This chapter discusses research design and methodology. It defines research design as the plan or strategy for conducting a study to answer research questions. A good research design identifies the study population, sampling method, data collection tools, and how variables will be measured and analyzed. It ensures validity, objectivity and accuracy of the study. Key components of research design include determining the study population, sample size and method, data collection tools, and addressing ethical issues. The chapter also discusses how to establish causal relationships between variables and minimize the effects of extraneous variables through randomization, matching, and eliminating confounding variables from the study design.

1. R E S E A R C H M E T H O D O L O G Y
CHAPTER # 7:
“The Research Design”
by
Muhammad Salman Jamil

2.  THE RESEARCH DESIGN
Step II : Conceptualizing a
Research Design
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 SELECTING THE STUDY
DESIGN

3. What is Research Design
 Task of defining the research problem is the preparation
of the research project, popularly known as the
“research design".
 Decisions regarding what, where, when, how much,
by what means concerning an inquiry or a research
study constitute a research design.
 It is a plan, structure and strategy of investigation so
conceived as to obtain answers to research questions
or problems.
 “The plan is the complete scheme or programme of the
research that defines what the investigator will do from
writing the hypotheses and their operational implications
to the final analysis of data” (Kerlinger 1986: 279)
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4. Functions of Research Design
There are two main functions of research design are:
1. Researcher has to follow identification and development
of procedures & logistical arrangements. It would done by
conceptualize an operational plan to undertake the
various procedures and tasks required to complete
desired study.
2. There is need of emphasize of quality of these
procedures by ensuring validity, objectivity and accuracy.
According to theory of control of variance “It also ensure
that these procedures are adequate to obtain valid,
objective and accurate answers to the research
questions”. (Kerlinger ,1986: 280).
 Note: Research design is to specify everything
clearly so a reader will understand what procedures
to follow and how to follow them. 4

5. Constituents of Research
Design
 Who will constitute the study population?
 How will the study population be identified?
 Will a sample or the whole population be selected?
 If a sample is selected, how will it be contacted? How
will consent be sought?
 What method of data collection will be used and why?
 In the case of a questionnaire, where will the
responses be returned?
 How should respondents contact you if they have
queries?
 In the case of interviews, where will they be
conducted?
 How will ethical issues be taken care of?
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6. Theory of Casualty and
Research Design
 A study design that helps you to isolate, eliminate or
quantify the effects of different sets of variable influencing
the independent variable.
 There are two variables are in relation contains certain
values one variable coincide with certain variables of
another variable. Or we can say that two variables are
related if they vary together in a pattern.
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7. Factors affecting
Relationships
 Extraneous variables operate in almost most studies and
can’t be eliminated. It can be controlled to some extent by
minute changes.
 It is possible to evaluate the impact of attributable to
extraneous variables through the introduction of a control
group in the study design. The purpose of control group
to evaluate the impact of extraneous variables on the
dependent variable(s).
 The control group is the group in an experimental study
that does not receive treatment by the researchers and it
treat as a benchmark for measurement.
 There is need to inter-change dependent variable
because of respondent’s state of mood or ambiguity in the
research instrument, are called random variables or
chance variables.
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8. Casual Relationships
 When the values of one variable produce the values of
the other variable, the relationship is a causal
relationship. In theory-driven research, it mostly
concerned causal relationships.
 Examples: Changes in party identification cause
changes in vote choice or there are some other
variable that affecting the relationship.
 Not all relationships are necessarily causal and
considered as “ideology.”
 There is discussion regarding relationship that exist
inherently & can be answered by empirical observation
whether there is existence relationship or not. However,
determining if a relationship is causal is more subjective,
and must be driven by the use of theory.
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9.  We can utilize change models by changing the attributes
of the independent, extraneous & change of chance.
 Sometimes a causal relationship require three sets of
variables operating to bring about a change in the
dependent variable.
[∆ outcome variable] =
[∆ chance variable] ± [∆ extraneous variables] ±
[∆ chance or random variables]
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10. 10

11.  The main priority of researcher is to achieve the
maximum benefits by changing of independent
variable.
 It needs to have consideration that design of study
must have independent variable has the maximum
opportunity.
 The role of effects of extraneous and chance
variables needs to minimized (if possible) or
quantified or eliminated termed as Kegliner’s
Prepared By: Muhammad Salman
Jamil 11

12. How to minimize the effect of
Extraneous Variables
 It is undesirable variable that influence the relationship
between the variables & the researcher who is evaluating
depends upon respondent and research instrument.
 It is the influence of outcome of an experiment, though they
are not the variables that are actually of interest.
 It is undesirable because they add error to an experiment, a
researcher wants to decrease or control the influence of
extraneous variables as much as possible.
 Random assignment cause decrease the amount of error in
case of extraneous variables, also help in decreasing
systematic error.
 Extraneous variable varies with the level of independent
variable which is considered as most challenging phase of
experimental studies.
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Jamil 12

13. Prepared By: Muhammad Salman
Jamil 13
 In the laboratory you can control the behavior of
extraneous variables but no in other cases. Since the effect
can be minimize but not eliminated.
 The role of control group creates the problem of ensuring
that the extraneous variables have a similar effect on both
control and experimental groups.
 In some cases its eliminated but under condition of a
variable impact in study.

14. Methods for eliminating extraneous
Variables
1. Ensure that extraneous variables have a similar
impact on control and experimental groups.
a) Randomization: It is the process of making
something random in multiple aspects. For
Example: Generating a random permutation of a
sequence in shuffling cards) or selecting a
random sample of a population (important in
statistical sampling);
b) Matching: Another way of ensuring that the two
groups are comparable so that the effect of
extraneous variables will be the same in both
groups
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Jamil 14

15. 2. Eliminate extraneous variable(s): It requires strong
evidence to eliminate that extraneous variable has high
correlation with dependent variable. Below methods
would be helpful in elimination are:
a) Build the affecting variable into the design of the
study: Initially a researcher has to finalize the
variable of population. Afterwards, the analysis of
impact of the extraneous variables separately and
interactively with the independent variable.
b) Eliminate the variable:
Sometimes an extraneous variable affecting the
impact of studies in negative way. Its better to
eliminate the variable that is not reflecting accurate
picture. For Example: In some cases where there
need to discuss multiple cultural. Due to variations in
study population it needs sample and population to
study separately or culture-specific analysis is
required,
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