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Assignment on Research Design and its elements and types

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 Assignment on

Research Design and its elements and types

Submitted by
Sagar Mozumder
Id: 172-30-164

Submitted to
Dr. A.B.M Kamal Pasha, D.Sc.
Associate Professor and Head
DIU, ESDM

Daffodil International University

Abstract
A research is valid when a conclusion is accurate or true and research design is the conceptual
blueprint within which research is conducted. A scholar for his research, prepare an action plan,
it constitutes the outline of collection, measurement and analysis of data. Research design is not
associated to any particular technique of data collection or any particular type of data. When
designing research, it is necessary that we recognize the type of evidence required to answer the
research question in a reasonable way. 1 This chapter has sketched the purpose, its importance
and types of research design
Introduction: Research design is the framework of research methods and techniques chosen by
a researcher. The design allows researchers to hone in on research methods that are suitable for
the subject matter and set up their studies up for success. The design of a research topic explains
the type of research (experimental, survey, correlational, semi-experimental, review) and also its
sub-type (experimental design, research problem, descriptive case-study). There are three main
types of research design: Data collection, measurement, and analysis. The type of research
problem an organization is facing will determine the research design and not vice-versa. The
design phase of a study determines which tools to use and how they are used.
Research design: A research design is the set of methods and procedures used in collecting and
analyzing measures of the variables specified in the problem research. The design of a study
defines the study type (descriptive, correlational, semi-experimental, experimental, review, meta-
analytic) and sub-type (e.g., descriptive-longitudinal case study), research problem, hypotheses,
independent and dependent variables, experimental design, and, if applicable, data collection
methods and a statistical analysis plan. A research design is a framework that has been created to
find answers to research questions.
There are three main types of research design: Data collection, measurement, and analysis.
The type of research problem an organization is facing will determine the research design and
not vice-versa. The design phase of a study determines which tools to use and how they are used.
An impactful research design usually creates a minimum bias in data and increases trust in the
accuracy of collected data. A design that produces the least margin of error in experimental
research is generally considered the desired outcome. The essential elements of the research
design are:
1. Accurate purpose statement
2. Techniques to be implemented for collecting and analyzing research
3. The method applied for analyzing collected details
4. Type of research methodology
5. Probable objections for research
6. Settings for the research study
7. Timeline
8. Measurement of analysis
characteristics of research design: Proper research design sets your study up for success.
Successful research studies provide insights that are accurate and unbiased. You’ll need to create
a survey that meets all of the main characteristics of a design. There are four key characteristics
of research design:
Neutrality: When you set up your study, you may have to make assumptions about the data you
expect to collect. The results projected in the research design should be free from bias and
neutral. Understand opinions about the final evaluated scores and conclusion from multiple
individuals and consider those who agree with the derived results.
Reliability: With regularly conducted research, the researcher involved expects similar results
every time. Your design should indicate how to form research questions to ensure the standard of
results. You’ll only be able to reach the expected results if your design is reliable.
Validity: There are multiple measuring tools available. However, the only correct measuring
tools are those which help a researcher in gauging results according to the objective of the
research. The questionnaire developed from this design will then be valid.
Generalization: The outcome of your design should apply to a population and not just a
restricted sample. A generalized design implies that your survey can be conducted on any part of
a population with similar accuracy.
The above factors affect the way respondents answer the research questions and so all the above
characteristics should be balanced in a good design.
Quantitative and qualitative research: A researcher must have a clear understanding of the
various types of research design to select which model to implement for a study. Like research
itself, the design of your study can be broadly classified into quantitative and qualitative.
Qualitative research design: Qualitative research determines relationships between collected
data and observations based on mathematical calculations. Theories related to a naturally
existing phenomenon can be proved or disproved using statistical methods. Researchers rely on
qualitative research design methods that conclude “why” a particular theory exists along with
“what” respondents have to say about it.
Quantitative research design: Quantitative research is for cases where statistical conclusions to
collect actionable insights are essential. Numbers provide a better perspective to make critical
business decisions. Quantitative research design methods are necessary for the growth of any
organization. Insights drawn from hard numerical data and analysis prove to be highly effective
when making decisions related to the future of the business.
Types of research design into five categories:
1. Descriptive research design: In a descriptive design, a researcher is solely interested in
describing the situation or case under their research study. It is a theory-based design method
which is created by gathering, analyzing, and presenting collected data. This allows a researcher
to provide insights into the why and how of research. Descriptive design helps others better
understand the need for the research. If the problem statement is not clear, you can conduct
exploratory research.
2. Experimental research design: Experimental research design establishes a relationship
between the cause and effect of a situation. It is a causal design where one observes the impact
caused by the independent variable on the dependent variable. For example, one monitors the
influence of an independent variable such as a price on a dependent variable such as customer
satisfaction or brand loyalty. It is a highly practical research design method as it contributes to
solving a problem at hand. The independent variables are manipulated to monitor the change it
has on the dependent variable. It is often used in social sciences to observe human behavior by
analyzing two groups. Researchers can have participants change their actions and study how the
people around them react to gain a better understanding of social psychology.
3. Correlational research design: Correlational research is a non-experimental research design
technique that helps researchers establish a relationship between two closely connected variables.
This type of research requires two different groups. There is no assumption while evaluating a
relationship between two different variables, and statistical analysis techniques calculate the
relationship between them.
A correlation coefficient determines the correlation between two variables, whose value ranges
between -1 and +1. If the correlation coefficient is towards +1, it indicates a positive relationship
between the variables and -1 means a negative relationship between the two variables.
4. Diagnostic research design: In diagnostic design, the researcher is looking to evaluate the
underlying cause of a specific topic or phenomenon. This method helps one learn more about the
factors that create troublesome situations.
This design has three parts of the research:
· Inception of the issue
· Diagnosis of the issue
· Solution for the issue
5. Explanatory research design: Explanatory design uses a researcher’s ideas and thoughts on a
subject to further explore their theories. The research explains unexplored aspects of a subject
and details about what, how, and why of research questions.

