Research Design

Research Design is the plan and outline of procedures to be followed to obtain answers to research questions.  Research design deals with the actual procedures one uses to accomplish the goals of the study and answer the research questions and/or test research hypothesis.  It gets to the what, when, where, how, and to whom does the research pertain.  The purposes of research design are as follows:

• to answer specific research questions utilizing well-developed principles of scientific inquiry
• to control variance (experimental, extraneous, and error)
• to make choices regarding variables, procedures, controls, and randomization plan one must decide whether the design will be experimental or non-experimental (survey, correlational, causal comparative or ex-post facto, quasi-experimental)

Gliem and Gliem, LLC, can help you with any or all of the following elements of the research design process:

• Select the appropriate type of research to obtain the purposes or ends sought by the research
  
  • Survey Research (Status Studies, Exploratory Studies, Cohort Studies, Panel Studies, Longitudinal Studies)
  • Correlational Research
  • Causal-Comparative or Ex Post Facto Research
  • Quasi-Experimental Research
  • Experimental Research
• Identify sources of internal and external validity problems
• Identity appropriate sampling plans
  
  • Non-probability samples (Convenience, Quota, Purposive)
  • Probability samples (Simple Random, Systematic Random, Stratified Random, Cluster Random, Multistage Random)
• Select appropriate sample size
  
  • Size based upon precision of estimates
  • Size based upon statistical power
• Obtain instrumentation validity and reliability measures
• Provide appropriate statistical analysis based upon the research design and the type of data collected