Chapter 3: The Research Design
RESEARCH DESIGN
• Refers to the plan, structure, and
strategy of research. The
blueprint/road map that will guide
the research process
• choosing the right methods to achieve your
research aims
• A research design is the arrangement of conditions for the collection and
analysis of data in a manner that aims to address the research problem.
• The research design should be inline with:
• What is the study about? (Problem definition)
• Why is the study being made? (Justification)
• Where will the study be carried out? (Location)
• What type of data is required? (Quanti, Qual, Pri, Sec)
• Where can the required data be found (target population)
• What will be the sample design (technique chosen)
• What techniques of data collection will be used? (observation,
interview, questionnaire, or document analysis)
• How will the data be analysed (Data Analysis techniques & tools to
be employed)
• We may split the overall research design into three:
• The sampling design - which deals with the method of selecting items to be
observed.
• The statistical design - which concerns with the question of how many items are
to be observed and how the information and data gathered
• The operational design - which deals with the techniques by which the
procedures specified in the sampling, Statistical and observational designs can
be carried out.
Important concepts in research design
• Variable:
• Continuous variable:
• A quantitative variable for which all values with in some range are possible.
• a variable which can assume any numerical value within a specific range. (e.g. Age, weight,
depth etc.)
• These variables are often grouped in intervals.
• Discrete variable:
• A quantitative variable which does not take on all values in a continuum, often the variables
can assume integer values only/ the individual values fall on the scale only with distinct
gaps. (e.g.. # of children)
Sampling Design
• A sample design is a definite plan for obtaining a sample from a given
population. It refers to the technique or the procedure the researcher
would adopt in selecting items for the sample.
Cont. ..
• Population Specified group of human beings or non human
entities (objects, institutions, geographic areas, etc having one
or more characteristics in common that distinguishes them from
other groups. the entire group under study. Some times called the
“universe.” or Reference population
Practical considerations when taking samples:
• cost and population size
• Nature & purpose of the study
• Inability of researcher to analyze large
quantities of data potentially generated by a
census
Con…
• Sample: a subset of the population that should represent the entire group,
representative portion of a population Who will be surveyed
• How many people(Sample Size)
• \The Target Population or Sample frame:
• Complete list of members of interacts
• The actual list of sampling units from which the sample is selected.
Sample unit: the basic level of investigation…consumers, store managers,
shelf-facings, adolescence, etc.
• The research objective should define the sample unit.
• Census: is the counting of the complete population.
• How should the sample be chosen? (Sampling)
• Why Sampling?
- to save time & effort required
- to save costs in terms of money & manpower
Characteristics Of A Good Sample Design
•Sample design must result in a truly representative sample
•Sample design must be such which results in a small sampling error
•Sample design must be viable in the context of funds available for the
research study.
•Sample design must be such so that systematic bias can be controlled in
a better way
•Sample should be such that the results of the sample study can be
applied, in general, for the universe with a reasonable level of
confidence.
Types of Sample Design
•Probability Sampling Design
•Each element/ respondent has a known probability of being included in
the sample.
•Non-probability Sampling Design
•Each element/ respondent in the population is not given equal chance
of selection.
Probability Sampling Designs:
Simple Random Sampling
•Each and every element/ respondent in the population is given equal
chance of selection.
Systematic Sampling
•The selection of sample starts by picking some random point in the list
and then every nth element is selected until the desired number is
secured.
Cont. ..
Stratified Random Sampling
•The population is stratified into a number of non-overlapping subpopulations
or strata and sample items are selected from each stratum.
Cluster Sampling and Area Sampling
•It involves grouping the population and then selecting the groups or the
clusters rather than individual elements for inclusion in the same.
•Area Sampling: Total geographical area is divided into a number of smaller
non- overlapping areas, generally called geographical clusters, then a number
of these smaller areas randomly selected and all elements in these small areas
are included in the sample.
Non Probability Sampling Designs:(Deliberate or
Purposive Sampling)
•Convenience Sampling: When elements/respondents in the population/
universe are selected for inclusion in the sample based on the ease of the
access. It is called Convenience sampling.
