This document outlines three main types of research design: exploratory, descriptive, and causal. Exploratory research is used to establish an initial understanding of a topic with little prior research. Descriptive research gathers information on current situations through surveys and correlations to describe who, what, when, where, and how. Causal research measures the impact of independent variables on dependent variables to explain cause-and-effect relationships. The three designs differ in their problem identification, sample sizes, hypotheses, and data management.

1. CHOOSING AN
APPROPRIATE
RESEARCH DESIGN.
LESSON 19

2. Types of Research Design
1. Exploratory Research Design
2. Descriptive Research Design
3. Causal Research Design

3. Exploratory Research Design
An exploratory research design is often used to established
an initial understanding and background about a research
study of interest, often with very few or no earlier related
studies found relevant to the research study.
This research design is described as an informal or
unstructured way of investigating available resources.

4. Example topics
1. The best delicacy in the Philippines.
2. The worst barangays in Davao City.
3. The best brand of printers in the Philippines.

5. Descriptive Research Design
Descriptive research design is used to gather information on
current situations and conditions. It helps provide answers
to the questions of who, what, when, where and the how of
a particular research study.
It provides accurate data after subjecting them to a rigorous
procedure and using large amounts of data from large
number of samples.

6. Survey
The survey research design is usually in securing opinions
and trends through the use of questionnaires and
interviews.
A survey is used in gathering data from institutions,
government and business to help in decision making
regarding strategies; improving practices, analyzing views on
choice of products or market research.
Surveys can be face to face or online.

7. Correlational
Correlational research design is used for research studies
aimed to determine the existence of a relationship between
two or more variables and to determine the degree of the
relationship.
Example: mental ability and academic performance ; gender
and math performance ; advertising cost and sales.

8. Example:
1. The correlation between gender preference and senior
high school track of the students in Maa National high
school.
2. The relationship between parents educational attainment
and the monthly family income.

9. Evaluation Research Design
Evaluation research is conducted to elicit useful feedback
from a variety of respondents from various fields to aid in
decision making or policy formulation.

10. examples
1. The views of Filipinos about the implementation of
TRAIN Law.

11. Causal Research Design
Causal research design is used to measure the impact that
an independent variable (causing effect) has in another
variable(being effected) or why certain results are obtained.

12. Point of Comparison of the three
research designs
Points of Comparison Exploratory Research Descriptive Research Causal Research
Research Approach Unstructured and flexible Formal and structured Highly structured
Degree of Problem
Identification
Not well-defined Variables are defined Variables and relationship
are defined
When to use? Initial research Often a follow-up to
exploratory research
Late stage of decision
making
Goals and objectives Provides insights on a
problem
Described situations Explains the cause and the
effect relationship between
variables

13. Point of Comparison of the three
research designs
Points of Comparison Exploratory Research Descriptive Research Causal Research
Sample size Small non-representative
sample
Large representative
sample
Large representative
sample
Type of Hypothesis Research questions only Hypothesis is
nondirectional
Hypothesis is directional
Data Management and
measurements
Data may not be
statistically measurable
Data are statistically
measurable
Data are statistically
measurable