Research Design

A research design is simply the framework or plan for a study that is used as a guide in collecting and analyzing the data. It is a blueprint that is followed in completing a study. Research design is the blue print for collection measurement and analysis of data. Actually it is a map that is usually developed to guide the research.

Definitions:

“Research design is a master plan specifying the methods and procedures for collection and analyzing the needed information.”

William Zikmund

“Research design is the plan, structure and strategy of investigation conceived so as to obtain answers to research questions and to control variance.”

Kerlinger

Thus we can say that a research design is the arrangement of condition for collection and analysis of data in a manner that aims to generalize the findings of the sample on the population.

Purpose of a Research Design:

Research designs are used for the following purposes;

(i) To minimize the expenditure:

Research design carries an important influence on the reliability of the results attained .It therefore provides a solid base for the whole research. This makes the research as effective as possible by providing maximum information with minimum spending of effort, money and time by preparing the advance plan of all about the research.

(ii) To facilitate the smooth scaling:

Research design is needed because it facilitates the smooth scaling of the various research operations, thereby making research as efficient as possible yielding maximal information with minimal expenditure of effort, time and money.

(iii) To collect the relevant data and technique:

Research design stands for advance planning of the methods to be adopted for collecting the relevant data and the techniques to be used in their analysis, keeping in view the objective of the research and the availability of staff time and money. Poor preparation of research design upset the entire project.

(iv) To provide blue print for plans:

Research design is needed due to the fact that it allows for the smooth working of many research operations. It is like blue print which we need in advance to plan the methods to be adopted for collecting the relevant data and techniques to be used in its analysis for preparation of research project. Just as for better economical and attractive construction of a house need a blue print and a map of that, similarly we needs a blue print or a design for the smooth flow of operation of research.

(v) To provide an overview to other experts:

A research design provides an overview of all the research process and with the help of the design we can take the help and views of experts of that field .The design helps the investigator to organize his ideas , which helps to recognize and fix his faults.

(vi) To provide a direction:

A research design provides a proper or particular direction to the other executives and others who are helping us into the process. The researcher studies available, literature and learns about new (alternative approaches.

Characteristics of Good Research Design:

Generally a good research design minimizes bias and maximizes the reliability of the data collected and analyzed. The design which gives the smallest experimental error is reported to be the best design in scientific investigation. Similarly, a design which yields maximum information and provides an opportunity for considering different aspects of a problem is considered to be the most appropriate and efficient design. A good research design possesses the following characteristics;

(i) Objectivity:

It refers to the findings related to the method of data collection and scoring of the responses. The research design should permit the measuring instruments which are fairly objective in which every observer or judge scoring the performance must precisely give the same report. In other words, the objectivity of the procedure may be judged by the degree of agreement between the final scores assigned to different individuals by more than one independent observer. This ensures the objectivity of the collected data which shall be capable of analysis and interpretation.

(ii) Reliability:

It refers to consistency throughout a series of measurements. For example, if a respondent gives out a response to a particular item, he is expected to give the same response to that item even if he is asked repeatedly. If he is changing his response to the same item, the consistency will be lost. So the researcher should frame the items in a questionnaire in such a way that it provides consistency or reliability.

(iii) Validity:

Any measuring device or instrument is said to be valid when it measures what it is expected to measure. For example, an intelligence test conducted for measuring the IQ should measure only the intelligence and nothing else and the questionnaire shall be framed accordingly.

(iv) Generalizability:

It means how best the data collected from the samples can be utilized for drawing certain generalizations applicable to a large group from which sample is drawn. Thus a research design helps an investigator to generalize his findings provided he has taken due care in defining the population, selecting the sample, deriving appropriate statistical analysis etc. while preparing the research design. Thus a good research design is one which is methodologically prepared and should ensure that generalization is possible. For ensuring the generalization we should confirm that our research problem has the following characteristics;

• The problem is clearly formulated.

• The population is clearly defined.

• Most appropriate techniques of sample selection are used to form an appropriate sample.

·        Appropriate statistical analysis has been carried out.

• The findings of the study are capable of generalizations.

(v) Adequate Information:

The most important requirement of good research design is that it should provide adequate information so that the research problem can be analyzed on a wide perspective. An ideal design should take into account important factors like;

• Identifying the exact research problem to be studied

• The objective of the research

• The process of obtaining information

• The availability of adequate and skilled manpower and

• The availability of adequate financial resources for carrying research.

(vi) Other Features:

Some other important features of a good research design are flexibility, adaptability, efficiency, being economic and so on. A good research design should minimize bias and maximize reliability and generalization.

