The document discusses different types of research designs used in conducting research studies. It begins by defining research design and its purpose, which is to obtain answers to research questions and minimize variance. The key types of research designs covered are experimental, quasi-experimental, descriptive, and correlational designs. Experimental design aims to test causal relationships through manipulation of independent variables. Descriptive design observes and measures variables without manipulation to understand characteristics and trends. Correlational design examines relationships between non-manipulated variables. The document provides examples and comparisons of when each design is most applicable.
2. Definition
By William Zikmund
• “Research design is the plan, structure and strategy of
conceived so as to obtain answers to research questions and to
variance.”
3. Purpose of a Research Design:
To Minimize
Expenditure
To Facilitate
Smooth Scaling
To collect the
relevant data and
technique
To collect the
relevant data and
technique
To provide
blueprint for
plans
To provide an
overview to other
experts
To provide a
direction
4. Characteristics of Good Research Design
Objectivity
Reliability
Validity
Generalizability
Adequate Information
5. Steps in Research Design
Consider your aims and research approach
Consider
Choose a type of research design
Choose
Identify your population and sampling method
Identify
Choose your data collection methods
Choose
Plan your data collection procedures
Plan
Decide on your data analysis strategies
Decide on
6. Types of Research design
There are 4 main types
Experimental
Quasi-
Experimental
Descriptive Correlation
A) Quantitative Research Design
7. Experimental Design Meaning
• Experimental research is research conducted with a
scientific approach using two sets of variables. The
first set acts as a constant, which you use to measure
the differences of the second set.
8. 5 key steps in designing an experiment
Define Define your variables
Write Write your hypothesis
Design Design your experimental treatments
Assign Assign your subjects to treatment groups
Measure Measure your dependent variable
9. Step 1Define your variables
• Ex: Phone use and sleep You want to know how phone use before bedtime affects sleep
patterns. Specifically, you ask how the number of minutes a person uses their phone
before sleep affects the number of hours they sleep.
Research question Independent variable Dependent variable
Phone use and sleep Minutes of phone use before
sleep
Hours of sleep per night
Research Question Extraneous variable How to control
Phone use and sleep Natural variation in sleep patterns among
individuals.
Control statistically
measure the average difference
between sleep with phone use
and sleep with phone use rather
than the average amount of
sleep per treatment group.
10. Step 2: Write your hypothesis
Research
Question
Null hypothesis (H0)
Alternate
hypothesis (H1)
Phone use and
sleep
Phone use before sleep
does not correlate with
the amount of sleep a
person gets.
Increasing phone use
before sleep leads to a
decrease in sleep.
11. Step 3: Design your
experimental treatments
A categorical variable: either as binary (yes/no) or as
levels of A factor (no phone use, low phone use, high
phone use).
A continuous variable (minutes of phone use
measured every night).
12. Step 4: Assign your subjects to treatment groups
Research Question
Completely randomized design Randomized block design
Phone use and sleep
Subjects are all randomly assigned a
level of phone use using a random
number generator.
Subjects are first grouped by age,
and then phone use treatments are
randomly assigned within these
groups.
Research Question Between-subjects
(independent measures)
design
Within-subjects (repeated
measures) design
Phone use and sleep Subjects are randomly assigned a
level of phone use (none, low, or
high) and follow that level of phone
use throughout the experiment.
Subjects are assigned consecutively
to zero, low, and high levels of
phone use throughout the
experiment, and the order in which
they follow these treatments is
randomized.
13. Step 5: Measure your dependent
variable
• Ex: your experiment about phone use and sleep, you could
measure your dependent variable in one of two ways:
• Ask participants to record what time they go to sleep and get
up each day.
• Ask participants to wear a sleep tracker.
14. When To Use Experimental Design
• Used to test causal relationships
• Involves manipulating an independent variable and
measuring its effect on a dependent variable
• Subjects are randomly assigned to groups
• Usually conducted in a controlled environment (e.g.,
a lab)
15. Types Of Experimental Research Design
PRE-EXPERIMENTAL
RESEARCH DESIGN
TRUE EXPERIMENTAL
RESEARCH DESIGN
QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL
RESEARCH DESIGN
16. • A group, or various groups, are kept under
observation after implementing factors of
cause and effect. You’ll conduct this research
to understand whether further investigation
is necessary for these particular groups.
