design Al so called ethnographic research, it Uses direct observation to give a complete snapshot of a case that is being Studied. It is useful when not much is known about a phenomenon. Uses few Subjects. Descriptive or Survey Research Design - It attempts to describe and Explain conditions of the present by using many subjects and questionnaires To fully describe a phenomenon. Survey research design /survey Methodology is one of the most popular for dissertation research. There are many advantages. Correlational or Prospective Research Design - it attempts to explore Relationships to make predictions. It uses one set of subjects with two or more variables for each. Causal Comparative or Ex Post Facto Research Design - this research design attempts to explore cause and affect relationships where causes already exist and cannot be manipulated. It uses what already exists and looks backward to explain why. Developmental or Time Series Research Design Data are collected at Certain points in time going forward. There is an emphasis on time patterns and longitudinal growth or change. Experimental Research Design: This design is most appropriate in Controlled settings such as laboratories. It attempts to explore cause and affect relationship where causes can be manipulated to produce different kinds of effects. Because of the requirement of random assignment, this design can be difficult to execute in the real world (non laboratory) setting. Quasi Experimental Research Design This research design approximates The experimental design but does not have a control group. There is more error possible in the results. WHAT ARE THE ELEMENT OF RESEARCH DESIGN? Element of research design: 1. Conceptualizing the problems Need Background Rationale 2. Formulating the objectives. Generating hypothesis Testing hypothesis 3. Designing the approach. Research design Strategic pathway Method and materials 4. Defining the population. Target population Study population 5. Defining the measurement. Method of data collection Accuracy, reliability 6. Analysis and interpretation of result. WHAT ARE THE STEPS OF CONDUCTING RESEARCH DESIGN? Steps of research design: Research design is also called as the research strategy and the various steps or stages that a research design may include can be summarized as follows – 1. Research problem selection 2. Problem presentation 3. Hypothesis formulation 4. Conceptual clarity 5. Methodology 6. Literature survey 7. Bibliography 8. Collection of the data 9. Hypothesis testing 10. Interpretation of the result 11. Report writing WHAT ARE THE FACTORS AFFECTING RESEARCH DESIGN? Factors affecting research design: 1. Availability of scientific information 2. Availability of sufficient data 3. Time availability 4. Proper exposure to the data source 5. Availability of the money 6. Manpower availability 7. Magnitude of the management problem 8. Degree of Top management’s support 9. Ability, knowledge, skill, technical understanding and technical background of the researcher 10. Controllable variables 11. Un – controllable variables 12. Internal variables 13. External variables WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGE OF RESEARCH DESIGN? Advantages of research design: 1. Consumes less time. 2. Ensures project time schedule. 3. Helps researcher to prepare himself to carry out research in a proper and a systematic way. 4. Better documentation of the various activities while the project work is going on. 5. Helps in proper planning of the resources and their procurement in right time. 6. Provides satisfaction and confidence, accompanied with a sense of success from the beginning of the work of the research project What are the steps in research design? Following are the steps in research design: 1. The Problem – The first step involves the proper selection and then carefully defining the Problem. By this researcher will be enabled to know about what he has to search, but it should be Kept in mind that the problems selected should not be unmanageable in nature and also should not be based on the desires. 2. Objective of the study – The objective should be very clear in the mind of the researcher as This will lead to the clarity of the design and proper response from the respondents. 3. Nature of the study – The research design should be very much in relation with the nature of the study, which is to be carried out. 4. Data sources – The various sources of the data or the information should be very clearly stated by the researcher. 5. Techniques of data collection – For the collection of the required information, it sometimes becomes very necessary to use some especial techniques. 6. Social cultural context – Research design based on the social cultural concept is prepared in order to avoid the various study variations. 7. Geographical limit – This step becomes a necessity at this point of time as with the help of this step, research linked to the hypothesis applies only to certain number of social groups. 8. Basis of selection – Selecting a proper sample acts as a very important and critical step and this is done with the help of some mechanics like drawing a random stratified, deliberate, double cluster or quota sample etc.
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 06:48:03 +0000
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