Research Design

Research Design
Definition- “Research design
provides a systematic plan of
procedure for the researcher
to follow”.– John W. Best.
Meaning
- a conceptual Structure
- a blueprint
- an outline of what the researcher will do
Research design is a set of advance decisions that make up
the master plan specifying the methods and procedures for
collecting and analyzing the needed information.
All Research Designs should contain
answers to the following questions :
• What the study is about ?
• Why the study is undertaken ?
• What are the types of data required ?
• Where data can be found ?
• What techniques of gathering data will be adopted ?
• Where data can be found ?
• In which areas, the study will be undertaken ?
• When or what periods of time , the study will conclude ?
• How much resources (men ,money , and materials ) will be
required ?
 Aspects of Research Design
2. A clear statement of the research problem.
• The purpose or objective of the research
• The time period of research study
• The sources of collecting data.
• The procedures and techniques of collecting data.
• The universe of research design.
• The sample size of respondents , if any.
• The area where research to be conducted.
• The methods or techniques of data processing.
• The resources required to conduct the research.
 Significance of Research
Design
 Smooth & efficient sailing (sets boundaries & prevents blind search)
 Yields maximum information (avoids collection of unnecessary data)
 Costs least in terms of effort, time & money
 Maximizes reliability of results
 Provides firm foundation to the endeavor
 Averts misleading conclusions & thoughtless exercise
 Helps organising ones ideas
 Gives chance to foresee flaws & inadequacies (anticipates problems)
 Incorporates by learning from others critical comments & evaluations
 Like a successful journey,
– Broadens your mind
– Gives fascinating & exciting experience
– Gives insight into world around you
– Provides opportunity to meet people
– Gives fun and reward, but at times, very tedious
 Steps in Research Design

• Define the research problem

• Estimate the cost of information –It is advisable
to find out the cost –benefit ratio before proceeding
• Select the source of data collection
• Select the measurement techniques
• Select the sample
 Steps in Research Design Cont..
• Select the method of analysis –Its depends upon
the selection of data sampling, measurement
technique, data collection, purpose of research

3. Find out time and cost needs

8. Prepare the research design
Qualities of good Research Design

• It is easy to suggest a problem but difficult to make

a good research design

• Each problem/research work is unique & demands

unique research design & unique combination of
methods and techniques

• Comprehensive

• Flexible
 Qualities of good Research Design Cont.

• CHOOSES APPROPRIATE COMBINATION OF METHODS AND

TECHNIQUES :- This suggest that the design should be such that it
chooses appropriate combination of methods and techniques based on
objectives, possible implications of results and overall environment, current
knowledge etc.

• SHOULD BE ACCEPTABLE:- This point suggests that the design should

be universally acceptable and understood by persons. It should be simple,
clear and easily understood by laymen.

• Efficient, economical, maximum Reliability, minimum Biases & Smallest

Error:-
 Types of Research
Designs

Exploratory Descriptive Causal

 Exploratory Research
Explore- to find/ discover.

Purpose to find out causes behind a problem precisely, collect

required information and identify alternate courses of action
in order to deal with the problem

Uses of exploratory research include:

 Gain background information.
 To understand such problems.
 Clarify problems and hypotheses.
 Establish research priorities.
 Exploratory Research (Cont.)
Methods of Conducting Exploratory Research
2. Secondary data analysis
3. Experience (Expert) surveys
4. Case Analysis
5. Focus groups
 Descriptive Research
Researcher desires to know the characteristics of certain
groups such as age, sex, occupation income or
education.
Descriptive research

Cross sectional studies Longitudinal studies

Panel methods
Field studies surveys
 Causal Research
As the name indicates ,casual design investigates the cause
and effect relationship between two or more variables.

 Casual research is useful to show the impact of one variables

on the other. For example, Price and market demand
relationship or relationship between market competition and
sales performance.

