The Research Design

The Research Design
2.0 Objectives:
• At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

– Define and provide an overview of the research design.
– Identify the purposes of the research design.
– Identify and describe the different types of research designs.
– Explain the differences between experimental and non

experimental designs.
– Explain the differences between qualitative and quantitative

and non experimental designs
1.0 Introduction:
• Research design is the blue print of the research. It

helps the researcher to collect the best evidence to
support the study being conducted.
• The research design is connected with how the

sample will be selected and the data collected. Some
relevant questions at this stage include – “What is
the best method to get answers to my research
questions?” and “What is the best method to get
data to test my hypotheses?”
3.1 Definition and Overview of the Research Design:
• A research design is a strategy to get the information the

researcher wants in a study. It is the overall plan for
answering the research questions or testing the hypotheses.
• The research design incorporates the data collection plan,

the sampling plan and the analysis plan. There is no hard
rule for specific designs, but the decision of which one to
use rests on the researcher and the nature of the research.
• Each researcher could choose the design deemed most

suitable for the specific research.
3.1 Definition and Overview of the Research Design:
• A wide variety of approaches are available to healthcare

researchers.
• The research design, which could also be called

methodology, may be described as qualitative when the
data to be collected will be in words and quantitative,
when the data would be in numbers (numeric). They
could generally be grouped under experimental and non
experimental designs, though in your reading, you may
come across other classifications.
3.2 Purposes of the Research Design:
• The major purposes include theses:

– To enable the researcher focus on the key variables
under investigation.
– To facilitate adequate sampling methods.
– To ensure that the appropriate data collection

method is applied.
– It enhances the data analysis plan.

3.3 Choice of Research Design:
• The type of design chosen by any researcher

depends on:
– The research question.
– The researcher’s knowledge.
– Time available for study.
– Resources available,
– Availability and commitment of research
participants,
3.4 Types of Research Designs:
• They could be grouped into:

– Experimental designs.
– Quasi experimental designs.
– Ex post facto designs.
– Non experimental designs.
3.4.1 Experimental Designs:
• The true experimental design maintains maximum and

rigorous control over the research subjects and uses
the process of randomization and manipulation in the
implementation of the study. These constitute the
characteristics of an experimental design.
• The experimental design provides a scientific way of

determining whether or not the independent variable
has any effect at all on the dependent variable.
• Control implies the ability of the researcher to regulate and
check all elements in the research. It is achieved through the
process of randomization, that is the process of assigning
subjects to the study on a random basis to make the groups
equal, and manipulation.
• Manipulation is the process by which the researcher manages

the independent variable in order to study its effect on the
dependent variable. Something is done to a group of the
subjects (experimental group) by the researcher, while the
other group (the comparison group), does not receive
anything.
• The steps in experimental design are therefore as follows:
– Identify the study population.
– Select a sample from the population by simple random sampling.
– Randomly assign the sample to two subgroups, which you will name
experimental and control groups.
– Observe and record the characteristics of the two groups.
– Introduce the independent variable to the experimental group, but not to the
control group.
– Later observe the dependent variable in both the experimental and control
groups.
– Compare the changes in experimental group with those in the

control group and record the difference.
– Compare these values with statistically computed values to

judge significance of the differences and indicate whether or
not the observed difference could have occurred by chance.
– If the findings are significantly greater than would be expected

to occur by chance alone, a causal relationship would have
been established between the independent variable and the
dependent variable under study.
3.4.2 The Quasi Experimental Design:
• The quasi experimental design resembles the

experimental design to some extent, but lacks
some of the characteristics of the true
experiment.
• They involve the study of intact pre existing

groups randomly drawn, and assigning the
whole groups into experimental and control
groups.
3.4.2 The Quasi Experimental Design:
• There is loss of randomization and less

control. This design does not allow the
researcher to control assignments of subjects
to conditions.
• This design is considered weak when

compared with the true experimental design,
due to the threats to internal validity.
3.4.3 The Ex Post Facto Design:
• This design literally means ‘after the fact’ design, and

lacks randomization and control.
• There is no treatment either, but the researcher seeks

to establish if a grouping seems to make a difference on
some outcome.
• The ex post facto design is not applicable in cause/effect

types of research questions or problem statement.
There is also high risk of contaminating variables.
3.4.4 The Non Experimental Design:
• The non experimental design involves those studies

without deliberate manipulation of the variables or control
over the research setting.
• There may be random sampling of subjects, but the

researcher does not employ randomization to assign
subjects to groups.
• The non experimental design includes those studies with

