What is Research Design? Features, Components

What is Research Design?

Research design refers to the overall strategy or plan that a researcher outlines to conduct a study and gather relevant data to address a research question or test a hypothesis. It serves as a blueprint for the entire research process, providing a structure and guidance for the collection, analysis, and interpretation of data.

In the field of research, the major purpose of research is to find a solution for a given research problem. The researcher can find a solution to a research problem by ensuring that he/she uses an appropriate research design.

The chances of success of a research project depend on how the researcher has taken care to develop a research design that is in line with the research problem. A research design is created or developed when the researcher prepares a plan, structure and strategy for conducting research.

Research design is the base over which a researcher builds his research. A good research design provides vital information to a researcher with respect to a research topic, data type, data sources and techniques of data collection used in the research. In this chapter, you will study about the concept of research design, its need, features, components, etc.

Next, the chapter will describe the types of research design, research design framework, and types of errors affecting research design. Towards the end, you will study about the meaning of experiments and types of experiments.

---

Definitions of Research Design

According to David J. Luck and Ronald S. Rubin, “A research design is the determination and statement of the general research approach or strategy adopted/or the particular project. It is the heart of planning. If the design adheres to the research objective, it will ensure that the client’s needs will be served.”

According to Kerlinger, “Research design is the plan, structure and strategy of investigation conceived so as to obtain answers to research questions and to control variance.”

According to Green and Tull, “A research design is the specification of methods and procedures for acquiring the information needed. It is the over-all operational pattern or framework of the project that stipulates what information is to be collected from which source by what procedures.”

---

Concept of Research Design

The research design refers to the framework of research methods and techniques selected by a researcher. The design chosen by the researchers allows them to use appropriate methods to study and plan their studies effectively and in the future. The descriptive research method focuses primarily on defining the nature of a class of people, without focusing on the “why” of something happening.

In other words, it “explains” the topic of research, without covering why “it” happens. Let us study in detail about the concept of research design, its requirements, features or characteristics, designing research framework its related case studies and observations.

Cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, casual research and errors arising while designing the research which are related to improper selection of respondents. This is a framework for determining the research methods and techniques to be used. This design enables researchers to set the research methods that are most relevant to the subject.

The design of the research topic describes the type of research (testing, research, integration, experimentation, review) and its sub-type (test design, research problem, descriptive case study). Research design can also be considered as the blueprint for collection, measurement and analysis of data.

The type of research problem the organisation is facing will determine the structure of the research and not the other way around. The study design phase determines which tools to use and how to use them. Impact studies often create less bias in the data and increase confidence in the accuracy of the data collected. A design that produces a small error limit in test studies is usually considered to be the desired result.

In research, the important things are:

• A specific statement of intent
• Strategies used to collect and analyse data
• Type of research methodology
• Potential objections to research
• Research study settings
• Timeline
• Analysis rating

---

Need and Features of Research Design

Much of what we do in our daily lives is based on understanding, what we have learned from others, or what we have learned through personal experience or observation. Sometimes, there are conflicting ideas about what is good or what works in a particular situation.

In addition, what works in one situation or situation may be ineffective or even harmful in another, or it may be combined with other measures. Psychological techniques ignore the impact of external factors that can influence what is seen. Even in health care settings, there are gaps in knowledge, ideas about how something can work better and ideas for improvement.

Since health professionals cannot afford to be risky, research is needed. For clinical trials, this is also a legal requirement that pharmaceutical companies cannot obtain marketing authorisation (i.e., permission to sell their new drugs) until they are approved by the relevant authorities.

Another advantage of doing research is that in most studies, the findings can be statistically recorded and statistically evaluated to determine if the findings are significant (meaning how much they can be called with a certain degree of certainty that they are not just a risk factor).

With limited studies, results can usually be performed in a broader population (for example, in people with dementia, caregivers, GPs, or generalised individuals, depending on the study group). This is because steps would be taken to ensure that the group of participants in the study, represented other people in that category, as far as possible.

The advantage of many quality studies is that they allow for a thorough investigation of a particular aspect of the human experience. They give people the opportunity to express in their own words how they feel, what they think, and how they make sense of the world around them.