• This can be breakdown into 3types
oOne-shot Case Study Research Design
oOne-group Pretest-posttest Research Design
oStatic-group Comparison
1) Pre-Experimental Research Design
17. 2) True Experimental Research Design
• True experimental research relies on statistical
analysis to prove or disprove a hypothesis,
making it the most accurate form of research. Of
the types of experimental design, only true
design can establish a cause-effect relationship
within a group.
18. Three Factors Need To Be Satisfied:
• There is a Control Group, which won’t be subject to changes,
and an Experimental Group, which will experience the
changed variables.
• A variable which can be manipulated by the researcher
• Random distribution
• This experimental research method commonly occurs in the
physical sciences.
19. 3)Quasi-Experimental Research Design
• The word “Quasi” indicates similarity. A quasi-
experimental design is like experimental, but it is
not the same. The difference between the two is
the assignment of a control group. In this
research, an independent variable is
manipulated, but the participants of a group are
not randomly assigned. Quasi-research is used in
field settings where random assignment is either
irrelevant or not required.
20. WHY
EXPERIMENTAL
DESIGN
Researchers have a stronger hold over variables to obtain desired
results.
The subject or industry does not impact the effectiveness of
experimental research. Any industry can implement it for research
purposes.
The results are specific.
After analyzing the results, you can apply your findings to similar
ideas or situations.
You can identify the cause and effect of a hypothesis. Researchers
can further analyze this relationship to determine more in-depth
ideas.
Experimental research makes an ideal starting point. The data you
collect is a foundation on which to build more ideas and conduct
more research.
21. Descriptive research
• Descriptive research aims to accurately and systematically describe a population,
situation or phenomenon. It can answer what, where, when and how questions,
but not why questions.
• A descriptive research design can use a wide variety of research methods to
investigate one or more variables. Unlike in experimental research, the researcher
does not control or manipulate any of the variables, but only observes and
measures them.
22. • an apparel brand that wants to understand the fashion
purchasing trends among New York buyers will conduct a
demographic survey of this region, gather population data and
then conduct descriptive research on this demographic
segment. The study will then uncover details on “what is the
purchasing pattern of New York buyers,” but not cover any
investigative information about “why” the patterns exits.
Because for the apparel brand trying to break into this market,
understanding the nature of their market is the study’s objective.
23. When To Use A Descriptive Research Design?
to identify characteristics, frequencies, trends, and categories.
It is useful when not much is known yet about the topic or problem. Before
you can research why something happens, you need to understand how,
when and where it happens.
24. Characteristics Of Descriptive Research
Quantitative research
Uncontrolled variables
Cross-sectional studies
The basis for further research
25. Applications of descriptive research
Define respondent characteristics
Define
Measure data trends
Measure
Conduct comparisons
Conduct
Validate existing conditions
Validate
Conduct research at different times
Conduct
27. Advantages Of Descriptive Research
• Data collection
• Varied
• Natural environment
• Quick to perform and cheap
28. EXAMPLE
• If a school district wishes to evaluate teachers’ attitudes about using
technology in the classroom. By conducting surveys and observing their
comfortableness using technology through observational methods, the
researcher can gauge what they can help understand if a full-fledged
implementation can face an issue. This also helps in understanding if the
students are impacted in any way with this change.
29. Questions That Can Lead To Descriptive
Research Are:
• Market researchers want to observe the habits
of consumers.
• A company wants to evaluate the morale of its
staff.
• A school district wants to understand if
students will access online lessons rather than
textbooks.
• To understand if its wellness programs
enhance the overall health of the employees.
30. Correlational Research Design
• A correlational research design investigates
relationships between variables without the
researcher controlling or manipulating any of
them.
• A correlation reflects the strength and/or
direction of the relationship between two (or
more) variables. The direction of a correlation
can be either positive or negative.
