Research Design

Introduction Social research needs a design or structure before data collection or analysis is commenced. In fact, Research design is not work plan, but the whole plan flows from research design. Research design deals a logical problem and not a logistical problem. Without considering a research design at beginning, the conclusion drawn will be weak and unconvincing and fail to answer the research questions. Research design constitute the decisions like what, where, why, how, how much. Research design facilitates the smooth flow of various research processes. It whole result in more accurate result with minimum usage of time, effort and money. The example of research design is exploratory, Descriptive, diagnostic and experimental after formulating the research problem extensive literature review/survey is needed to hypothesis. The research design is needed to proceed further. The research design highlight some decisions which include, The name of study, The purpose of study, the location where study would be conducted, the nature of Data required from where the data can be collected, what time period the study would be cover, the type sample design, the techniques of data collection and methods of data analysis. A good research design is flexible suitable, efficient and economical minimize the bias and maximize the reliability. It yields maximum information. The research process is not a clear cut sequence of procedures following a neat pattern, but a messy introduction between the conceptual and empirical world, deduction and induction occurring at same time. Research is a organized and systematic way of finding answers to questions. Research design is a set of decisions that make up the master plan specifying the methods and procedures for collecting and analyzing the needed information. Choosing the most appropriate research design depends on largely on the objectives of the research. There are three traditional research designs namely, Exploratory, Descriptive and & Casual. Exploratory research is used mainly for gaining background information, clarifying problems & hypotheris and defining terms. Descriptive research is mainly used for describing or measuring any

phenomena at creation point of time. Thirdly, the Casual research design is used for determining casualty. Descriptive research may be concrete or abstract. Some people dismiss descriptive research as only description, but a good description provokes a why questions of explanatory research. Explanatory research gives the answer of why question. As Answering why question involves the casual explanation. In casual explanation phenomenon is affected by factor i.e. Phenomenon x affected by factor x or may be chain of cause and effects. Correlation also confuses prediction with causation and prediction with explanation. Good prediction does not depends on causal relationship. Correlations can be observed, cause have to be infer One of the fundamental purposes of research design is explanatory research is to avoid invalid inferences. Causation are of two type. Deterministic and Probabilistic. Deterministic causation is uncommon in social Science. It means X variable is said to cause Y if and only if X invariably produce Y. whenever X is present Y will necessarily be here. In reality law are not that much simple so, this type of causation is rare in social science. Most of the time probalistic causation is used in social science research. The given factors increase or decrease the probability of a particular outcome. Pobalistic explanation can be improved by specifying conditions under which X is less likely and more likely to affect Y. Theory testing and theory building are two different styles of research. Attempt to answer the why question are theories. In theory testing approach the research begins with theory and it is the theory which guide the observation this moves from general to particular. On the other hand, theory building approach begins with observation and use inductive reasoning. It derives theory from observation and so moves from particular to general. There is difference between research design and research method. Research method is a mode of data collection and research design is a logical structure of inquiry. Failing to distinguish between design. A method leads to poor evaluation of design. Design depends on strength and weakness of method. Design does not depend on their ability to draw unambiguous conclusions. Quantitative and Qualitative research types are 2 fundamental research types. Quantitative research involves measurement of quantity or amount on the other

hand the qualitative research is concerned with the aspect related to involving quality or kind. Social survey and experiments are the prime example of quantitative research. Case studies are the prime example of quantitative research. Strength and weakness of statical data, quantitative research methods and analysis are the attributes of quantitative research. Quantitative research involves interpretive approach to data, studies and things. A research design may be both quantitative and qualitative.

Conclusion Research design is considered to be a logical structure for research which deals with 4 problems: which questions is studied, which data are relevant, what data and how it is to be collected and how to finally analyzed the result. Non experimental research is classified on the basis of purpose and time these are descriptive cross sectional, descriptive longitudinal, descriptive retrospective, predictive, cross sectional, predictive longitudinal, predictive retrospective, Explanatory cross sectional, Explanatory longitudinal and Explanatory retrospective. Causal relationship is for Explanatory research only. Descriptive and predictive research is most common in social science and it does not involves casual relationship.

Descriptive reseach

Explanatory research

Causal explanation

Causation

Deterministic

probalistic

Social science research need a design

Design (may be)

Quantitative Survey experiments

Qualitative Case study

Experimental V/S nonexperimental

In social sciences non-experimental research is used

Non-experimental

Purpose

Time

Descriptiv e

Predictiv e

Explanato ry

Crosssectional

Retrospecti ve

Longitudi nal

Non-Experimental research designs descriptive Cross sectional longitudinal retrospective

Cross sectional descriptive

predictive
Cross sectional predictive Longitudinal predictive Retrospective predictive

explanatory
Cross sectional explanatory Longitudinal explanatory Retrospective explanatory

Longitudinal descriptive Retrospective descriptive

Probabili ty

Nonprobability

Rando m

Systemat ic

Stratifie d

Convenien ce

Snow ball

Quota

Judgment