In some cases, the results may be passed on to others as conditions. However, the advantage of quality studies is that it provides rich, logical and insightful information on the complexity of human experience with all the contradictions, differences and idiosyncrasies. Others discuss topics that have not been researched before and maybe facing issues that are controversial, critical, or illegal.Some courses also work to give voice to vulnerable or small groups

---

Features of Research Design

Proper research design makes your study a success. Effective research provides accurate and impartial information. You will need to create a survey that meets all the key design features. Key features of a good research design are:

Neutrality

When planning your study, you may need to think about the details you are going to collect. The results shown in the study should be fair and impartial. Understand the ideas about the last scores tested and the conclusions from most people and consider those who agree with the results obtained.

Reliability

With regular research, the researcher involved expects the same results regularly. Research design should be developed in a way that good research questions are developed and quality results are ensured. You will only be able to access the expected results if your design is reliable.

Performance

There are many measuring tools available. However, the only valid measurement tools are those that assist the researcher in measuring results according to the research purpose. The list of questions created from this project will be valid.

General practice

The effect of your design should apply to people and not just to the restricted sample. A comprehensive design means that your survey can be done on any part of the people with the same accuracy. The above factors affect the way respondents respond to research questions and therefore all of the above factors should be balanced in good design. The researcher must have a clear understanding of the different types of study design in order to choose which model to use in the study.

Qualitative

Quality research helps in understanding the problem and to develop hypothesis. Researchers rely on high-quality research methods that conclude “why” a certain idea exists and what “responders” say.

Quantitative

A quantitative study is one of the situations in which statistical conclusions are arrived at on the basis of collected data. Numbers provide a better idea of how to make critical business decisions. Research is needed for the growth of any organisation. The information taken from the data and the analysis of the hard data is very effective in making decisions related to the future of the business.

---

Components of Research Design

The main purpose behind the design of the study is to help avoid a situation where the evidence does not address the main research questions. The research design is about a logical problem and not a planning problem.

The five main components of a research design are:

• Research questions
• Course suggestions
• Units of analysis
• Linking data to propositions
• Interpretation of the findings of the study

The components of research design apply to all types of standardised, extra-terrestrial research, whether physical or social sciences.

Research questions

This first item raises the type of question – about “who,” “what,” “where,” “how,” and “why” – provides important clues as to the proper research methodology used. Use three paragraphs: First, use the books to reduce your interest in one or two topics.

In 2nd paragraph, take a closer look — or cut — a few key lessons from your favorite topic. Find questions in those few studies and conclude with new questions for future research. In the 3rd paragraph, check out another science group on the same topic. They may offer support for your potential questions or suggest ways to sharpen it.

Course suggestions

Each suggestion directs the focus to something needed to be tested within the study. Only if you are forced to give some suggestions will you go the right way. For example, you would think that businesses are cooperating as they receive the same benefits.

This suggestion, in addition to highlighting an important theoretical issue (that some corporate incentives do not exist or do not matter), also begins to tell you where to look for related evidence (defining and determining the magnitude of specific benefits in each business).

Unit analysis

It is associated with the basic problem of defining what “case” is – a problem that has affected many researchers at the beginning of the study. Take the example of medical patients. In this case, the person is being studied, and that person is an important unit of analysis.

Information about the right person will be collected, and few such people can be part of a multidisciplinary investigation. You will need study questions and suggestions to help you find the right information to collect about this person or people. Without such questions and suggestions, you may be tempted to cover “everything” about the person (s), which is not possible.

Data linking and propositions

Data linking methods and propositions such as pattern, definition structure, time series analysis, logic models and cross-case synthesis. The actual analysis will require you to compile or calculate your study data as a direct indication of your initial study suggestions.

Interpretation of findings from the study

Statistical analysis determines whether the research results support the hypothesis. Several statistical tests, for example, T-tests (determining whether two groups are statistically different from each other), Chi-square tests (where data is compared with the expected result), and oneway analysis of variance (provides multiple group comparisons), are performed by data type, number, and types of variables and data categories.

