Lesson 1

Principles of Research
Design
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 Objectives:

 identify the variables,

 recognize the basic research principles, and
 apply the research design structures.

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 Seatwork #1:
 Unscramble each word. Then use the marked letters to solve the second
puzzle.

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 A. Definition

 The research design serves as a framework for research

planning and answering your research questions.
Formulating your research design means determining the
following (McCombes 2020):
 What type of data do you need?
 Who are the sources or the participants of your study?
 Which variables and or hypotheses (if relevant) will you
investigate?
 How will you collect and analyze your needed data?
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 A. Definition
 The research design refers to the complete sequence
of steps that will be undertaken in a project.
 The design should ensure that appropriate data will be
obtained in a way that permits an objective analysis,
leading to valid inferences concerning the stated
problem.
 Preparation of the research design is a step in problem-
solving, consisting of a detailed plan to be followed to
obtain the needed data.
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 B. Significance:
 • It serves as a guide for direction during the actual
experimentation.
 • It allows a gain of maximum information relevant to the
problem at a minimum cost.
 • It makes the statistical test of significance valid
because it takes into consideration all the assumptions
that went into deriving the various statistics.

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 Classification of Variables

Classes of Variables Based on Cause and

Effect
• Independent or Manipulated
• Dependent or Responding
• Extraneous or Constant

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 Variables in the Research Design
 Here are guide questions that you may use to determine if you
have covered all the bases:
 • Independent Variables –
What variables will you manipulate or vary?
 • Extraneous Variables –
What will you keep constant during experimentation or data
gathering?
 • Dependent Variables –
What will you observe during and/or after
experimentation/testing?
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 Groups in Experiment Design
 An experimental group is a test sample or the group
that receives an experimental procedure. This group is
exposed to changes in the independent variable being
tested.
 A control group is a group separated from the rest of
the experiment such that the independent variable being
tested cannot influence the results.

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 The following are the basic elements that you must consider when
planning the sequence of steps that will embody the research
design:

1. Identification of variables

2. Application of basic research
principles
3. Consideration of the research design
structure

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 I. Identification of variables
 Here is the example showing the application of the three variables:

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Example of an engineering project:

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 II. Basic Principles of Research Design
 For a Research Design to be considered sound, three basic principles are expected to be
present
 1. Local control
 Do all experimental units that receive the same treatment bear the same
characteristics?
 2. Replication
 For every treatment (experimental or control) or test, do you have a
minimum of three replicates?
 3. Randomization
 Is there a randomization method used to divide the experimental units in
each block among the various treatments?
Note that if randomization were done, it would not matter what treatment is assigned to an
experimental unit.
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 Local control
 Local control refers to the balancing, grouping, and
blocking of experimental units so that the units within
each block are relatively homogeneous.
 In engineering projects where new products or
systems are created, the product or system itself may be
considered as the experimental unit.
 Examples are a prototype of a device or a computer
program that is subjected to various treatments (test
cases) to determine its correctness and consistency in
performance.
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 Replication

 Replication refers to the conduct of an experiment or

test using three or more homogeneous experimental
units subjected to the same treatment under similar
conditions.
 In the case of technical research where the product of
design is the lone experimental unit, replication refers
to the repetition of a test under controlled
conditions.
 Replication makes the test of significance possible.
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 Randomization
Randomization refers to an unbiased method of
assignment of experimental units (or subjects) to
the treatment/s or vice versa.
It assures the validity of the statistical tests of
significance.

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 III. Basic Types of Research Design
 There are two basic types:
Completely Randomized Design (CRD)
Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD)
The other designs are variations of these two
basic types.

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 Completely Randomized Design (CRD)

 CRD is used when the set of experimental units is homogeneous

concerning the factors that may affect the results.
 Each experimental unit is simply assigned a treatment randomly.
In the figure below, there are a total of nine experimental units,
all of the same type. Any three experimental units may be
assigned for each of the three treatments (T1, T2, T3).

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Completely Randomized Design (CRD)

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Completely Randomized Design (CRD)

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 Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD)

 RCBD is used when the experimental units have varying

characteristics that may affect the results of the experiment.
 When this happens, the units are divided into homogeneous groups
or blocks. Within each block, the subjects are assigned treatment
randomly. The result is that all treatments should be assigned to
corresponding experimental units within each block.

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Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD)

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Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD)

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Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD)

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 Group Activity:
 Activity I: Identification of Variables

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 Group Activity:
 Activity II: Recognition of Basic Research Principle
 Guide Questions:
 1. What is the primary purpose of the Local control in the
experiment?
 2. What is the significance of the randomization in the
experiment?
 3. How is replication applied to test the significance of
the result?

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 Group Activity:
 Activity III: Application of Research Design Structure

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 Group Activity:

Situation 1

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 Situation 2:

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 Situation 3:

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 Situation 4:

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 Situation 5:

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 Seatwork #2
 Decode
the
message
by finding
each
substitute
letter or
symbol.

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© Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Permission granted to reproduce for educational use only.