 Data collected:
 Survey
 Lab experiments
 Areas of Decision Making in Research Design

1. The Time period of research

2. The Sources of data

3. The Data Collation Method

4. The Research Universe

5. The Area of Research

6. The Sample Design

 Case Study
Transitional Housing Inc. (THI), is a local nonprofit organization located in
Madison , Wisconsin. THI provides assistance to homeless and very low-
income
individuals and families in finding emergency shelter, food, employment
transitional housing and affordable apartment housing. These services are
provided through four basic THI programs. See exhibit below for details :

a) The Drop-In Shelter: An emergency drop-in shelter for men located at

Grace Church.
b) The Hospitality House: A day shelter for homeless and very low income
men and women.
j) The Transitional Housing Program : Provides transitional living
k) arrangements for families and single men for six months or more
depanding on the needs of the individual / family and the unit.
d) The Housing Opportunity Program : Helps families in obtaining a lease.
As part of its planning, the board of directors of THI was interested in determining ways to
improve the organization’s paid staff, volunteers, and guests (the homeless staying at THI
or using its facilities or services) , to determine which programs of THI they found
particularly useful, which should be revised, and what other programs or services might be
of more assistance to guests.

However, the analysis of THI’s internal statistics and other published data indicated the
need for THI to narrow its focus. Specifically, internal information indicated the number of
agencies serving the male homeless population was decreasing. Morever, THI was
currently the only Madison shelter that served the male homeless population, and this
community appeared to be underserved. In fact the number of homeless men staying at
THI's Drop-In Shelter had increased 89 percent from 60% three years ago to 1,146 the past
year. This was partly due to the closing of other Madison male shelters in the last three
years. Finally the THI shelter was filled beyond its capacity of 66 men per night. During
the
winter , there were frequently more than 90 men staying at the Drop-In Shelter on any
given night, with many of them sleeping on the hallway floor.
Given this information, the board of directors decided to use the
organization's limited resources, to focus first on the Drop-In Shelter.
More
specifically, the board asked for an evaluation of THI's current facilities
and he services for the homeless as well as a determination of what future
services and facilities it should try to provide :

Questions:
(a) What Is The Research Problem?
(b) How Should The Research Be Structured?
(c) What Kind Of Research Design Would Be Appropriate For This
Purpose?
(d) What Information Would You Collect For this Research Problem?
 Answers
(a)What Is The Research Problem?

Ans: THI is providing different services to homeless and low income

individuals and families. It wants to recognise its programmes relating to
housing facilities and services to the poor. It noted that male homeless
population was underserved men occupying THI’s Drop-In-Shelter is
increasing rapidly leading to overcrowding in the shelters. As a result, the THI
desires to use on priority basis its limited resources on Drop-in-shelter. The
THI wants to review its current facilities and services for the homeless and
find our precisely the future services and facilities which it should provide.
This is precisely the research problem before THI.
(b) How Should The Research Be Structured?

Ans: The research work relates to the study of various services and facilities
offered by the THI to homeless and the services which should be provided
by the THI in future in the context of limited resources available with THI.
Research work needs to be structured as per the research problem finalized.
This should be followed by other steps such as deciding the research
design, data required for detailed study, data collection, analysis of data
collected, drawing conclusions and finally report writing. Internal data can
be used extensively for research purpose. Co-operation of staff, volunteers
and the homeless staying at THI can be used fruitfully.
(c) What Kind Of Research Design Would Be
Appropriate For This Purpose?

Ans: Here, the descriptive research design appears to be appropriate.

The purpose of research is to find out ways and means to help
homeless population overcrowding in the drop-in-shelter facility and
deciding future services and facilities which THI should provide. The
researcher wants to know the problems faced by the homeless people
and adjust the facilities of THI accordingly. For this descriptive
research design will be preferable.
(d) What information would you collect for this research problem?

Ans: For the study of this research problem, information on the following
points will be required:
1) Details of use of services and facilities provided by THI during the
course of last three years (Number of people taking benefit of services and
facilities ) changes in the services//facilities offered , opinions of people
using facilities and the expenditure incurred on each facility service.
2) Other agencies providing such services / facilities in the locality and the
extent of their services / facilities offered.
3) Statistical details of homeless and very low income individuals/ families
interested in the services/ facilities offered by THI.
4) Details of suggestions of users of facilities of THI through suitable
questionnaires and personal interviews for making suitable modifications
in the facilities/ services provided by THI.
5) The extent to which male homeless population is increasing in the area.
6) Financial position of THI and how much additional money can be
provided to Drop-in-shelter facility which providing other services requires
as usual.
THANK YOU