Statistical analysis provides some clear ways to translate. For example, according to the agreement, social science looks at a level below -55 to show that perceived differences are “statistically significant.” On the other hand, the analysis of many cases will not depend on the use of statistics and therefore focuses on alternative approaches to these approaches.

---

Characteristics of a Good Research Design

A good research design often possesses the qualities of being flexible, suitable, efficient, economical and so on. Generally, a research design which minimizes bias and maximizes the reliability of the data collected and analysed is considered a good design.

Following are certain characteristic elements of a good research design:

• Simplicity: It should be simple and understandable.
  
  
• Economical: It must be economical. The technique selected must be cost effective and less time-consuming.
  
  
• Reliability: It should give the smallest experimental error. This should have the minimum bias and have the reliability of data collected and analysed.
  
  
• Workability: It must be workable. It should be pragmatic and practicable.
  
  
• Flexibility: It must be flexible enough to permit the consideration of many different aspects of a phenomenon.
  
  
• Accuracy: It must lead to accurate results.

---

Concepts of Research Design

Some of the important concepts relating to Research Design are discussed below:

Dependent and Independent Variables

A magnitude that varies is known as a variable. The concept may assume different quantitative values like height, weight, income etc. Qualitative variables are not quantifiable in a strict sense. However, the qualitative phenomena may also be quantified in terms of the presence or absence of the attribute considered. The phenomena that assume different values quantitatively even in decimal points are known as ‘continuous variables’.

But all variables need not be continuous. Values that can be expressed only in integer values are called ‘non-continuous variables’. In statistical terms, they are also known as ‘discrete variables’. For example, age is a continuous variable, whereas the number of children is a non-continuous variable. When changes in one variable depend upon the changes in other variable or variables, it is known as a dependent or endogenous variable and the variables that cause the changes in the dependent variable are known as the independent or explanatory or exogenous variables.

For example, if demand depends upon price, then demand is a dependent variable, while price is the independent variable. And, if more variables determine demand, like income and price of the substitute commodity, then demand also depends upon them in addition to the price of original commodity. In other words, demand is a dependent variable which is determined by the independent variables like price of the original commodity, income and price of substitutes.

Extraneous Variables

The independent variables which are not directly related to the purpose of the study but affect the dependent variable are known as extraneous variables. For instance, assume that a researcher wants to test the hypothesis that there is a relationship between employee’s performance and their self-concepts, in which case the latter is an independent variable and the former, a dependent variable. In this context, intelligence may also influence the employee’s performance.

However, since it is not directly related to the purpose of the study undertaken by the researcher, it would be known as an extraneous variable. The influence caused by the extraneous variable(s) on the dependent variable is technically called the ‘experimental error’. Therefore, a research study should always be framed in such a manner that the influence of extraneous variables on the dependent variable/s is completely controlled, and the influence of independent variable/s is clearly evident.

Control

One of the most important features of a good research design is to minimize the effect of extraneous variable(s). Technically, the term ‘control’ is used when a researcher design the study in such a manner that it minimizes the effects of extraneous variables. The term ‘control’ is used in experimental research to reflect the restraints used in experimental conditions.

Confounded Relationship

The relationship between the dependent and independent variables is said to be confounded by an extraneous variable, when the dependent variable is not free from its effects.

Research Hypothesis

When a prediction or a hypothesized relationship is tested by adopting scientific methods, it is known as research hypothesis. The research hypothesis is a predictive statement which relates to a dependent variable and an independent variable.

Generally, a research hypothesis must consist of at least one dependent variable and one independent variable. Whereas, the relationships that are assumed but not to be tested are predictive statements that are not to be objectively verified, thus are not classified as research hypotheses.

Experimental and Non-experimental Hypothesis Testing Research

When the objective of a research is to test a research hypothesis, it is known as hypothesis-testing research. Such research may be in the nature of experimental design or non-experimental design. The research in which the independent variable is manipulated is known as ‘experimental hypothesis-testing research’, whereas the research in which the independent variable is not manipulated is termed as ‘non- experimental hypothesis-testing research’.

For example, assume that a researcher wants to examine whether family responsibilities influences the employee absentism by calculating the coefficient of correlation between the two variables. Such an example is known as a non-experimental hypothesis-testing research, because the independent variable – family responsibilities is not manipulated here.

