Chapter Three

Research Design
 Definition
 Components of Research Design
 Related literature review, literature search and
stages and procedures of literature review
 Characteristics of Related Literature
 Recording of Reading for Literature
 Note taking: Reviewing the literature
 Proper Citation Style
 Conceptualization of the different terms used 1
in investigation
Introduction
 Once the research problem has been formulated in clear
terms, the researcher will be required to prepare a
research design,
 i.e. he/she will have to state the conceptual structure
within which research can be conducted.

2
3.1 Definition
 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.
 It is the conceptual structure within which research is
conducted.
 It constitutes the blueprint for the collection,
measurement and analysis of data.
 Design includes an outline of what the researcher will do
from writing the hypothesis and its operational
implications to the final analysis of data. 3
3.1 Definition
 More explicitly, the design decisions happen to be in
respect of:
 What is the study about?
 Why is the study being made?
 Where will the study be carried out?
 What type of data is required?
 Where can the required data be found?
 What periods of time will the study include?
 What will be the sample design?
 What techniques of data collection will be used?
4
 How will the data be analysed?
 In what style will the report be prepared?
3.2 Components of Research Design
 Though the components of research design vary depending on
the type of study, a research design generally consists of the
following key components.
 Research Objectives: the specific research aims that is
expected to be achieved.
 Research Approach: identify whether it is qualitative,
quantitative, or mixed Methods.
 Sampling Design: method of determining the sample
size and the sampling technique to be used in a study.
 Data Collection Methods: The techniques used to
gather data, such as surveys, interviews, or experiments.
 Data Analysis Techniques: The methods used to
5
analyze the collected data, such as statistical analysis or
thematic analysis.
Types of Research Design
In the context of Business and economics research, the
three most common types of research design are;

 Descriptive research design: It describes

characteristics, patterns, or behaviors of a phenomenon
as it exists.
 Explanatory research design: is used to identify and
explain cause-and-effect relationships between variables.
 Exploratory research design: is a method
established to explore phenomena that have not before
6
been researched or adequately explained.
3.3 Related literature review, literature search
and stages and procedures of literature review
Review >>>>> Re-view = ‘look again’.
Literature review is survey of scholarly sources on a
specific topic.
What do we review?
 related literature

What type of related literature we review?

 Reliable (as much as possible)

Research proposals and research reports typically have a

review of related literature section that describes
theoretical perspectives and previous research findings
related to the problem at hand. 7
Why do we need to review related literature?

It helps you determine whether your research problem has

already been addressed.
It can offer new ideas, perspectives, and approaches that
may not have occurred to you.
It helps you identify other researchers in the field whom
you may contact for advice or feedback.
It highlights unresolved gaps in knowledge that your
research can address.
It can show you how others have handled methodological
and design issues in studies similar to your own.
It can reveal sources of data you may not have known
existed. 8

It helps you to interpret your findings and connect them to

prior research.
Procedures of literature review

 The procedures can be summarized in a systematic sequence:

1. Search for Relevant Literature
 Identify appropriate sources: academic journals, books,
conference papers, reports, and credible online databases (e.g.,
JSTOR, Scopus, Google Scholar).
2. Select and Screen Sources
 Read abstracts and summaries to assess relevance.
 Check the credibility of sources (peer-reviewed, reputable
authors, recognized institutions).
 Exclude studies that don’t meet your criteria.
3. Organize the Literature
 Categorize by themes, methodology or chronology.
9
 Create an annotated bibliography or matrix to summarize key
information: author, year, methodology, findings, relevance.
Procedures of literature review

4. Write the Literature Review

 Structure logically: introduction, main body (organized by
themes, methods, or chronology), conclusion.
 Connect each discussion to your research problem.
 Highlight gaps your study aims to address.
 Cite sources properly.
5. Revise and Update
 Ensure clarity, coherence, and logical flow.
 Update with recent publications to keep the review current.
 Check citations and references for accuracy.

10
3.3.1 Characteristics of related literature

 Relevance – Directly relates to your research topic or

problem.
 Credibility – Based on reliable & authoritative sources.

 Currency – Up-to-date and reflects the latest developments

in the field.
 Comprehensiveness – Covers major studies, theories, and
findings relevant to the topic.
 Objectivity – Presents without bias or personal opinion.

 Comparability – Allows you to compare methods, findings,

and approaches across studies.
 Clarity – Clearly written and easy to understand.
11
 Gap identification – Highlights underexplored areas in the
field.
3.3.2 Recording of Reading for Literature
 It is the systematic tracking of literature you read to organize,
summarize, and use it effectively in research.
 Recording literature – Focuses on tracking and
documenting the sources you read: bibliographic details,
publication info, and basic summaries.
 Think of it as keeping a log or database of your readings.