the characteristic questions of “What is/ what are/
identify”. They include:
• Descriptive studies:
– A non experimental research where the
researcher may utilize self report measures that
looks at many cases across a few variables, relates
one to another but does not demonstrate
causality.
– They are most often used for research that has to

do with beliefs, attitudes, or emotions.
• Descriptive studies:
• The researcher is concerned with determining and
reporting subjects or objects the way they are.
• They could also take the form of exploratory studies,

surveys, and case studies.
• Historical research:
– A non experimental design that describes causes,
effects or trends that may help explain present
events and anticipate future events.
– They seek to answer why, and the data sources

are original correspondences, diaries, artifacts,
witnesses and paper accounts of events
• Cross sectional designs:

– The observations are taken at one time, like a
snapshot of participants, especially where the aim
is to determine prevalence.
– Cross sectional design has the advantage of being

economical in time and cost.
• Longitudinal studies:
– Longitudinal studies are the ones where one or more
participants are studied at several points in time.
– The sample is followed over time to see how they change.
– All the variables are measured within a narrow span of time

with data collected for each variable at each age level.
– The aim is to describe patterns of change, the direction and

magnitude of causal relationships between the variables.
• There are non experimental designs that are

prospective, and some retrospective.
– Prospective designs:
• Provide the researcher the opportunity to study a
phenomenon over time as a developmental process
unfolds.
– Retrospective designs:
• Retrospective designs are employed when an event or
phenomenon in the present is linked to a previous event
to determine the antecedents.
3.5 Differences between Experimental and Non
Experimental Designs:
• Experimental designs are characterized by randomization,
control and manipulation of subjects, while in non experimental
designs subjects are studied as they are, with much less control.
• The experimental design is able to determine a cause and effect

relationship, which is not possible by the non experimental
design.
• In terms of cost, the experimental design is often more

expensive, since the researcher may need to create conditions
that may not be possible normally for the purpose of the study.
3.5 Differences between Experimental and Non
Experimental Designs:
• Subject availability may be more with none experimental,
but attrition rate is also higher.
• Experimental designs are not suitable for researches that

have to do with emotions.
• Experimental studies are amenable to replication while it

may not be possible with non experimental designs.
• Prediction of future occurrences is possible with only

experimental design.
4.0 Conclusion:
• The research design is the blue print of research,

and a crucial step in the entire research process.
The implementation of the research depends on
the design hence the need for every researcher to
understand the different designs in order to
effectively implement research.

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The Research Design

• At the end of this unit, you should be able to:

– Identify the purposes of the research design.

– Identify and describe the different types of research designs.

– Explain the differences between experimental and non

– Explain the differences between qualitative and quantitative

• Research design is the blue print of the research. It

• The research design is connected with how the

• A research design is a strategy to get the information the

• The research design incorporates the data collection plan,

• Each researcher could choose the design deemed most

• A wide variety of approaches are available to healthcare

• The research design, which could also be called

• The major purposes include theses:

– To facilitate adequate sampling methods.

– To ensure that the appropriate data collection

– It enhances the data analysis plan.

• The type of design chosen by any researcher

– The researcher’s knowledge.

– Time available for study.

• They could be grouped into:

• The true experimental design maintains maximum and

• The experimental design provides a scientific way of

• Manipulation is the process by which the researcher manages

– Select a sample from the population by simple random sampling.

– Observe and record the characteristics of the two groups.

– Compare the changes in experimental group with those in the

– Compare these values with statistically computed values to

– If the findings are significantly greater than would be expected

• The quasi experimental design resembles the

• They involve the study of intact pre existing

• There is loss of randomization and less

• This design is considered weak when

• This design literally means ‘after the fact’ design, and

• There is no treatment either, but the researcher seeks

• The ex post facto design is not applicable in cause/effect

• The non experimental design involves those studies

• There may be random sampling of subjects, but the

• The non experimental design includes those studies with

– They are most often used for research that has to

• They could also take the form of exploratory studies,

– They seek to answer why, and the data sources

• Cross sectional designs:

– Cross sectional design has the advantage of being

– The sample is followed over time to see how they change.

– All the variables are measured within a narrow span of time

– The aim is to describe patterns of change, the direction and

• There are non experimental designs that are

• The experimental design is able to determine a cause and effect

• In terms of cost, the experimental design is often more

• Experimental designs are not suitable for researches that

• Experimental studies are amenable to replication while it

• Prediction of future occurrences is possible with only

• The research design is the blue print of research,

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