 

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Research Process

Research process consists of series of actions or steps necessary to effectively carry out research. These actions or steps are;

·        Formulating the Research Problem

·        Extensive Literature Survey

·        Developing the Research Hypothesis

·        Preparing the Research Design

·        Determining the Research Design

·        Collecting the Research Data

·        Execution of the Project

·        Analysis of Data

·        Hypothesis Testing

·        Generalization and Interpretation

·        Preparing of the Report or Presentation of the Result

(i) Formulation of Research Problem:

At the very outset, the researcher must decide the general area of interest or aspect of a subject matter that he would like to inquire into and then research problem should be formulated.

(ii) Extensive Literature Survey:

Once the problem is formulated the researcher should undertake extensive literature survey connected with the problem. For this purpose, the abstracting and indexing journals and published or unpublished bibliographies are the first place to go to academic journals, conference proceedings, government reports, books etc. must be tapped depending on the nature of the problem.

(iii) Development of Working Hypothesis:

After extensive literature survey, researcher should state in clear terms the working hypothesis or hypotheses. Working hypothesis is tentative assumption made in order to draw out and test its logical or empirical consequences. It’s very important or it provides the focal point for research.

(iv) Preparing the Research Design:

After framing hypothesis we have to prepare a research design i.e. we have to state the conceptual structure within which research would be conducted. The preparation of such a design facilitates research to be as efficient as possible yielding maximal information. In other words, the function of research design is to provide for the collection of relevant evidence with optimum effort, time and expenditure. But how all these can be achieved depends mainly on the research purpose.

(v) Determining Sample Design:

A sample design is a definite plan determined before any data is actually collected for obtaining a sample from a given population.in census inquiry we involve a great deal of time, money and energy so it it not possible in practice under many circumstances. Sample designs can be either probability or non-probability. With probability samples each element has a known probability of being included in the sample but the non-probability samples do not allow the researchers to determine this probability.

(vi) Collecting the Data:

There are several ways of collecting the appropriate data which differ considerably in context of cost, time and other resources at the disposal of the researcher. Primary data can be collected either through experiment or through survey. In case of survey, data can be collected by any one or more of the following ways;

By observation,

• Through personal interview,

·        Through telephonic interviews,

• By mailing of questionnaires or

·        Through schedules.

(vii) Execution of the Project:

Execution of project is a very important step in the research process. If the execution of the project proceeds on correct lines, the data to be collected would be adequate and dependable .A careful watch should be kept for unanticipated factors in order to keep the survey realistic as much as possible.

(viii) Analysis of Data:

The analysis of data requires a number of closely related operations such as establishment of categories, the application of these categories to raw data through coding, tabulation and then drawing statistical inference. Analysis work after tabulation is generally based on the computation of various percentages; coefficients etc., by applying various well defined statistical formulae. In the process of analysis, relationships of differences supporting or conflicting with original or new hypothesis should be subjected to tests of significance to determine with what validity data can be said to indicate any conclusions.

(ix) Hypothesis Testing:

After analyzing the data, the researcher is in a position to test the hypothesis, if any, he had formulated earlier. Do the facts support the hypothesis or they happen to be contrary? This is the usual question which is to be answered by applying various tests like ‘t’ test, ’F’ test etc. F test have been developed by statisticians for the purpose .Hypothesis testing will result in either accepting the hypothesis or in rejecting it. If the researcher had no hypothesis to start with, generalizations established on the basis of data may be stated.

(x) Generalizations and Interpretation:

If a hypothesis is tested and upheld several times, it may be possible for the researcher to arrive at generalization i.e. to build a theory. As a matter of fact, the real value of research lies in its ability to arrive at certain generalizations. If the researcher had no hypothesis to start with, he might seek to explain his findings on the basis of some theory. It is known as interpretation.

(xi) Preparation of the Report or the Thesis:

Finally, the researcher has to prepare the report of what has been done by him. The layout of the report should be as follows; the preliminary pages, the main text and end matter. The preliminary pages carry title, acknowledgements and forward and then index. The main text of the report should have introduction, review of literature and methodology.

Criteria of Good Research:

One expects scientific research to satisfy the following criteria:

·        The purpose of the research should be clearly defined and common concepts be used.

• The research procedure used should be described in sufficient detail to permit another researcher to repeat the researcher for further advancement, keeping the continuity of what has already been attained.

• The procedural design of the research should be carefully planned to yield results that are as objective as possible.

• The researcher should report with complete frankness, flaws in procedural design and estimate their effects upon the findings.

• The analysis of data should be sufficiently adequate to reveal its significance and the methods of analysis used should be appropriate. The validity and reliability of the data should be checked carefully.

• Conclusions should be confined to those justified by the data of the research and limited to those for which the data provide an adequate basis.

• Greater confidence in research is warranted if the researcher is experienced, has a good reputation in research and is a person of integrity.

 tahir

 

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