CHAPTER FOUR
RESEARCH DESIGN
ESUBALEW ALMAW
RESEARCH DESIGN
Research design is a plan, structure and strategy of investigation so conceived as to
obtain answers to research questions or problems.
A research design is a procedural plan that is adopted by the researcher to answer
questions validly, objectively, accurately and economically.
It is a master plan specifying, the methodology and techniques to be adopted for
achieving the objectives.
It constitutes the blueprint for the collection, measurement and analysis of data.
It is a plan for collecting and analyzing data in an economic, efficient and relevant
manner.
2
Cont’d…
• A research design is the program that guides the investigator in the process of collecting,
analyzing and interpreting observations.
• It provides a systematic plan of procedure for the researcher to follow.
• It includes an outline of what the researcher will do from writing the hypothesis and its
operational implications to the final analysis of data.
• It is a ‘glue’ that holds all of the elements in a research together.
ELEMENTS OF RESEARCH DESIGN
The research design includes the following elements:
Nature of the research and Objectives of study
Time period of research study
Universe and sample size of respondents
The location where the study would be conducted
The resources required to conduct the research
Type and source of research data required
Techniques of data collection and analysis
NEED AND OF RESEARCH DESIGN
The research design has the following importance:
Research design provides guidelines to the researcher in respect of:
Time period of research work
Type and source of data to be collected
Technique of data collection and analysis
Sampling design
It enables organizing of resources required to carry on research activity.
Research design helps to select appropriate technique for data collection.
The research design indicates area of research, Universe/Population of research, Sample
Size etc.
Cont’d…..
• It includes allocation of research budget for various research activities.
• It specifies objectives of research.
• It indicates the start time and completion time of research activity.
• It enables researcher to collect right data from right source.
• It facilitates the smooth running of various research operations;
• It saves the researcher from offering hasty generalizations or misleading conclusions;
• It serves as a basis for others to provide their genuine comments and comprehensive
review of the proposed study.
Therefore, preparation of the research design should be made with greater care as any error in
it may upset the entire project.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A GOOD RESEARCH DESIGN
•A good design is often characterized by adjectives like flexible, appropriate, efficient, and
economical and so on. Generally, a good research design is characterized, in respect of many
research problems, by;
•A design which minimizes bias about data
•A design which maximizes the reliability of the data collected and analyzed
•A design which gives the smallest experimental error
•A design which yields maximal information
•a design which provides an opportunity for considering many different aspects of a problem.
TYPES OF RESEARCH DESIGN
I. Classification based on Purpose of the Study
A. EXPLORATORY RESEARCH DESIGN
• It is typically used when a researcher is exploring a new topic, phenomenon, or area of study.
• It is undertaken when not much is known about the situation at hand, or no information is available on
how similar problems or research issues have been solved in the past.
• Its main purpose is to gain insights and better understand the research problem, rather than to test
specific hypotheses or make definitive conclusions.
• It is often used in the early stages of a research project, as it helps researchers to formulate research
questions, identify variables of interest, and develop a deeper understanding of the topic.
Cont’d…..
• This type of research design is generally more open-ended and flexible, allowing researchers to
explore different perspectives, viewpoints, and ideas.
• There are three principal ways of conducting explanatory research :
• A search of the literature;
• Interviewing “experts” in the subject;
• Conducting focus group interviews
• These methods help researchers to gather qualitative data and generate hypotheses for further
research.
B. DESCRIPTIVE STUDIES
• Descriptive researches are those studies, which are concerned with describing the characteristics or
function of a particular individual, or of a group or a phenomenon.
• This type of study aims to provide a comprehensive overview of a situation, characteristic, or group
of individuals, without manipulating or influencing the variables involved.
• Descriptive studies that present data in a meaningful form thus help to
• understand the characteristics of a group in a given situation,
• think systematically about aspects in a given situation,
• Help make certain simple decisions (such as how many and what kinds of
individuals should be transferred from one department to another).
