research design

• Research design


  The conceptual structure within which research is conducted; it constitutes the blue print for the collection, measurement and analysis of data
• Research design


  • Provides the back bone structure of the study, it supports the study and hold it together
  • Refers to the researcher overall plan for answering the research question or testing the research hypotheses
  • A framework for the research plan of action
  • A master plan that specifies the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing the needed information
  • A strategy for how the data will be collected
  • The Planned sequence of the entire process involved in conducting a research study
• Process of designing & conducting a research project


  1. What was studied?

  2. What aspects of the subject were studied?

  3. What is/was the significance of the study?

  4. What did prior lit./research say?

  5. How was the study conducted?

  6. What was found?

  7. So what?

  8. What now?
• Purposes of research design

  • Provides the scheme for answering research question
  • Maintains control to avoid bias that may affect the outcomes
  • Organize the study in a certain way defending the advantages of doing while being aware and caution about potential disadvantages
• Advantages of research design

  • Lead to more accurate results
  • Give optimum efficiency and reliability
  • Minimize the wastage of time as well as money
  • Instills confidence in the research
  • Provides satisfaction & success
• Components of research design


  • Title of the study
  • Statement of the problem
  • Review of literature
  • Area & Scope of Study
  • Objectives of the study
  • Formulation of hypothesis
  • Definition of concepts
  • Methodology
  • Sampling design
  • Constructing the schedule/Questionnaire
  • Collection of data
  • Analysis of data
  • Interpretation of results
  • Reporting the findings
  • Time & Financial budgeting
• Exploratory research design


  • Also termed as formulative research studies
  • Systematic scientific approach which enables a social scientist to determine whether an idea is in reality or not
  • Provide ideas, hypothesis, suggestions that might never occur to the social scientist sitting in an office and mediating over the problem
  • More flexible
  • Done in the field whether there is little knowledge is available
  • Exploratory studies which do not sets limits for themselves have limits imposed by various practical matters
  • Mostly the results obtained through the explorative study are to be treated as a sign post for future and further study in the same or similar direction
  • Also known as formulative studies
• Descriptive research design


  • Rigid Design
  • Probability sampling design
  • Pre-planned design for analysis
  • Structured instruments for collection of data
  • Advanced decisions about operational procedure
  • Major emphasis is on determining the frequency with which something occurs or the extent to which two variables co vary
  • Enable researcher to describe picture of a phenomenon under investigation
  • Methodology involved – qualitative in nature producing descriptive data
  • Three approaches: participant observation, personal documents, unstructured interviewing
• Experimental research design


  • Professor R.A.Fisher's name is associated with experimental designs
  • It's origin in agricultural research was made by him when he was working in Rothamsted Experimental Station (Centre for Agricultural Research in England)
  • Experiment is a study in which the investigator manipulates or varies (called the independent variables) & measures other variables (called the dependent variables)
  • When an experiment is possible it is the most effective method of testing a hypothesis
  • Three basic principles: replication, randomization, local control