• Judgment Sampling: The researcher’s judgment is used for selecting
items which he/she considers as representative of the population. This
sampling is used quite frequently in Qualitative Research where the
desire happens to be to develop hypotheses rather than to generalize to
larger population.
Cont. ..
• Quota Sampling: When The researcher or interviewer are simply given
quota to be filled from different strata, rather than selecting elements
from each stratum based on simple random is known as Quota
sampling. The size of the quota for each stratum is generally
proportionate to the size of the stratum in the population. It generally
happens to be judgment sampling rather than random sampling.
Methods of Data Collection
There are two types of data
• Primary Data— collected for the first time
• Secondary Data—those which have already been collected and analysed by someone
else.
Methods of Primary Data Collection
• Observation
• Survey method
• Interviewing
• Experimental method
• The Questionnaire
• Closed-ended
• Open-ended
• Combination of both
Measurement
• Measurement is the process through which researchers describe,
explain, and predict the phenomena and constructs of our daily
experiences
• The concept of measurement is important in a research in two key
areas:
• Enables researchers to quantify abstract constructs & Variables.
• Used to analyze sophisticated statistical data
Non metric Data vs. Metric Data
• Non metric data (also referred to as qualitative data)-which cannot
be quantified and are predominantly used to describe and
categorize.
• Metric data (also referred to as quantitative data)-are used to
examine amounts and magnitudes.
Types of measurement scales
[Link] has classified the different types of into four categories:
1. Nominal scales or classificatory scale
2. Ordinal scales or ranking scale
3. Interval scales, and
4. Ratio scales.
• Nominal and ordinal scales are non metric
• Interval & ratio scales → metric
• Nominal or classificatory scale: enables the classification of individuals, objects or
responses into subgroups based on a common/shared property or characteristic. e.g. gender,
religious and political affiliation, place of birth, city of residence, ethnicity, Marital status,
eye and hair color, and employment status
• 3. Ordinal or ranking scale: it ranks the subgroups in a certain order ‘income’ can be
measured either quantitatively (in birr or dollar) or qualitatively using subcategories ‘above
average’, ‘average’ and ‘below average’.
• The ‘distance’ between these subcategories are not equal as there is no quantitative unit of measurement.
measurement is characterized by the ability to measure a variable in terms of both
identity and magnitude.
Example - finishing position of runners in a gender.
, Socioeconomic status of peoples in certain area
Con..
4. Interval scale: has all the characteristics of an ordinal scale. In
addition, it uses a unit of measurement with an arbitrary starting and
terminating points. For example age 18-30, Attitudinal scales: 10-20
5. Ratio scale : has all the properties of nominal, ordinal and
interval scales plus its own property: the zero point of a ratio
scale is fixed, which means it has a fixed starting point. Since
the difference between intervals is always measured from a zero point,
this scale can be used for mathematical operations. The measurement of
variables like income, age, height and weight are examples of this scale.
A person who is 40 year old is twice as old as one who is 20 year old.
Instrument Design
• The construction of a research instrument or tool for data collection is
the most important step of a research project because anything you say
by way of findings or conclusions is based upon the type of information
you collect, and the data you collect is entirely dependent upon the
questions that you ask of your respondents.
• The famous saying about computers- “garbage in garbage out”- is also
applicable for data collection.
• The research tool provides the input into a study and therefore the
quality and validity of the output (the findings), are solely dependent o it.
Guidelines to Construct a Research Tool:
Making sure that your questions relate to the objectives of your
study.
1. Clearly define and individually list all the specific objectives or
research questions for your study.
2. For each objective or research questions, list all the associated
questions. that you want to answer through your study.
3. Take each research question listed in step 2 and list the
information required to answer it.
4. Formulate question(s) to obtain this information
Writing good survey questions
• Good Question wording:
• Simple sentences
• No double negatives
• Eliminate vagueness (poorly defined terms)
• Eliminate Objectionable\Irrelevant questions
• Pilot Testing
• Pre empirical investigation to observe the reliability
and validity of the instrument &
• To modify the items of the instrument accordingly.