Chapter Three: Research Design and
Methodology
3.1 Study Area
Determine study area and duration of study
3.2 Research design
A research design is the arrangement of
conditions for collection and analysis of data in
a manner that aims to combine relevance to the
research purpose with economy in procedure
Research purposes may be grouped into four
categories, viz., (i) Exploration, (ii) Description,
(iii) Diagnosis, and (iv) Experimentation
3.3 Population
All the items under consideration in any field of
inquiry constitute a ‘universe’ or ‘population’
3.4 Sample Size
A sample design is a definite plan determined
before any data are actually collected for obtaining
a sample from a given population
Types of sampling
Sampling
Non-
Probabilistic probabilistic
Random Convenience
Systematic
Judgment
Random
Stratified
Cluster/Area
• The convenient sample
A convenience sample results when the more convenient
elementary units are chosen from a population for observation.
• The judgment sample
A judgment sample is obtained according to the discretion of
someone who is familiar with the relevant characteristics of the
population
• A simple random sample
A simple random sample is obtained by choosing elementary units in search a
way that each unit in the population has an equal chance of being selected.
A systematic random sample
• A systematic random sample is obtained by selecting one unit on a
random basis and choosing additional elementary units at evenly
spaced intervals until the desired number of units is obtained
• For example, there are 100 students in your class. You want a
sample of 20 from these 100 and you have their names listed on a
piece of paper may be in an alphabetical order. If you choose to
use systematic random sampling, divide 100 by 20, you will get 5
A stratified sample
• A stratified sample is obtained by independently selecting a
separate simple random sample from each population stratum.
A population can be divided into different groups may be
based on some characteristic or variable like income or
education.
• Like any body with ten years of education will be in group A,
between 10 and 20 group B and between 20 and 30 group C. These
groups are referred to as strata. You can then randomly select from
each stratum a given number of units which may be based on
proportion like if group A has 100 persons while group B has 50,
and C has 30 you may decide you will take 10% of each. So you
end up with 10 from group A, 5 from group B and 3 from group C.
A cluster sample
• A cluster sample is obtained by selecting clusters from the
population on the basis of simple random sampling. The
sample comprises a census of each random cluster selected.
For example, a cluster may be some thing like a village or a
school, a state.
• For example you want 20 schools to select for a certain study.
You can use simple or systematic random sampling to select
the schools, then every school selected becomes a cluster. If
you interest is to interview teachers on their opinion of some
new program which has been introduced, then all the teachers
in a cluster must be interviewed
3.5 Data collection methods
Instruments Purpose Strength Limitation
Questionnaires For wider Cheap Response rate and lack in
Sampling depth info.
Interviews For In depth Targeted and Subjectivity
information insightful
Observations For patterns of Targeted and (Non) generalizable
relationships Contextual
Documents For existing Broad coverage, Selection, Access and report
practice and Stable & bias
trends over time Unobtrusive
Experiments For controlled Targeted and Less valid to humans
investigation Contextual
3.6 Data processing and Analysis
• After the data have been collected, the researcher turns
to the task of analyzing them
• The analysis of data requires a number of closely related
operations such as establishment of categories,
• The application of these categories to raw data through
coding, tabulation and then drawing
statistical inferences
• Analysis work after tabulation is generally based on the
computation of various percentages,
coefficients,
• Applying various well defined statistical formulae
