Research design

Definition
A research design is the 'procedures for
collecting, analyzing, interpreting and
reporting. data in research studies‘.
(Creswell & Plano Clark 2007)
Research design is the master plan specifying
the methods and procedures for collecting
and analyzing the needed information in a
research study.
Purposes
 According to Kerlinger, the design has to
basic purposes

Purposes

To provide
To control
answers to
questions variance
Elements of research design

Subjects

Investigator’s
Variables
role

Setting Time
 Nature of the problem

Users of the study finding Purpose of the study

Control on extraneous Researchers knowledge and

variables Factors experience

affecting
selection of
research
design
Interest and motivation of
Time
researcher

Resources Research ethics and principles

Subjects
Model

Research design

Quantitative Qualitative

Phenomenological
Ethnographic
Experim Non- Grounded theory
experiment Historical theory
ental al Case studies
 Quantitative
Experimental
Design
True experimental

Quasi experimental

Pre experimental

Non-experimental
Design
Descriptive

Cor-relational

Developmental

Epidemiological

Survey

Other additional research design

Methodological

Meta analysis

Secondary data analysis

Outcome research

Evaluation studies

Operational research
Experimental Design
 True experimental design

Pre
Post test-
Solom Rando
test post Factori Cross
on four mized Latin
only test al over
group block square
control control design design
design design
design group
design
Post test only control design

Experiment
group Treatment Post-
test

Random
assignment

Post-
Control
test
group
 Pre test-Posttest only design
Experiment Pretest Treatment Post-
group test

Random
assignment

Control Pretest Post-

group test
 Solomon four group design
Experiment
Pretest Treatment Post-
Group 1
test

Control
Group 1 Pretest Post-
test
Random
assign
Post-
Experiment Treatment test
Group 2

Control Post-
Group 2 test
Factorial design

Protocols of the Mouth care

Frequency of mouth care

Chlorhexidine (A1) Saline (A2)

4 hourly (B1) A1B1 A2B1

6 hourly(B2) A1B2 A2B2

8 hourly (B3) A1B3 A2B3

Randomized block design

Blocks

Type of hypertensive
drugs Diabetic patients
Patients with primary Renal patients with
with hypertension
hypertension (I) hypertension (III)
(II)

A A,I A , II A ,III
B B,I B ,II B , II
C C, I C ,II C , III
Cross over

Groups Protocols of the mouth care

Group 1 Chlorhexidine (A1) Saline (A2)

Group 2 Saline (A2) Chlorhexidine (A1)

Latin square design

Rows
Columns 1 2 3 4

1 1 A 2 B 3 C 4 D

2 1 B 2 C 3 D 4 A

3 1 C 2 D 3 A 4 B

4 1 D 2 A 3 B 4 C
 Quasi experimental

Non- randomized Time series

Non-randomized control group
design
Experiment Pretest Treatment Post-
group test

Control Pretest Post-

group test
 Time series design

Exp
O1 O2 O3 O1 O2 O3
grp Treatment
 Pre experimental design

One shot case design

One group Pretest-Post-test design

0ne shot case design

Experiment Post-
Treatment test
group
 One group pretest –post test design

Experiment
Pretest Treatment Post-
group
test
Non-experimental design
NED

DESCRIPTIVE

CORRELATIONAL

DEVELOPMENTAL

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL

SURVEY
 Descriptive design

Univarient Exploratory Comparative

 Correlational /Ex post facto design

Prospective Retrospective
 Developmental research design

Cross sectional Longitudinal

 Epidemiological design

Case control studies Cohort studies

 Survey

Nature of phenomenon under study Methods of data collection

Electronic
Descri Explor Compa Correl
Written Oral
ptive atory rative ation
Survey research design
 Survey research refers to a particular type of
research design where the primary method of
data collection is by survey. In this study
design, surveys are used as a tool by
researchers to gain a greater understanding
about individual or group perspectives relative
to a particular concept or topic of interest.
 A survey typically consists of a set of
structured questions where each question is
designed to obtain a specific piece of
information.
Characteristics of survey research

Regardless of how you conduct survey research, it has

the following characteristics:
 Usage: surveys are used to gather information about

human behavior
 Systematic: survey research follows systematic

procedures
 Replicable: if you apply the same methods more than

once, you will achieve similar results

 Types: surveys use online or offline forms

 Data: survey research collects both quantitative and

qualitative data
 Impartial: sampling is random to avoid bias
descriptive survey research
Key characteristics of descriptive research
The following are the key traits of descriptive research:
 Majority of surveys: descriptive research makes up the majority of online

survey methods
 Focus: unlike exploratory research, which focuses on why something

happens, descriptive research seeks to find out what, where, when, and
how
 Quantitative: this research is quantitative in nature

 Conclusive: due to quantitative questions, it is deemed conclusive

research
 Statistical inference: data provides statistical inference for a target

population
 Structured: questions are structured and closed-ended

 Defines: descriptive research strives to define attitudes, opinions, and

behaviors
 Significance: measures the significance of results and determines trends
Exploratory Survey research
The following are key traits :
 Probing questions: exploratory questions are designed to

understand more about a topic qualitatively

 Uncover issues: the qualitative answers can uncover unknown

issues or new solutions

 Not measurable: the data is not quantifiable
 Dig deeper: understanding more details about existing

problems
 Find related issues: as you learn more about your topic, you

may discover related issues you were unaware of

 Open-ended questions: exploratory research generally consists

of open-ended questions
 Answers the why: unlike quantitative research methods,

exploratory research seeks to answer why something happened

or the motivation behind a behavior
 Time consuming: as a quantitative, primary research method,

extra time is required for data collection and analysis

 Flexible: not as structured as a quantitative form of research
Based on methods of data collection
 Written survey
Written structured tools
eg: questionnaires ,opinionnaires
 Oral survey

Face –face /telephonic conversation with

respondents
 Electronic survey

By using electronic means

Eg: E-mails , web forms, SMS’s, etc .
Other additional research designs

Methodological

Meta-analysis

Secondary data analysis

Outcome research

Evaluation studies

Operational research
Qualitative research design
Definition
 A qualitative research design is concerned
with establishing answers to the whys and
hows of the phenomenon in question (unlike
quantitative). Due to this, qualitative research
is often defined as being subjective (not
objective), and findings are gathered in a
written format as opposed to numerical.
 Qualitative design a means for exploring and

understanding the meaning individuals or groups

ascribe to a social human problem. According to
Creswell (2012).
 Ongoing Emerge
data as study
analysis advances

Researcher Characteristics Flexible

of qualitative
as research and
instrument design elastic

Intensive Multiple
involvement strategies of
of data
researcher
Holist collection

ic
 Qualitative research design

Phenomeno
Grounded Historical Action Ethnograph
logical Case study
theory research research ic
research