Research Design The role of planning in research “ If your result needs a statistician then you should design a better experiment” - Ernest Rutherford Compiled: Athar Hussain

Objective Understanding the importance of planning and designing approaches or techniques used in research processes. Compiled: Athar Hussain

Understanding the importance of planning and designing approaches or techniques used in research processes.

Research Design The Design Problem Problem Structure Exploratory Research Descriptive Research Casual Research Problem of “ cause ” Classic Experiment Compiled: Athar Hussain Research Design

The Design Problem

Problem Structure

Exploratory Research

Descriptive Research

Casual Research

Problem of “ cause ”

Classic Experiment

Research Design (cont.) Validity Threats Other Research Designs Requirement in Research Design The Importance of Theory Cross-Section Designs Compiled: Athar Hussain Research Design

Validity Threats

Other Research Designs

Requirement in Research Design

The Importance of Theory

Cross-Section Designs

Design Problem Foundation Most important step to set the direction of your research Questions & Queries List of questions targeted to extract the required information Choice of Questions Poorly chosen questions can mislead the information Precision of Information How effective and productive the results are towards required information Compiled: Athar Hussain Research Design

Foundation

Most important step to set the direction of your research

Questions & Queries

List of questions targeted to extract the required information

Choice of Questions

Poorly chosen questions can mislead the information

Precision of Information

How effective and productive the results are towards required information

Problem Structure Exploratory Research The problem is badly understood. The objective or goal is unclear Descriptive Research The objective or goal is clear and structured Casual Research Blend of both natures. Problems are structured and also confronted with cause-and-effect problem Compiled: Athar Hussain Research Design

Exploratory Research

The problem is badly understood. The objective or goal is unclear

Descriptive Research

The objective or goal is clear and structured

Casual Research

Blend of both natures. Problems are structured and also confronted with cause-and-effect problem

Exploratory Research The objective or goal is “ unclear” or the problem is “ badly understood ” Requires strong skills and deep observations The sale is dropping … why? What is the “primary” reason people spend money more on consumable items than long term investments? Compiled: Athar Hussain Research Design

The objective or goal is “ unclear” or the problem is “ badly understood ”

Requires strong skills and deep observations

The sale is dropping … why?

What is the “primary” reason people spend money more on consumable items than long term investments?

Descriptive Research The objective or goal is “ clear ” and “ structured ” Usually involves surveys & comparisons Running an ice-cream business - Alaska or Miami? Compiled: Athar Hussain Research Design

The objective or goal is “ clear ” and “ structured ”

Usually involves surveys & comparisons

Running an ice-cream business - Alaska or Miami?

Casual Research Mixture of both natures. Problems are structured and also confronted with “cause-n-effect” problem Look for & isolate the “cause” Examine if cause has effect on result Does the advertising help in achieving greater market share? Is this medical drug effective? Compiled: Athar Hussain Research Design

Mixture of both natures. Problems are structured and also confronted with “cause-n-effect” problem

Look for & isolate the “cause”

Examine if cause has effect on result

Does the advertising help in achieving greater market share?

Is this medical drug effective?

Problem of “cause” Variable affecting the increment or decrement behavior of other variable Concomitant covariation should exist between cause and effect Cause should proceed the effect Rule out alternative causes Compiled: Athar Hussain Research Design

Variable affecting the increment or decrement behavior of other variable

Concomitant covariation should exist between cause and effect

Cause should proceed the effect

Rule out alternative causes

Importance of Theory It is impossible to know what to look for without the theory Identifying research problems Identifying relevant factors & their relationship Raising questions Attitude of variables with each other X > Y (X causes Y) Y < X (Y causes X) X <> Y (Mutual causation) X =! Y (no relationship) Interpreting observations Compiled: Athar Hussain Research Design

It is impossible to know what to look for without the theory

Identifying research problems

Identifying relevant factors & their relationship

Raising questions

Attitude of variables with each other

X > Y (X causes Y)

Y < X (Y causes X)

X <> Y (Mutual causation)

X =! Y (no relationship)

Interpreting observations

Classic Experiment Include multiple experiment groups Groups can be segmented for multiple variables Separate the segments into controlled and experimental groups Take observations treating both groups randomly with same experimental stimulus Interpret the result based on observations Notice the difference in observations Compiled: Athar Hussain Research Design

Include multiple experiment groups

Groups can be segmented for multiple variables

Separate the segments into controlled and experimental groups

Take observations treating both groups randomly with same experimental stimulus

Interpret the result based on observations

Notice the difference in observations

Validity Threats Types: Internal validity – whether the results obtained within the study are true. External validity – whether the findings can be generalized Experimental design is to isolate and estimate the effects of causes The solid design allows manipulation of treatment and proves the validity and authenticity of effects on cause Highlights covariation between variables Differentiates internal and external threats Compiled: Athar Hussain Research Design

Types:

Internal validity – whether the results obtained within the study are true.

External validity – whether the findings can be generalized

Experimental design is to isolate and estimate the effects of causes

The solid design allows manipulation of treatment and proves the validity and authenticity of effects on cause

Highlights covariation between variables

Differentiates internal and external threats

Validity Threats (cont.) History Specific event external to the study that occurs at the same time Maturation Processes which operate within the test units as function of the passage of time Test Effect Indicates the experiment itself may affect the observed response Selection bias Serious threat to validity when the subjects are not assigned randomly Compiled: Athar Hussain Research Design

History

Specific event external to the study that occurs at the same time

Maturation

Processes which operate within the test units as function of the passage of time

Test Effect

Indicates the experiment itself may affect the observed response

Selection bias

Serious threat to validity when the subjects are not assigned randomly

Other Research Designs There are sometimes constraints on researchers to conduct certain types of experiments Some of these constraints are: Time interval in which to conduct the research The effects of properties are too general or not specific enough Cannot find same type groups to perform comparisons The time order of events is often difficult Causing the research designs to move away from the “True” experiment and turning to other research designs Compiled: Athar Hussain Research Design

There are sometimes constraints on researchers to conduct certain types of experiments

Some of these constraints are:

Time interval in which to conduct the research

The effects of properties are too general or not specific enough

Cannot find same type groups to perform comparisons

The time order of events is often difficult

Causing the research designs to move away from the “True” experiment and turning to other research designs

Other Research Designs (cont.) Cross-sectional Designs Time Series The one-shot case study Compiled: Athar Hussain Research Design

Cross-sectional Designs

Time Series

The one-shot case study

Requirements User’s intentions Context Knowledge Skills Experience Compiled: Athar Hussain … for Research Design Research Design

User’s intentions

Context

Knowledge

Skills

Experience

Questions “ Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought” - Albert Szent-Gyorgyi Compiled: Athar Hussain