+

Research Design - Unit 3Dr. Jeanie M. Thorndike

+Research Design

The research design is the master plan specifying the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing the needed information (i.e., data).

2

+Types of Research Design

Three traditional categories of research design: Exploratory Descriptive Causal

The choice of the appropriate design depends largely on the objectives of the research and and how much is known about the problem and the objectives.

3

+Basic Research Designs

Exploratory Research

Descriptive Research

Causal Research

4

+Exploratory Research Objective and Design Exploratory research is used in a number of

settings: To gain background information To define terms To clarify problems and hypotheses To establish research priorities To develop questions to be answered

A variety of methods are used to conduct exploratory research designs: Experience surveys Focus groups Case analysis Secondary data analysis

5

+Descriptive Research Objective and Design Descriptive Research:

Is undertaken to answer questions of who, what, when, where,

and how, but not why

Two Classifications of descriptive research studies: Cross-sectional studies

Measure units from a sample of the population at only

one point in time. Samples are drawn is such a way as to be

representative

of a specific population Longitudinal studies

Repeatedly draw sample units over time

6

+Causal Research Objective and Design

Causal: To determine causality To test hypotheses To make “if – then” statements

“If x, then y.” To answer questions

Causal relationships are typically determined by the use of experiments

7