Part 1

MEANING OF RESEARCH DESIGN

The formidable problem that follows the task of defining
the research problem is the preparation of the design of the
research project, popularly known as the “research design”.
Decisions regarding what, where, when, how much, by what
means concerning an inquiry or a research study constitute
a research design.
A research design is the arrangement of conditions for
collection and analysis of data in a manner that aims to
combine relevance to the research purpose with economy in
procedure.
The research design aims to answer the following questions:
(i) What is the study about?
(ii) Why is the study being made?
(iii) Where will the study be carried out?
(iv) What type of data is required?
(v) Where can the required data be found?
(vi) What periods of time will the study include?
(vii) What will be the sample design?
(viii) What techniques of data collection will be used?
(ix) How will the data be analyzed?
(x) In what style will the report be prepared?
Keeping in view the above stated design decisions, one may
split the overall research design into the following parts:
(a) the sampling design which deals with the method of
selecting items to be observed for the given study;
(b) the observational design which relates to the conditions
under which the observations are to be made;
(c) the statistical design which concerns with the question
of how many items are to be observed and how the
information and data gathered are to be analyzed; and
(d) the operational design which deals with the techniques
by which the procedures specified in the sampling,
statistical and observational designs can be carried out.
The important features of a research design as under:
(i) It is a plan that specifies the sources and types of
information relevant to the research problem.
(ii) It is a strategy specifying which approach will be used for
gathering and analyzing the data.
(iii) It also includes the time and cost budgets since most
studies are done under these two constraints.
In brief, research design must, at least, contain—(a) a clear
statement of the research problem; (b) procedures and
techniques to be used for gathering information; (c) the
population to be studied; and (d) methods to be used in
processing and analyzing data.
NEED FOR RESEARCH DESIGN
Research design is needed because it facilitates the smooth
sailing of the various research operations, thereby making
research as efficient as possible yielding maximal
information with minimal expenditure of effort, time and
money.
Research design stands for advance planning of the
methods to be adopted for collecting the relevant data and
the techniques to be used in their analysis, keeping in view
the objective of the research and the availability of staff,
time and money. Preparation of the research design should
be done with great care as any error in it may upset the
entire project. Research design, in fact, has a great bearing
on the reliability of the results arrived at and as such
constitutes the firm foundation of the entire edifice of the
research work.
Thoughtlessness in designing the research project may
result in rendering the research exercise futile. It is,
therefore, imperative that an efficient and appropriate
design must be prepared before starting research
operations. The design helps the researcher to organize his
ideas in a form whereby it will be possible for him to look for
flaws and inadequacies.
In the absence of such a course of action, it will be difficult
for the critic to provide a comprehensive review of the
proposed study.
IMPORTANT CONCEPTS RELATING TO
RESEARCH DESIGN
Before describing the different research designs, it will be
appropriate to explain the various concepts relating to
designs so that these may be better and easily understood.
1. Dependent and independent variables: If one variable
depends upon or is a consequence of the other variable,
it is termed as a dependent variable, and the variable
that is antecedent to the dependent variable is termed
as an independent variable. For instance, if we say that
 height depends upon age, then height is a dependent
variable and age is an independent variable. Further, if
in addition to being dependent upon age, height also
depends upon the individual’s sex, then height is a
dependent variable and age and sex are independent
variables.
2. Extraneous variable: Independent variables that are
not related to the purpose of the study, but may affect
the dependent variable are termed as extraneous
variables. Suppose the researcher wants to test the
hypothesis that there is a relationship between
children’s gains in social studies achievement and their
self-concepts. In this case self-concept is an
independent variable and social studies achievement is
a dependent variable. Intelligence may as well affect
the social studies achievement, but since it is not
related to the purpose of the study undertaken by the
researcher, it will be termed as an extraneous variable.
Whatever effect is noticed on dependent variable as a
result of extraneous variable(s) is technically described
as an ‘experimental error’. A study must always be so
designed that the effect upon the dependent variable
 is attributed entirely to the independent variable(s), and
not to some extraneous variable or variables.
3. Control: One important characteristic of a good
research design is to minimize the influence or effect
of extraneous variable(s). The technical term ‘control’
is used when we design the study minimizing the
effects of extraneous independent variables. In
experimental researches, the term ‘control’ is used to
refer to restrain experimental conditions.
4. Confounded relationship: When the dependent variable
is not free from the influence of extraneous variable(s),
 the relationship between the dependent and
independent variables is said to be confounded by an
extraneous variable(s).
5. Research hypothesis: When a prediction or a
hypothesized relationship is to be tested by scientific
methods, it is termed as research hypothesis. The
research hypothesis is a predictive statement that
relates an independent variable to a dependent variable.
Usually a research hypothesis must contain, at least,
one independent and one dependent variable.
Predictive statements which are not to be objectively
 verified or the relationships that are assumed but not
to be tested, are not termed research hypotheses.
6. Experimental and non-experimental hypothesis-
testing research: When the purpose of research is to
test a research hypothesis, it is termed as hypothesis-
testing research. It can be of the experimental design
or of the non-experimental design. Research in which
the independent variable is manipulated is termed
‘experimental hypothesis-testing research’ and
research in which an independent variable is not
 manipulated is called ‘non-experimental hypothesis-
testing research’.
7. Experimental and control groups: In experimental
hypothesis-testing research when a group is exposed
to usual conditions, it is termed a ‘control group’, but
when the group is exposed to some novel or special
condition, it is termed an ‘experimental group’.
8. Treatments: The different conditions under which
experimental and control groups are put are usually
referred to as treatments. If we want to determine
through an experiment the comparative impact of
 three varieties of fertilizers on the yield of wheat, in
that case the three varieties of fertilizers will be
treated as three treatments.
9. Experiment: The process of examining the truth of a
statistical hypothesis, relating to some research
problem, is known as an experiment. For example, we
can conduct an experiment to examine the usefulness
of a certain newly developed drug. Experiments can be
of two types viz., absolute experiment and comparative
experiment. If we want to determine the impact of a
fertilizer on the yield of a crop, it is a case of absolute
 experiment; but if we want to determine the impact of
one fertilizer as compared to the impact of some other
fertilizer, our experiment then will be termed as a
comparative experiment. Often, we undertake
comparative experiments when we talk of designs of
experiments.
10. Experimental unit(s): The pre-determined plots or the
blocks, where different treatments are used, are
known as experimental units. Such experimental units
must be selected (defined) very carefully.