RESEARCH ELEMENTS
1) THE RESEARCH QUESTION:
The best research question should specify just one measurable result, as well as all the conditions
and important variables.
The question contains population, man or the conditions affecting the study population, and the
results.
2) HYPOTHESIS:
Assumption, based on observations or reflections, which may lead to refutable predictions.
Also a conjecture drawn up so that it can be tested and refuted.
 a) Alternative hypothesis:
Generally this is defined as stating that the null hypothesis (there are no differences) is not true.
If the objective of the trial is to compare a drug with the placebo, the null hypothesis will state
that there is no difference between the two groups, and the alternative hypothesis that there is a
difference.
 b) Null hypothesis:
Hypothesis that there is no difference between the two groups (for example, two treatments).
When both groups differ in substantially, the null hypothesis is very improbable.

3) RANDOMIZATION:
Ideally, a process which ensures that each member of a population has an equal chance of being
included in the study sample. This is not always possible.
More importantly, randomization means that the patients of the study are allocated to treatment
or placebo groups for the experiment, without taking into account any of the the patients’
characteristics or the desires of the study personnel.
4) POPULATION:
Every person who meets the inclusion criteria for the study.
Group of people with a defined characteristic (white females) or who meet a defined requirement
(people who live in Andalucía).
The denominator in the calculation of a rate.
5) SAMPLE:
The people who met the inclusion criteria of the study and who actually are incorporated into the
study. A sub-set of the population.
Selected fraction of a certain population, ideally representative of the reference population and of
a large enough size. Subgroups of observations of the study population.
6) SAMPLING:
Selection of the subjects of a population who will take part in a study.
Once the population for a clinical trial has been defined, the participants should ideally be
selected randomly, that is, in such a way that each potential participant of the population under
study has the same probabilities of being included in the sample.
This rarely happens, because the people identified as elements of the reference population may
have some characteristic which makes them specifically identifiable.
7) MANOEUVRE:
Any exposure or treatment which acts on the patients to produce a result.
8) RESULT OR OUTCOME:
The effect of a man oeuvre.
This term is also used to designate pre-determined variables in a clinical trial (for example,
cardiovascular mortality + reinfection, in clinical trials with patients who have suffered a
myocardia infarction).
9) INTERNAL VALIDITY:
Are the results of a study valid for the patient population studied?
Degree to which the experimental and reference groups have been formed and compared in such
a way that the differences observed between them in the dependent variables studied can be
attributed solely to the intervention under investigation.
10) EXTERNAL VALIDITY:
Are the results valid outside the population of patients studied? Are the results of the studies
done in men valid for women?
Degree to which the conclusions obtained with the sample of the population which participates in
a study can be generalized to its reference population or to other populations, places, times and
researchers.
11) VARIABLE:
Any attribute, phenomenon or fact which may have different values. A property of an individual
which can be observed; for example, height, weight, sex; this property varies from one individual
to another.
There are three levels of precision in the measurement of a variable: nominal, ordinal and
interval.
The simplest is the nominal one: the values assumed by a variable at this level indicate simply
categories (for example, sex, treatment group, etc).
The variables can also be rank ordered (ordinal grouping), for example, according to the level of
dose, categories of treatment duration or according to social class.
The variables which can not only be ordered but which also permit the measurement of the
distance between categories are called intervals (for example, height, weight, blood pressure,
number of deaths).
The values which any variable can take, whether explanatory or response values, constitute the
levels of the variables.
The nature of these levels is what determines the type of the variables.
Therefore the following types of variables exist:
 Dichotomous: a variable which can only take two possible values.
 Nominal: a variable which can take several values.
 Ordinal: a variable which can take several values and in which a ranking between the
categories can be established.
 Quantitative: a variable which can take a numerical range of values.
 Censored: a quantitative variable which can take partial or incomplete information (time
until something occurs in Analysis of Survival).
 Binary variable: variable or result which can only take one of two possible values.
 Categorical variable (synonym: discrete variable): Said of the variable which presents
interruptions.
 A variable is categorical if, among several potentially observable values, there is a value
which cannot be observed.
 Binary variables are a type of categorical variable, which can only take two values.
 Continuous variable: said of the variable which does not present interruptions; a
variable is continuous if, between two observable values, there is always the possibility
of there being another observable value.
Examples; age, weight, height, blood pressure.
  Dependent variable: variable whose value depends on the effect of another or other
