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• Research Design


  The plan for conducting research
• Key questions in research design

  • WHAT - What is your research all about?
  • WHY - Why do you want to do your research?
  • WHO - Who will take part in your research?
  • WHERE - Where will you gather all information needed for your research?
  • WHEN - When are you going to start gathering information for your research?
• Qualitative research design types


  • Ethnography
  • Case study
  • Phenomenology
  • Historical approach
• Ethnography


  Writing about people, aims to study a particular group of people in their natural settings, to describe and interpret the behavior of different kinds of people, culture and/or population
• Case study


  An in-depth analysis of a topic using more data gathering procedures
• Phenomenology


  Studying the phenomenon or experiences of people, to give an idea on how individuals or a group of people react or experience a certain phenomenon
• Historical approach


  A systematic collection and evaluation of information which have occurred in the past
• Rationale for sampling


  • Practicality
  • Offers urgent data
  • Cost effective
  • Accuracy of Representation
  • Sometimes, more accurate than a census
  • Manageable
• Practicality


  Samples allow researchers to collect data that can be analyzed to provide insights into the entire population
• Offers urgent data


  A sample provide a smaller set of the population for review, delivering data useful to represent the whole population
• Cost effective


  Researchers must do their best with the resources they have to conduct a survey and gain accurate insights
• Accuracy of Representation


  A sample that is selected using the non probability method is an accurate representation of the population. Thus data collected can be used to gather insights into the whole community
• A sample is more accurate than a census


  A carefully obtained sample does away with sampling bias and provides more accurate data that adequately represents the population
• Manageable


  Collecting an entire data population is near impossible as some population are too challenging to come by. In this case, a sample can represent the study as it is feasible, manageable and accessible
• Population


  The entire group you want to draw conclusion about
• Sample


  The specific group of individuals that you will collect data from
• Types of sampling


  • Random Sampling
  • Non random Sampling
• Random sampling types


  • Simple random sampling
  • Systematic random sampling
  • Stratified random sampling
  • Cluster random sampling
• Simple random sampling


  Each element is the population has an equal probability of being selected
• Systematic random sampling


  Calculate the sampling interval by dividing the entire population size by the desired sample size, an extended implementation of probability sampling in which each member of the group is selected at regular intervals
• Stratified random sampling


  The population is divided into divisions and strata, the number of samples will be proportionally picked in each stratum that is why all strata are represented in the data
• Cluster random sampling


  Population is divided into clusters or groups and then the clusters are randomly selected
• Snowball sampling


  Each existing subjects provide referrals to recruit samples required for a research study, asking relevant people if they know someone who will be willing to participate in your study
• Non-random sampling types


  • Convenience sampling
  • Quota sampling
  • Volunteer sampling
• Convenience sampling


  Giving of questionnaires on the street to asking the bypasses, can also be based on geographical proximity and places
• Quota sampling


  Researchers choose individuals according to specific traits
• Volunteer sampling


  Sample units are volunteers in studies wherein the measuring process is painful or troublesome to a respondent
• Data classification


  • Primary
  • Secondary
• Primary data


  First hand information based on actual experiences or observation, more reliable to use because it is gathered by the actual researchers
• Secondary data


  Data gathered from secondary sources, not obtained by the researcher but rather from previous research, audio recordings or books
• Data collection instruments


  • Interviews
  • Observation
  • Questionnaires
• Interview types

  • Structured
  • Unstructured
  • Semi-structured
• Structured interview


  Has a set of predetermined questions that is ready to use
• Unstructured interview


  No requirement to make a set of pre-made questions, but rather make an outline or what kind of questions you want to ask
• Semi-structured interview


  A mix of structured and unstructured interview, you have to prepare a set of questions but you are also free to ask follow up questions to clarify something
• Observation types

  • Naturalistic
  • Participative
  • Non-naturalistic
• Naturalistic observation


  Researcher observes the behaviour of a group of people in their natural setting
• Participative observation


  Researcher takes part on the activities of the group of people that they are observing
• Non-naturalistic observation


  Researcher takes respondents out of their natural environment and puts them in an environment of their choice
• Questionnaire types


  • Closed-ended
  • Open-ended
  • Combination