This session explains the basics of research, characteristics of social research, typologies of research designs, and examples from published results.

1. Research Methodology: Types of
Research Designs
Dr. Rajeev Kumar
MSW (TISS, Mumbai), M.Phil (CIP, Ranchi)
UGC-JRF, Ph.D. (IIT Kharagpur)
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3. Why do we do research?
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5. Difference between facts and opinion
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6.  Reports of Empirical Studies
 Review Articles
 Theoretical Articles
 Methodological Article
 Case studies
 Other less frequently
published types of articles
 (brief reports, comments, and
monographs)
How to assess the strength and quality of research
findings
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7. Before moving ahead …..lets learn few terms
What is generalization?
Difference between sample and census
What is representativeness
Inductive reasoning
Deductive reasoning
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17. Steps to make concept note
• Choose a broad area/title of your interest
• Selected the factors/ variables related to that broad title
• Now recollect field work experience or knowledge gained from books
• Systematize the your prior (experience +knowledge)
• Now using brainstorming techniques ( individual or group)
• Make the conceptual diagram of problem/issue
• Assess the causative relation between factors/variables
• Examine the secondary data and available literature to test your assumption
• Take the cues from limitations and future directions from research articles to find
research gaps
• List out the research gaps
• And select the research gaps those are feasible and relevant to available time and
resource to you.
• Based on research gaps, draw your research question, and make a broad aim
• And based on broad aim and research questions, define narrow objectives.
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20. Difference between qualitative and
quantitative
• Quantitative designs approach social phenomena through
quantifiable evidence, and often rely on statistical analysis of many
cases (or across intentionally designed treatments in an experiment)
to create valid and reliable general claims. Related to quantity.
• Qualitative designs emphasize understanding of social phenomena
through direct observation, communication with participants, or
analysis of texts, and may stress contextual subjective accuracy over
generality. Related to quality.
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21. Research design
(considering time)
longitudinal (over
the time)
Experimental
Non-experiment
Cross-sectional
(at single time)
Case control
Single group
Survey/ census
Pre-post
experimental
design
Quasi-
experimental
design
Cohort
design
Retrospective
cohort
Prospective
cohort
Research design based on time
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22. Research Design
(Source of data)
Primary data
Quantitative
research
Qualitative
research
Secondary data
Quantitative
data
Qualitative data
Census/
Survey/
GO/NGO
data
Data in form
of text and
observation
Numerical
data
Newspaper
clip, Video,
printed
interview
Review of
articles
Extensive
literature
review
Systematic
review Meta-analysis
Research designs based on
source of data and fact
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23. Research Design
(Source of data)
Primary data
Quantitative
research
Qualitative
research
Secondary data
Quantitative
data
Qualitative data
Cross-sectional
(FGD/IDI)
Longitudinal
(Participant observation
/Ethnography
Longitudinal data
Prospective
Cohort
Experimental
studies
Cross-
sectional
Field Survey
Longitudinal data
Retrospective
cohort or Panel data
Research designs: when time,
type, and source of data merges
Cross-
sectional
Recent
news
Cross-sectional
Census/ Government
survey
Longitudinal
Archival
data
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28. An example of exploratory research
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Reference:
Chen, Z., Cao, H., Xu, F., Cheng, M., Wang, T., & Li, Y. (2020). Understanding the Role of
Intermediaries in Online Social E-commerce: An Exploratory Study of Beidian. Proceedings of the ACM
on Human-Computer Interaction, 4(CSCW2), 1-24.

29. Stephen Hawking: A perfect example of
theoretical research
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32. When time becomes factor
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35. Reference:
Kujur, N. S., Kumar, R., & Verma, A. N. (2010). Differences in levels of disability and quality of life between genders in
schizophrenia remission. Industrial psychiatry journal, 19(1), 50. doi: 10.4103/0972-6748.77638
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36. Retrospective cohort
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38. Example of retrospective cohort design
METHODOLOGY
This study is a retrospective analysis of usable data from a cohort of 889 people
died of AIDS, who were enrolled in the ART center, Rajendra Institute of
Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India. Data were obtained from medical
case records of AIDS-deceased, retrospectively from October 1, 2006 to
December 31, 2014. ART center reported 960 cases of AIDS mortality. Of
the 960 reported cases, 940 cases were accessed record files. Of those, 889 medical
records had complete information as per the norms of the World Health Organization.
Reference:
Kumar, R., Suar, D., Singh, S. K., & Bhattacharya, S. D. (2020). Why do AIDS Sufferers on Antiretroviral Therapy Die Early?—
Evidence from Jharkhand in India. In Race, Ethnicity, Gender and Other Social Characteristics as Factors in Health and Health
Care Disparities. Emerald Publishing Limited. pp. 199-216. https://doi.org/10.1108/S0275-495920200000038015
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39. Difference between cohort and panel data
Cohort Studies
• There are however some
differences between panel
studies and cohorts.
• cohort studies follow a
homogeneous age group, it is
easier to design a questionnaire
that is relevant for respondents.
• Panel surveys on the other
hand, study a heterogeneous
age group, and so the
questionnaire needs to be more
generic
Ref: https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/435301/1/WP4_The_choice_between_a_panel_and_cohort_study_design.pdf
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40. Example of panel data research
A panel data regression was run using LIMDEP software
to examine the relationship of new infection of HIV/AIDS for the period 2002–2009
with per capita income of 32 Indian states and union territories of the
same period. The data for the period 2002–2009 were obtained from the Reserve
Bank of India (2010) and all the per capita income was with reference to the base
year 2004. Hausman value for the model was significant (χ2 (1) = 6.76, p < .009)
and per capita income inversely
predicted the incidence of HIV (β = −.369, Standard error of β = .059, t = 6.49,
p < .001, R2 = .93).
Kumar, R., Suar, D., & Singh, S. K. (2017). Regional differences, socio-demographics, and
hidden population of HIV/AIDS in India. AIDS Care, 29(2), 204–208.
https://doi.org/10.1080/09540121.2016.1211605
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42. Independent variable= amount of bio fertilizer
Dependent variable= growth of plant
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43. Independent variable = Amount of tobacco consumption
Dependent variable= occurrence of cancer
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45. Reference:
Kumar, R., Suar, D., & Singh, S. K. (2020). Impact of Psychosocial Intervention on Emotional Disorders and
Medication Adherence in HIV/AIDS. In S. N. Mohanty (Ed.), Emotion and Information Processing: A Practical
approach. Switzerland, AG: Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-48849-9
Example of experimental studies
2.2 Method
2.2.1 Design
This study employed the pre-post experimental design. The study examines the
effects of psychosocial intervention on emotional disorders and social issues faced
by persons infected with HIV/AIDS. This study was conducted at the antiretroviral
therapy (ART) center of Jharkhand (India). Ten PLHA having psychosocial problems
were selected conveniently, who were willing to participate in the study, and
signed an informed consent form. However, only six participants completed all sessions
for psychosocial intervention spanning 6 months.
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47. Example of Ex-Post facto/ Quasi-experimental design
Reference:
Braga, A. A., Hureau, D. M., & Papachristos, A. V. (2011). An ex post facto evaluation
framework for place-based police interventions. Evaluation review, 35(6), 592-626.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0193841X11433827
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48. Keep learning……………………..to be continued
In the next session, we will discuss about sampling
methods, appropriateness, and its practical
demonstration.
Thanks for your patience and inclination to learn.
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