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Week 4 Lecture 4 Ucc 301

The document discusses various research designs and methods, emphasizing their importance in planning and conducting research to enhance validity and control bias. It categorizes research designs into types such as descriptive, observational, experimental, and qualitative, and outlines the factors influencing the choice of research design. Additionally, it highlights key concepts in research design, including variables, control groups, and confounding relationships.

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2 views

Week 4 Lecture 4 Ucc 301

The document discusses various research designs and methods, emphasizing their importance in planning and conducting research to enhance validity and control bias. It categorizes research designs into types such as descriptive, observational, experimental, and qualitative, and outlines the factors influencing the choice of research design. Additionally, it highlights key concepts in research design, including variables, control groups, and confounding relationships.

Uploaded by

gladyswanjiran
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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WEEK 4:

LECTURE FOUR: RESEARCH DESIGNS AND METHODS


LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of the Lecture the learner should be able to:
Explain the following research designs:
 Descriptive, observational, Case reports, Case series, cross sectional, Correlation,
longitudinal, cohort, case control, Experimental, Quasi-experimental, Qualitative and
Quantitative research methods
 How to use them in research

Research design and sampling method


 Research design is a strategy or plans of action to carry out research and it is similar to
the type of research according to the classification, methods and procedures.
 It can also be referred to as the way a study is planned and conducted, the procedures,
and techniques employed to address the research problem or question. It shows the tools
required, the resources needed, the cost involved, and the time schedule of anticipated
progress. The main objective of a research design is to enhance validity of research
findings by controlling potential sources of bias that may distort findings.
 Therefore, the type of research under methods and procedures have their definition,
characteristics, advantages & disadvantages similar to the research design. This was
discussed in Lecture three.
Common research designs include;
 Descriptive survey research design.
 Case study design
 Ethnographic research design
 Causal comparative
 Experimental research
 Evaluation research design
 Historical research design
 Correlational research design

The research design can also be seen as an umbrella word and can be split into the following:
(i) Sampling design: deals with the method of selecting items to be observed in the
study.
(ii) Observational design: relates to conditions under which the observations are
made.
(iii)Statistical design: concerns with the question of how many items are to be observed and how
the information and data gathered are to be analyzed.
(iv) Operational design: deals with the techniques by which the procedures specified in the three
categories above can be carried out.
(iv) Exploratory / formulative research studies: emphasize discovery of ideas and insights.
Hence uses survey of relevant literature to build upon the work of others; experience survey of
people who have had practical experience with the problem; analysis of insight-stimulating
examples usually used where there is little experience to serve as a guide. It uses existing records
and unstructured interviewing among other methods and is flexible in design.
(v)Descriptive research studies: are concerned with describing the characteristics of a particular
individual or a group. Studies concerned with specific predictions, with narration of facts and
characteristics concerning individual, group or situation.
(vi)Diagnostic research studies: determine the frequency with which something occurs or its
association with something else. For example, studies concerning whether certain variables are
associated.
(vii) Hypothesis testing studies: These studies are known as experimental studies. The
researcher tests the hypothesis of causal relationships between variables. They require
procedures that will not only reduce bias and increase reliability, but will permit drawing of
inferences about causality.
In both descriptive and diagnostic research studies the researcher defines clearly what they
want to measure, and find adequate methods of measuring it along with a clear-cut definition
of the population they want to study. The research design must make enough provision for
protection against bias and must maximize reliability with due concern for the economical
completion of the study. The design should be rigid and focus on:
(i) Formulating the objectives
(ii) Designing the methods of data collection
(iii)Selecting the sample
(iv) Collecting data
(v) Processing and analyzing data
(vi) Reporting the findings
The table below summarizes the differences in research designs in exploratory studies and
descriptive/diagnostic studies

Differences in research design between exploratory and descriptive or diagnostic studies

Research Design Type of study


Exploratory/ Formulative study Descriptive/Diagnostic study
Overall design Flexible design (provides Rigid design (design must make
opportunity for considering enough provision for protection
different aspects of the problem) against bias and must maximize
reliability)
Sample design Non-probability sampling design Probability sampling design
(Purposive or judgment sampling) (random sampling)
Statistical design No pre-planned design for Pre-planned design for analysis
analysis
Observational Unstructured instruments for Structured or well thought out
design collection of data instruments for collection of data
Operational No fixed decisions about the Advanced decisions about
design operational procedures operational procedures

Choice of research design


Choice of research design is determined by;
 objectives of the study
 variables of the study
 data analysis techniques
 time available to carry out research
 Financial resources available
 The skills of the researcher

And the research may have the following questions as a guide to the selection of a research
design for a study:
 What is the study about?
 Why is the study being made?
 Where will the study be carried out?
 What type of data is required?
 Where can the required data be found?
 What periods of time will the study include?
 What will be the sample design?
 What techniques of data collection will be used?
 How will data be analyzed?
 In what style will the report be prepared?
Importance of research design
 Helps to estimate the cost of the research
 Helps to estimate the time to be taken for the research
 Determines data analysis technique
 Determines sampling methods
 Determines data collection methods

CONCEPTS IN RESEARCH DESIGN


1. Variable:
This is a concept that can take on different quantitative values, such as income, height, weight
etc. Qualitative attributes are also quantified on the basis of the presence or absence of the
attributes.
(i) Continuous variable can take on values even in decimal points. For example age.
Discrete variable is one that can take on integer values only. For example number of
children
(ii) Dependent/explained/regressand/endogenous variable is a consequence of the
other variable(s).
(iii)Independent variable/explanatory/regressor/exogenous variable is one that causes
changes in the dependent variable. For example savings depend on income. Hence
savings is dependent variable and income is an independent variable
(iv) Extraneous variable is an independent variable that is not related to the purposes of the
study but may affect the dependent variable. For example, when testing the relationship
between student’s performance in economics and self-concepts, intelligence may as well
affect the performance. But since it is not related to the purpose of the study it is
extraneous.

2. Control: restrained experimental conditions meant to minimize the effects of


extraneous variables
3. Confounded relationship is a relationship between the dependent variable and the
independent variable when the dependent variable is not free from the influence of
extraneous variable
4. Experimental group: one exposed to special or novel conditions.
5. Control group: one exposed to the usual conditions.

SUMMARY

Research design refers to the way a study is planned and conducted, the procedures, and techniques
employed to address the research problem or question. The main objective of a research design is to
enhance validity of research findings by controlling potential sources of bias that may distort findings.

Research design is an umbrella word and can be split into Sampling design, Observational design,
Statistical design and the Operational design. Description of the overall research design to be adopted
by a study must specifically describe the various components.

The choice of the research design in a particular study will be guided by what the study is about, Why
the study is being made, Where it will be carried out, the type of data required and where it’ll be
found, the periods of time the study will include, the sampling design, techniques of data
collection and data analysis that will be used /applied.
SELF-TEST QUESTIONS

Explain the following


 Control group
 Experimental group
 Confounding relationship
 Describe the various components of the overall research design
 Consider the topic of your research in this course, describe the research design that will
be used in studying the identified problem

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