Again assume that the researcher randomly selects 150 female employees from a group of students who are very regular and then classifies them into two sub-groups by randomly including 75 in Group A, who have people to take household responsibilities and 75 in group B, who do not have any helping hand.

Assume that at the end of the study, the researcher conducts a test on each group in order to examine the effects of supporting people to take household of the responsibility on the absentism of the employees. Such a study is an example of experimental hypothesis-testing research, because in this particular study the independent variable regular earnings of the parents have been manipulated.

Experimental and Control Groups

When a group is exposed to usual conditions in an experimental hypothesis-testing research, it is known as ‘control group’. On the other hand, when the group is exposed to certain new or special condition, it is known as an ‘experimental group’.

In the afore-mentioned example, Group A can be called as control group and Group B as experimental group. If both the groups, A and B are exposed to some special feature, then both the groups may be called as ‘experimental groups’. A research design may include only the experimental group or both the experimental and control groups together.

Treatments

Treatments refer to the different conditions to which the experimental and control groups are subject to. In the example considered, the two treatments are the employees with people support and take responsibility at home and those with no helping hand.

Likewise, if a research study attempts to examine through an experiment the comparative effect of three different types of fertilizers on the yield of rice crop, then the three types of fertilizers would be treated as the three treatments.

Experiment

Experiment refers to the process of verifying the truth of a statistical hypothesis relating to a given research problem. For instance, an experiment may be conducted to examine the yield of a certain new variety of rice crop developed.

Further, Experiments may be categorized into two types, namely, ‘absolute experiment’ and ‘comparative experiment’. If a researcher wishes to determine the impact of a chemical fertilizer on the yield of a particular variety of rice crop, then it is known as absolute experiment. Meanwhile, if the researcher wishes to determine the impact of chemical fertilizer as compared to the impact of bio-fertilizer, then the experiment is known as a comparative experiment.

Experimental Units

Experimental Units refer to the pre-determined plots, characteristics or the blocks, to which different treatments are applied. It is worth mentioning here that such experimental units must be selected with great caution.

---

Process of Research Design Preparation

Stated in simple terms, a research design is a plan of action, a plan for collecting and analyzing data in an economic, efficient and relevant manner. Whatever be the nature of design, the following steps are generally followed:

• Step 1: Selection and Definition of a problem: The problem selected for study should be defined clearly in operational terms so that researcher knows positively what facts he is looking for and that is relevant to the study.
  
  
• Step 2: Sources of Data: Once the problem is selected, it is the duty of the researcher to state clearly the various sources of information such as library, personal documents, field work, a particular residential group etc.
  
  
• Step 3: Nature of Study: The research design should be expressed in relation to the nature of study to be undertaken. The choice of the statistical, experimental or comparative type of study should be made at this stage so that the following steps in planning may have relevance to the proposed problem.
  
  
• Step 4: Object of Study: Whether the design aims at theoretical understanding or presupposes a welfare notion must be explicit at this point. Stating the object of the study helps not only in clarity of the design but also in a sincere response from the respondents.
  
  
• Step 5: Social-Cultural Context: The research design must be set in the social-cultural context. For example: In a study of the fertility rate of people among backward class, the context of the so- called backward class of people and the conceptual reference must be made clear. Unless the meaning of the term is clearly defined there tends to be a large variation in the study because the term backward could have religious, economic and political connotations.
  
  
• Step 6: Temporal context: The geographical limit of the design should also be referred to at this stage as research related to the hypothesis is applicable to particular social group only.
  
  
• Step 7: Dimension: It is physically impossible to analyze the data collected from a large universe. Hence the selection of an adequate and representative sample is a by-word in any research.
  
  
• Step 8: Basis of Selection: The mechanics of drawing a random, stratified and purposive, double cluster or quota sample when followed carefully will produce a scientifically valid sample in an unbiased manner.
  
  
• Step 9: Technique of Data Collection: Relevant to the study design a suitable technique has to be adopted for the collection of required data. The relative merit of observation, interview and questionnaire, when studied together will help in the choice of suitable technique. Once the collection of data is complete, analysis, coding and presentation of the report naturally follow.