The document discusses research design, which is defined as a plan or blueprint for how a research study will be conducted, from defining the problem to analyzing and reporting results. It covers key aspects of research design like types of designs, elements and characteristics of good designs, and functions and factors to consider when developing a design. The goal of a research design is to allow for the systematic collection and analysis of data to address the research problem.

1. Vijay Jayshwal
Assistant Professor of Law/Lecturer
Faculty of Law
Research Design
8/18/2023

2. Introduction
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1. The formidable problem that follows the task of
defining the research problem is the preparation of
the design of the research project, popularly known
as the “research design”.
2. Decisions regarding what, where, when, how much,
by what means concerning an inquiry or a research
study constitute a research design.
3. “A research design is the arrangement of conditions
for collection and analysis of data in a manner that
aims to combine relevance to the research purpose
with economy in procedure.”
4. In fact, the research design is the conceptual
structure within which research is conducted; it
constitutes the blueprint for the collection,
measurement and analysis of data.
5. As such the design includes an outline of what the
researcher will do from writing the hypothesis and

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 Research design is a planning of detailed outline of
whole research work containing steps and process to
be followed in the research which include how data is
to be collected, what instruments will be employed,
how the instruments will be used and the intended
means for analyzing data collected.
 Research design provides a direction to researcher
so that he can precede the research work in a
planned and systematic manner.
 The term “design” means ‘drawing an outline’ or
planning or arranging details.
 It is a process of making decisions before the
situation arises in which the decision has to be carried
out.
 ‘Research Design’ is planning a strategy for
conducting research. It plans as to: what is to be
observed, how it is to be observed, how to record
observations, how to analyse/interpret observations
and how to generalise.
 Research design is thus, a detailed plan of how the
goals of research will be achieved

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 According to Pauline V. Young, “A research
design is a plan of action, a plan for collecting
and analysing the data in an economic, efficient
and relevant manner”
 According to Selltiz and others, “research design
is a catalogue of the various phases and facts
relating to the formulation of a research efforts.
 Nachmias and Nachmias have defined research
design as “the programme that guides the
investigator in the process of collecting, analysing
and interpreting observations”.
 As per Miller, “designed research is the planned
sequence of the entire process involved in
conducting a research study”.

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(i) What is the study about?
(ii) Why is the study being made?
(iii) Where will the study be carried out?
(iv) What type of data is required?
(v) Where can the required data be found?
(vi) What periods of time will the study include?
(vii) What will be the sample design?
(viii) What techniques of data collection will be
used?
(ix) How will the data be analysed?
(x) In what style will the report be prepared?
Major Issues

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(a) the sampling design which deals with the
method of selecting items to be observed for the
given study;
(b) the observational design which relates to the
conditions under which the observations are to be
made;
(c) the statistical design which concerns with the
question of how many items are to be observed
and how the information and data gathered are to
be analysed; and
(d) the operational design which deals with the
techniques by which the procedures specified in the
sampling, statistical and observational designs can
be carried out

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(i) It is a plan that specifies the sources and types
of information relevant to the research problem.
(ii) It is a strategy specifying which approach will be
used for gathering and analysing the data.
(iii) It also includes the time and cost budgets since
most studies are done under these two constraints.

8. Characteristics of a Good Research Design
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(i) the means of obtaining information;
(ii) the availability and skills of the researcher and
his staff, if any;
(iii) the objective of the problem to be studied;
(iv) the nature of the problem to be studied; and
(v) the availability of time and money for the
research work.
(vi) Objectivity
(vii) Reliability
(viii) Validity
(ix) Generalisation

9. Functions of Research Design
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1. It provides blueprint
2. It limits boundaries of research activity
3. It enables investigation to anticipate potential
problems
4. Title of the investigation
5. Review of the relevant prior literature
6. Scope of the investigation
7. Objectives of the study
8. Formulation of Hypothesis
9. Selection of the Sample
10. Data Collection
11. Analysis and Interpretation of the Data

10. Elements of Research design
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1. The identification of research problem
2. The identification of appropriate research
methodology
3. The identification of tools of data gathering
4. The identification of tools of data analysis
5. The identification of format of report writing
6. The identification of method of report
presentation

11. Eight step model of research design
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1. Formulating a research problem
2. Conceptualizing the research process
3. Constructing an instrument for data collection
4. Selecting the sample
5. Writing a research proposal
6. Collecting the data
7. Processing the data
8. Writing the research report

12. TYPES OF RESEARCH
DESIGNS
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1. Exploratory or formulative studies
2. Descriptive studies
3. Diagnostic studies, and
4. Experimental studies

13. Exploratory or formulative studies
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1. Exploratory design is conducted about a
research problem when there are few or no
earlier studies to refer to or rely upon to predict
an outcome.
2. The focus is on gaining insights and familiarity
for later investigation.
3. Exploratory designs are often used to establish
an understanding of how best to proceed in
studying an issue.
4. what methodology would effectively apply to
gathering information about the issue.

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1. Exploratory research generally utilizes small
sample sizes and, thus, findings are typically
not generalizable to the population at large.
2. The exploratory nature of the research inhibits
an ability to make definitive conclusions about
the findings.
3. They provide insight but not definitive
conclusions.
4. The research process underpinning exploratory
studies is flexible but often unstructured, leading
to only tentative results that have limited value
to decision-makers.
5. Design lacks rigorous standards applied to
methods of data gathering and analysis
because one of the areas for exploration could

15. DESCRIPTIVE STUDIES
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1. Descriptive research designs help provide answers to
the questions of who, what, when, where, and how
associated with a particular research problem.
2. A descriptive study cannot conclusively ascertain
answers to why.
3. Descriptive research is used to obtain information
concerning the current status of the phenomena and to
describe "what exists" with respect to variables or
conditions in a situation.
4. The results from a descriptive research cannot be used
to discover a definitive answer or to disprove a
hypothesis.
5. Because descriptive designs often utilize observational
methods [as opposed to quantitative methods], the
results cannot be replicated.
6. The descriptive function of research is heavily dependent

16. EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES
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1. A blueprint of the procedure that enables the
researcher to maintain control over all factors that
may affect the result of an experiment.
2. The researcher attempts to determine or predict
what may occur.
3. Experimental research is often used where there is
time priority and the magnitude of the correlation is
great.
4. The classic experimental design specifies an
experimental group and a control group.
5. Subsequent experimental designs have used more
groups and more measurements over longer
periods.
6. True experiments must have control, randomization,
and manipulation.

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 Experimental research allows the researcher to
control the situation.
 In so doing, it allows researchers to answer the
question, “What causes something to occur?”
 Experimental research designs support the ability
to limit alternative explanations and to infer direct
causal relationships in the study.
 Approach provides the highest level of evidence
for single studies.

18. Diagnostic Studies
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 The researcher must be able to define clearly ,
what he wants to measure and must find
adequate methods for measuring it along with a
clear cut definition of Population he wants to
study
1. Formulating the objective of the study.
2. Designing the methods of data collection.
3. Selecting the sample.
4. Collecting the data.
5. Processing and analyzing the data.
6. Reporting the findings