A research design provides a framework for the collection and analysis of data a choice of research design reflects decisions about the priority being given to a range of dimensions of the research process. These include the importance attached to:
1) expressing causal connections between variables;
2) generalizing to larger groups of individuals than those actually forming part of the investigation;
3) understanding behaviour and the meaning of that behaviour in its specific social context; and
4) having a temporal (i.e. over time) appreciation of social phenomena and their interconnections. (Bryman and Bell, 2007)
WHAT IS RESEARCH METHOD?
A research method is simply a technique for collecting data. It can involve a specific instrument; such as a self-completion questionnaire or a structured interview schedule; or participant observation whereby the researcher listens to and watches others.
The Design of Research in Social Science
The design of research in social science can be divided into five categories depending on the purpose of the research:
1)descriptive
2)relational
3)experimental
4)quasi-experimental
5)Qualitative
However, as in the context of this class, the focus design of research will be only for descriptive and relational design.
Descriptive Research
The purpose of descriptive research is to:
- become familiar with a phenomenon,
- gain new insight;
- formulate a more refined research problem or hypothesis, or
- portray status and characteristics of a group or situation.
There are several types of descriptive research. These include survey, developmental study, follow-up study, documentary analysis, historical and trend analysis.
Among the most common types of descriptive research is the survey method.
This method is frequently used for research in the field of sociology, psychology, political science, education and management. Usually survey research does not involve the testing hypotheses about the relationship between variable. Consequently variables are not identified as independent or dependent since the variables are used to describe status only.
Using survey research,
it is possible to collect a wide scope of information from a large information through sampling.
This type of research deals with a real situation and data are collected in the actual situation.
It can serve as a first step in developing hypotheses or in identifying more specific problem for research that goes beyond description only.
The survey is usually more extensive than intensive especially if the data are collected by mailed questionnaire.
The cross-sectional research, unlike the longitudinal research, studies subject of some different characteristics at the same point in time.
One major disadvantage of this type of research is that differences between samples due to chances may seriously bias the result.
However, it is usually possible to obtain a larger sample for cross-sectional study than can be obtained for the longitudinal studies.
The advantages of this large sample, may in some cases, outweigh disadvantages of the cross-sectional approach.
Another disadvantage of a cross-sectional approach lies in the possibility of extraneous variables creating differences between the population sample.
Relational/Correlational Studies
Relational studies include correlational and causal-comparative research. Correlational studies are concerned with determining the relationship(s) existing among variables.
In this research, one collects measures on at least two variables for the same groups of subjects and then calculate coefficient of correlation between the measures. It involves no intervention or manipulation on the part of the researchers other than required to administer the instrument necessary to collect the data desired.
Causal-comparative research determines the causes for or the consequences of a phenomenon that already has taken place. This research is sometimes called ex-post facto research. It is often used instead of experimental method because many of the cause-and-effect relationship that the researchers wish to study in social science do not permit experimental manipulation.
Variables can be classified into dependent and independent variables. Depending on the nature of the study, for example in the causal relationship study, there are dependent and in dependent variables. On the other hand, an exploratory study, describing the approach used in the extension delivery system, does not have dependent and independent variables