 What to record:

• Author(s) and year

• Title and source

• Research problem or objectives

• Methods and design

12
• Key findings and conclusions
3.3.3 Note taking: Reviewing the literature
 Note-taking refers to analysing, summarizing, and critically
engaging with the content.
 This includes key findings, methodologies, relevance, gaps,
and your own reflections.
 While recording focus on what you read (organized
list),
 Note-taking refers to what you learn and think
about what you read (analysis and synthesis)
 Hence, a good literature recording system supports
effective note-taking.

13
3.3.3 Note taking: Reviewing the literature
 How should we take notes?
 Reviewing literature doesn’t merely mean reporting the
related literature.
 Reading literature reviews in reputable journals can guide you
in presenting your own review effectively.
 You should ;

 Organize – collect similar studies together (e.g.,

similar findings, data, method)

 Evaluate – paper type (whether peer-reviewed,

journal, etc.), data and method of data analysis quality.

 Synthesize – combining diverse perspectives and
findings into a cohesive whole 14
3.3.3 Note taking: Reviewing the literature
 How should we take notes?
 Start with a broad overview of the literature, then narrow to
specific studies and your research problem.
 Provide transitional phrases, sentences, or paragraphs that
help your readers follow your train of thought.
 Know the difference between describing the literature and
plagiarizing it.
 Minimize use of direct quotations from other people’s work –
use your own word.
 Remember that your first draft will almost certainly not be
your last draft – read & improve it.
 Ask others for advice and feedback. 15
3.3.3 Note taking: Reviewing the literature
 Paraphrasing, Direct Quotes & Plagiarism
 You can incorporate your reviewed idea in the following
way:
1. Paraphrasing – presenting others ideas using your
own words.
2. Direct quote – taking others words as it is without
adding your word.
1. Paraphrasing
It refers to restating others ideas or information in your
own words while keeping the original meaning.
During paraphrasing;
16
Use your own sentence structure and vocabulary.
Always cite the original source.
3.3.3 Note taking: Reviewing the literature
 How to paraphrase?

 Read through a passage carefully – you may need to

read the text more than once
 Identify main ideas from the passage & include those in
your paraphrasing
 Set the original text aside & record your paraphrased
version
 Compare your paraphrase with the original to ensure
significant wording changes while keeping the main ideas.
 Include a citation at the end. Even though you have
changed the wording, the ideas are still someone else’s.
17
3.3.3 Note taking: Reviewing the literature
 Common paraphrasing pitfalls

 The fallowing common mistakes will result in plagiarism

 Not changing the order of the wording or ideas

 Not changing the language or word choice significantly
enough
 Failure to accurately cite the source

18
3.3.3 Note taking: Reviewing the literature
2. Direct quote
 It refers to taking others words as it is without adding
your word.
 Short quotes (fewer than 40 words):
 Use double quotation marks.
 Include citation (author & year) in parentheses.
Long quotes (40 words or more):
 Use a block quote: start on a new line, indent 0.5
inches, no quotation marks.
 Citation comes after the period.
19
3.3.3 Note taking: Reviewing the literature
 However, direct quoting is not recommend, or, at least
should not be used frequently.
 If the direct quoting is ‘too much’, it is considered as

plagiarism.
Plagiarism –is presenting someone else's work or ideas
as your own work without full acknowledgement.
Plagiarism may be intentional or unintentional.
It is considered academic dishonesty and can have
serious consequences in research and education.
It can lead to failing grades, suspension, loss of
degrees, or damage to reputation.
20
3.3.3 Note taking: Reviewing the literature
 Forms of Plagiarism:
 Direct plagiarism – Copying text word-for-word without
quotation marks or citation.
 Self-plagiarism – Reusing your own previously submitted
work without acknowledgment.
 Paraphrasing plagiarism – Rewriting someone else’s
ideas in your own words without credit.
 Accidental plagiarism – Unintentionally failing to cite
sources correctly.
 Source-based plagiarism – Citing incorrect or non-
existent sources, or misrepresenting a source.
 Data or idea plagiarism – Using others’ research data, and 21

figures without permission or acknowledgment.

