A research design is defined as a plan or blueprint of how one intends to conduct research (Mouton, 2005:55). A research design focuses on the end product of the research process, that is, the type of study being planned and the type of results aimed at. Its point of departure is the research problem, and hence it focuses on the type of evidence required to address the problem adequately.
According to Mouton, research designs are tailored to address different kinds of research questions. Thus, when attempts are made to classify different kinds of research studies to different design types, they are classified by the kind of research questions they are able to answer. Research designs can be mapped out to the types of research questions (research problem) using four dimensions: 1) empirical versus non-empirical dimension, 2) using primary versus using secondary data, 3) the nature of the data (numerical versus textual data) and 4) the degree of control (structured (laboratory) conditions versus natural field settings)
The first dimension, which is relevant to our study, is that of empirical versus non-empirical studies. Empirical studies involve observing and measuring reality, thereby confirming knowledge through direct experience. Non-empirical (theoretical) studies involve developing and exploring theories that account for given data.
The second dimension is that of the nature of data used in the study. Data used in empirical studies can be numeric, textual or a combination of both. When the basic data used in an empirical study consist of words, the research is classified as qualitative, whereas if the data used are numeric, the research is classified as quantitative. A research design may also combine quantitative and qualitat...
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...chniques and procedures among those associated with quantitative or qualitative research. A literature review, which included document analysis, was used to answer sub-questions one, two and three. A model building approach was suggested to answer sub-question four. In addition, the study uses a case study as a proof-of-concept. The use of a case study is a qualitative empirical study to strengthen the research validity. Since the research methods directly responding to the research questions (Literature review and Model building) make use of textual data, we classified this study as a qualitative study. Table 3.1 below summarises the classification of this study in terms of the dimensions discussed above.
Research Method Dimension 1 Dimension 2
Literature review Non-empirical Qualitative
Model building Non-empirical Qualitative
Case study Empirical Mixed Method
2. a) The research design used in this study is the case study design. It is classified
Research can be quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative research is objective and involves measuring the phenomena under investigation. Qualitative research is subjective, explores experiences and feelings, and involves the recording of phenomena that cannot easily be quantified (Toates, 2010, pp. 5-6). Both are empirical since they involve data collection (OU, n.d.).
According to Smith (1983) quantitative research is to explain, predict and develop laws that can be universally applied and Qualitative research is the interpretation and understanding of what people give to their situation. The researchers clearly stated the purpose of their studies, aim, objectiv...
Experimental designs are viewed as the most accurate, and most demanding of research designs, requiring strict attention to rules and procedures. Researchers use these research designs to manipulate and control testing procedures as a way to understand a cause and effect relationship. Commonly, independent variables are manipulated to judge or decide their effect on a dependent variable (Trochim & Donnelly, 2008).
Reversal design involves repeated measures of behavior in a given setting requiring at least three consecutive phases: initial baseline, intervention, and return to baseline (Cooper, 2007). As with any intervention, baseline data is a typical primary condition for beginning the process. With reversal design data is collected, until steady state responding is achieved and then intervention is begun. The condition is applied in the form of treatment and then reversal of the treatment is performed. This procedure is described as A-B-A or baseline, treatment, baseline. The operation and logic of the reversal design involves the prediction, verification, and replication of the treatment reducing the target behavior. The reversal of the treatment can be credited for the responsibility for the behavior change if the repetitions of the baseline and treatment phases are exact to the original phases.
The author could have employed other methods of qualitative research such as, narrative analysis, grounded theory, discourse analysis, data display and analysis, content analysis and quantifying qualitative data and computer assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAPDAS) (Saunders et al., 2016). Nevertheless, these approaches seem cumbersome sometimes and take a long time to complete (Willig, 1999; Braun and Clarke, 2006 and Smith and Bekker,
The purpose of this critique is to analyze the design of a research study conducted by; Donna Kazemi, Maureen Levine, Jacek Dmochowski, Mary Nies, and Linman Sun called “Effects of Motivational Interviewing Intervention on Blackouts Amoung College Freshman”. It was accepted in January 21st, 2013 and was published in the Journal of Nursing Scholarship.
In order to investigate about a scenario or an occurrence that has left history over time, an expert would rely on artifacts and other sorts of evidences that may help find out facts and fictions about such scenarios in question. In this paper, an approach or attention is focused on Kenneth’s research design on the wood lily research. The study uses a unique way of addressing the historical information about the site Kenneth. Similarly, the research method he adapted has been widely used in the study of anthropology to make learning about artifacts and historical sites to become easier. In this paper, there are specific questions that will be addressed based on the paper requirements.
On the other hand, Quantitative research refers to “variance theory” where quantity describes the research in terms of statistical relationships between different variables (Maxwell, 2013). Quantitative research answers the questions “how much” or “how many?” Quantitative research is an objective, deductive process and is used to quantify attitudes, opinions, behaviors, and other defined variables with generalized results from a larger sample population. Much more structured than qualitative research, quantitative data collection methods include various forms of surveys, personal interviews and telephone interviews, polls, and systematic observations. Methods can be considered “cookie cutter” with a predetermined starting point and a fixed sequence of
focused on the key qualitative research methods. For each article review, a brief description, guided by Myers (2013), and a critique, guided Pratt (2009), is provided. A summary of the five articles identifying the research method, data collection technique, data analysis approach and critique is provided in Table 1. The narrative review of each article coupled with figures and tables to organize and visualize thoughts (Pratt, 2009) follows the summary table.
The research was designed using qualitative model based on exploratory design. This was done to facilitate multi-faceted study with a broader prospective. Basic percentage analysis was done to supplement qualitative analysis. The study was conducted with the help of a Questionnaire. To deepen the understanding data was collected from a variety of books, Internet web pages, and articles of different kinds conducted was descriptive in nature. Descriptive research includes survey and facilitating enquiries of different
Kohlbacher, F. 2006. The use of qualitative content analysis in case study research. 7 (1) [Accessed: 25 Nov 2013].
• The aim of the research is to describe the research question. • For participants, it is a sheet that provide information in which clearly guide what the research is about and what are the factors will be include • The methodology is very important when you conducting a research and it should be appropriate for the research question. If a researcher want to do research on people perception and their attitudes and behavior regarding any phenomenon then Qualitative method and unstructured interviews are appropriate and if a researcher aims is to do research on people problems and needs on scale then Quantitative method, statistics, survey, experimental design and randomized sampling are more appropriate. A good research is based on methodologies. (Tamsin, 2006) • The research should be unbiased.
Research design is an outline of research study which indicates that what the researcher will do from writing the hypothesis and its operational implications to the final analysis of data. A research design is the arrangement of conditions for data collection and analysis of data in such a way that it will aim to combine relevance to research purpose with implementation of developed framework from research proceedure[1]. Research design constitutes conclusion regarding what, why, where, when and how concerning an inquiry or a research study. Overall research design may be divided into the following parts. [2]
Merriam, S.B. (1998). Qualitative Research and Case Study Applications Education.Revisedand Expanded from Case Study Research in Education. USA: John Willey and Sons.Inc.