variables (independent variables).
 Manifestation or result, the value of which is explained or justified by the influence of
independent variables, especially the regression model.
 In statistics, the variable which can be predicted by means of a regression equation.
 Independent variable: characteristic whose influence on a fact or a manifestation is
assumed (the dependent variable).
 In statistics, the independent variable is one of the elements of a regression equation.
 Intermediate variable (synonym: contingency): variable present in a causal chain from
an independent variable to another dependent one.
It determines the dependent variable, but at the same time is the object of modification by the
independent variable and simultaneously associates with both.
12) RANDOM ALLOCATION:
In a study in which two or more types of treatment are compared, it is advisable for the groups
formed to be similar in all the prognostic characteristics except in the treatment received, so that
any difference in the clinical course which is recorded can be attributed to the different
treatments administered (and only to them).
Random allocation consists of distributing each participant to one of the treatment groups by
means of a random method, so that each subject has exactly the same probabilities of forming
part of one treatment group or another.
The patients of one group have, on average, the same probability of possessing a certain
characteristic as those of the other group; this occurs with all the prognostic factors, known or
unknown.
When the number of patients included in a clinical trial is limited, random allocation may
determine the formation of somewhat different groups; this is less probable the greater the
number of patients.
With a view to evaluating whether random allocation has been carried out by chance, the
distribution of the prognostic characteristics known in each group should be compared at the end
of the trial.
Most publications about clinical trials contain a comparative table of these characteristics.
In order to prevent unequal distribution of the prognostic characteristics in each group, an
allocation in block can be carried out or the known differences can be corrected with a stratified
analysis or with a regression analysis.
Random allocation is the defining characteristic of controlled clinical trials, and differentiates
these trials from cohort studies.
  Stratified random allocation:
 Method whereby, before random allocation, the patients are included in subgroups
(strata) of similar prognostic characteristics and are then allocated randomly, separately
for each stratum, to each of the types of treatment.
 In this way, the final treatment groups and subgroups formed are comparable, at least in
terms of the factors which have been considered when forming the blocks or strata.
 For example, the risk of cardiovascular complications associated with high blood
pressure is greater in diabetic patients, but it might also happen that a group of
antihypertensive drugs may produce more undesirable effects among the diabetic
patients.
 In a clinical trial on antihypertensive drugs, a general random allocation can be made, or
diabetic and non-diabetic patients may be allocated separately to each type of treatment;
in both cases, the results in diabetic and non-diabetic patients could be analyzed
separately.
 Nevertheless, the results will have greater validity if the allocation has been carried out
separately, than if only an analysis of subgroups were made.
 Block random allocation:
Random allocation applied to successive groups of patients (for example, groups of four, groups
of ten, etc), with a view to preventing imbalances between groups in the case of intermediate
analysis or interruption of the trial.
 Random allocation by minimization: This consists of :
1. Identifying the relevant variables which are to be distributed in a well-balanced way to
both treatment groups (for example, in a clinical trial on the treatment of acute
myocardial infarction, age, smoking habit, antecedents of coronary heart disease and
diabetes).
2. Forming strata according to the variables of interest (in the example, patients under 70 or
70 and over, smokers or non-smokers, with or without antecedents of coronary heart
disease, and diabetics or non-diabetics).
3. Counting, for each stratum, how many patients have been allocated to each of the types
of treatment.
4. Adding the patients included in each of the stratum in one or other type of treatment.
5. Allocating new patients to the type of treatment in which the subjects of their
characteristics are least represented.
 Alternate allocation:
  In a clinical trial with two groups, method of treatment allocation in which the first
patient receives treatment A, the second patient receives the alternative (B), the third
patient treatment A, the fourth one B, and like this successively, in a predictable way.
 This type of allocation is not optimum (it generally means that the researcher knows
which technique, A or B, corresponds to the next patient) and therefore can give rise to
unequal groups and it is rarely compatible with maintaining the double-blind character of
a trial.

Conclusion: The purpose of a historical research design is to collect, verify, and synthesize
evidence from the past to establish facts that defend or refute your hypothesis. It uses secondary
sources and a variety of primary documentary evidence, such as, logs, diaries, official records,
reports, archives, and non-textual information [maps, pictures, audio and visual recordings]. The
limitation is that the sources must be both authentic and valid.

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