3.3.4 Proper Citation Style
 There are several types of referencing styles.
 Popular referencing styles along with their typical users:

Modern Language
Association

American Psychological
Association

22

Institute of Electrical and

Electronics Engineers
3.3.4 Proper Citation Style
 APA referencing style
 There are two components in the APA referencing style;
 In-text citations, and

 Reference list

 In case of in-text citation:

 If a source has one or two authors, cite the last name(s) of
the author(s) followed by the year of publication.
 If a source has three or more authors, cite the last name of
the first author, followed by et al., and the year of
publication.
 When citing multiple sources simultaneously, arrange the
order by alphabetic order of the first author (of each paper. 23
 APA referencing style depends on the type of your source (e.g.,
a book, a journal article).
 3.3.4 Proper Citation Style
Last name, initials. (Year). Book title. Publisher.
Book Referencing Gujarati, D. N. (2004). Basic econometrics (4th ed.). McGraw-
Hill.
In-text citation (Gujarati, 2004)-Parenthetical/Gujarati (2004)- Narrative

Last name, Initials. (Year). Article title. Journal

Name, Volume(Issue), Page range. or e-locator. DOI or URL
Journal Shita, A., Kumar, N. & Singh, S. (2019). Economic Benefit of
Article Referencing Agricultural Technology on Teff and Maize Crops in Ethiopia: The
Blinder-Oaxaca Decomposition. Journal of Poverty, 24(3), 169-
184.
In-text citation (Shita et al., 2019)/ Shita et al. (2019)

Author last name, Initials. (Year). Dissertation title (Type of

Disserta dissertation/thesis). University Name. URL
tion or Jufare, A. T. (2008). Livelihood adaptation, risks and vulnerability
24
thesis Referencing in rural Wolaita, Ethiopia (Doctoral dissertation). Norwegian
University of Life Sciences.
 3.3.4 Proper Citation Style
Author last name, Initials/organization name. (Year). Report
Report Referencing title: Subtitle. Publisher Name.
CSA. (2016). Agricultural Sample Survey 2015/16: Report on
Area and Production of Major Crops (Private Peasant Holdings,
Meher Season). Central Statistical Agency.
In-text citation (CSA, 2016)/CSA (2016)

Last name, Initials. (Year, Month Day). Article

title. Newspaper Name, pages.
Newspa Schwartz, J. (1993, September 30). Obesity affects
per/Ma Referencing economic, social status. TheWashington Post, A1 - A4.
gazine
In-text citation (Schwartz, 1993)/Schwartz (1993)

25
 3.4 Conceptualization of the different terms
used in investigation
 Conceptualization of the different terms we use is essential to
clearly present the topic of interest.
 Conceptualization include:

A. Defining terms (operational definition)

 Define the key terms as they will be used in the researcher’s
project.
 For example, when we say firm productivity, we have to
clearly define it whether we mean labor productivity, capital
productivity, total factor productivity, etc.
 Clear definitions allow readers to understand and
26
appropriately assess the research, even if they disagree with
them.
 3.4 Conceptualization of the different terms
used in investigation
B. Converting concepts in to measurable variables
 It is the process of defining abstract concepts in specific,
observable, and measurable indicators for research purposes.
 A concept that can be measured is called a variable.

 Variable is a concept which can take on different quantitative

values.
 For example:

 Concept: Poverty
 Measurable variable: Monthly consumption expenditure.
 Types of variables- variables can be classified in terms of: 27
the causal relationship, the study design and the unit of
measurement.
 3.4 Conceptualization of the different terms
used in investigation
1. From the viewpoint of causal relationship:
 Independent variables – the cause or influencing factor.
 Dependent variables – the effect or outcome.
 Intervening (mediating) variables – variables that explain
how the independent variable affects the dependent variable.
 Example: Education level (ind. var) → Income (dep. Var)
Intervening variable: Job skills / employability
 Extraneous variables – other factors that may affect the
dependent variable but are not the main focus of the study.
 Example: We want to study the effect of education
(independent variable) on income (dependent variable), but 28

work experience (extraneous variable) may also affect

income.
 3.4 Conceptualization of the different terms
used in investigation
2. From the viewpoint of the study design:
In controlled experiments, the independent variable can be
manipulated by the researcher.
In these situations there are two sets of variables.
Active variables – are those the experimenter can manipulate
or control, such as program interventions.
For example: in digital financing interventions,
implementers can vary the type and intensity of the
program.
Attribute variables – are variables that cannot be
manipulated and reflect characteristics of the study population.. 29

For example: age, gender, education and income.

 3.4 Conceptualization of the different terms
used in investigation
3. From the viewpoint of the unit of measurement:
 Nominal Scale variables – categories without a natural order
(e.g., gender, religion).
 Dummy (binary) variables – These have only two categories.
Example: gender (male = 0, female = 1).
 Categorical variables – These have more than two categories (
Example: marital status (single, married, widowed, divorced).
 Ordinal Scale Variables – categories with a meaningful order
but unequal intervals (e.g., education level, satisfaction rating).
 Interval Scale Variables – numeric values with equal intervals
but no true zero (e.g., temperature in Celsius). 30
 Ratio Scale Variables – numeric values with equal intervals and
a true zero (e.g., income, age, weight).