Research design is the plan or structure for conducting a study
Purposes of Research Design:
Provide answers to research questions
Control variance or inconsistencies
Types of Research Designs:
According to Purpose:
Basic Research: extends knowledge in a discipline or refines a theory
Applied Research: focuses on finding solutions to existing problems
According to Methodology:
Quantitative Research: collection and analysis of numeric information
Qualitative Research: understanding human experience through subjective, narrative materials
Experimental Design:
Looks for cause and effect outcomes
Variables, Ethics, Feasibility, Hawthorne effect should be addressed
Advantages:
Establishes causal relationships
Provides controlled environment
Creates situations not found naturally
Types of Experimental Designs:
Posttest-only design
Pretest-posttest design
Crossover design
Quasi-Experimental Design:
Manipulates variables to determine effects
Uses intact, naturally formed groups
Lacks randomization or control group
Non-Experimental/Observational Design:
Observational research without intervention
Secondary Analysis: examines data from another study
Meta-analysis: establishes bias and confounding variables
Descriptive Design:
Examines characteristics of one sample population
Used for theory development, practice problems, or clinical decision-making
Observes, describes, and documents aspects of a situation
Comparative Design:
Looks at differences in 2 or moregroups
Involves no manipulation of the independent variable
Compares rates or characteristics between groups
Correlational design examines the relationships between 2 or more variables within a situation without knowing the reason for the relationship
Correlational design is the most commonly used descriptive design
It is retrospective, meaning it compares a variable occurring in the past with one occurring currently
Prospective correlational design/cohort is usually considered stronger than retrospective because the researcher may be able to control or rule out explanations for some outcomes
Predictive design involves the independent variable occurring prior to the dependent variable
Descriptive correlational studies seek to describe relationships among variables without inferring causal connections
Quantitative or statistical research involves the collection and analysis of numeric information
Non-quantitative or qualitative research emphasizes understanding of the human experience through subjective, narrative materials
Grounded theory seeks to describe and understand key social psychological processes that occur in a social setting
Phenomenology focuses on the lived experiences of humans to gain insight into their life experiences
Ethnography provides a framework for studying the meanings, patterns, and lifeways of a culture in a holistic fashion
Case study involves an in-depth examination of individuals or groups of people
Phenomenology is an approach to understanding people's everyday life experiences
Descriptive phenomenology insists on the careful portrayal of ordinary conscious experience of everyday life
Interpretive phenomenology stresses interpreting and understanding human experience
Qualitative research can be cross-sectional or longitudinal to observe the evolution of a phenomenon
Triangulation combines qualitative and quantitative methods to supplement or validate data
Saturation occurs in data collection or analysis when there is repetition or redundancy in the themes or patterns in the data
Data collection methods for qualitative research include case study, ethnography, grounded theory, and phenomenology
Research can be conducted in various locales such as health care facilities, homes, or classrooms
Sampling is the process of selecting a portion of the population to represent the entire population
Inclusion criteria are characteristics that must be met to participate in the study, while exclusion criteria make individuals ineligible for the sample
Probability sampling involves random selection, while nonprobability sampling involves nonrandom selection
Types of probability sampling include simple random sampling, stratified random sampling, cluster sampling, and systematic sampling
Types of nonprobability sampling include convenience sampling, quota sampling, purposive sampling, snowball sampling, and theoretical sampling
Measures refer to research instruments designed for data gathering
Research instruments should be valid and reliable to objectively answer the purpose of the study