31. Correlation Results
Positive
correlation
Both variables change in the same
direction
As height increases, weight also
increases
Negative
correlation
The variables change in opposite
directions
As coffee
consumption increases, tiredness decre
ases
Zero correlation
There is no relationship between the
variables
Coffee consumption is not correlated
with height
32. When to use correlational
research
• To investigate non-causal relationships
• To explore causal Relationships Between Variable
• To test new measurements tools
33. C o r r e l a t i o n a l r e s e a r c h E x p e r i m e n t a l r e s e a r c h
Purpose
Used to test strength of association between
variables
Used to test cause-and-effect relationships
between variables
Variables
Variables are only observed with no
manipulation or intervention by researchers
An independent variable is manipulated,
and a dependent variable is observed
Control
Limited control is used, so other variables
may play a role in the relationship
Extraneous variables are controlled so that
they can’t impact your variables of interest
Validity
High external validity: you can confidently
generalize your conclusions to other
populations or settings
High internal validity: you can confidently
draw conclusions about causation
Correlational V/s Experimental
34. Qualitative Research design
• Qualitative research is defined as a market research method that focuses on
obtaining data through open-ended and conversational communication.
• This method is not only about “what” people think but also “why” they think so.
• Qualitative research is based on the disciplines of social sciences like
psychology, sociology, and anthropology.
35. Characteristics of qualitative research
methods
1. Natural Environment (Natural Setting).
2. Researcher As A Key Instrument
3. Multiple Sources Of Data
4. Inductive Data Analysis.
5. Design That Develops (Emergent Design).
6. Meaning of participants
7. Theoretical Perspective
8. Interpretive.
9. A Holistic Account.
36. Qualitative Research Methods
One on one
interview
Focus Group
Ethnographic
research
Case study
research
Record keeping
Process of
observation:
37. a) One on one interview
•One respondent at a time
•In-depth knowledge
•Purely conversational
•Small group of respondents
•Heterogenous Responded
38. Types Of One-On-
One Interview
• Structured Interview : Topic and
Subtopic
• Semi structured: Subject
• Undirected Interview: only main
topic
39. b)Focus Group
• Limited Number of respondents within your target market
• Finds solution to why what and how questions
• Ex: Market research on new product and testing new
concepts
• Follow-up reformulation: "And then?”, ”But?” ).
• Confirmation reformulation: (“If I've understood
correctly...”).
• Investigation reformulation: (“Could you explain that again?
40. c) Ethnographic research
• It is the most in-depth observational method that
studies people in their naturally occurring
environment.
• This research design aims to understand the
cultures, challenges, motivations, and settings that
occur.
41. d) Case study research:
education, social sciences and similar.
43. e) Record keeping:
• Already existing reliable documents and similar sources of
information as the data source.
44. When to use qualitative research
Developing a new product or generating an idea.
Studying your product/brand or service to strengthen your marketing strategy.
To understand your strengths and weaknesses.
Understanding purchase behavior.
To study the reactions of your audience to marketing campaigns and other communications.
Exploring market demographics, segments, and customer groups.
Gathering perception data of a brand, company, or product.
45. EXAMPLE : Question
• Let’s take the example of a bookstore owner who
is looking for ways to improve their sales
and customer outreach. An online
community of members who were the loyal
patrons of the bookstore were interviewed and
related questions were asked, and the questions
were answered by them.
46. Example: Solution
• At the end of the interview, it was realized that
most of the books in the stores were suitable for
adults and there were not enough options for
children or teenagers.
47. Qualitative research methods vs quantitative research
methods
Attributes Qualitative research methods Quantitative research methods
Analytical objectives
This research method focuses on
describing individual experiences and
beliefs.
Quantitative research method focuses on
describing the characteristics of a
population.
Types of questions asked Open-ended questions Closed-ended questions
Data collection Instrument
Use semi-structured methods such as in-
depth interviews, focus groups, and
participant observation
Use highly structured methods such as
structured observation
using questionnaires and surveys
Form of data produced Descriptive data Numerical data
Degree of flexibility
Participant responses affect how, and
which questions researchers ask next
Participant responses do not influence or
determine how, and which questions
researchers ask next
