Principles, Practices and Dynamics of Research Management

LECTURE-4Research Design

Kazi Nurmohammad Hossainul HaqueSenior Lecturer, Civil Service College Dhaka

MPA 5th Batch (2010-11)15 January 2011 SaturdayBIAM Foundation Complex

Discussion Topics

Defining Research Design

• “‘Design’ ... is a process of deliberate anticipation directed (to bring) an expected situation under control.”

• Designing – apriori decision-making about a situation as it unfolds.

• Research design – A systemic approach to establish a plan of action to implement the research.

• A simulated construction of research action.

• The arrangement of conditions for collection and analysis of data.

• Simply, research design is an operational plan for a proposed research, a kind of ‘mapping strategy’.

Research Design: Broader Components

Components of Research Design

Statement on Research Problem

Positioning the research

Research objective(s)

Research question(s)

Research sub-question(s)

Brief theoretical/analytical review

Research methodology

Research schedule

Table of contents

Indicative reference list

Components of Research Design (Cont.)

• Problem statement:

• A statement on the nature of the research problem

• Should define temporal, geographical and conceptual limits of the research work

• Clarifications: Definitions, Delimitations, Assumptions, Theoretical/conceptual bases

• Positioning the research: An indication of the connection of the research to a ‘theoretical/conceptual’ or ‘discipline’ or ‘policy’ field

• Research objectives: A statement regarding the objectives to be attained through this research

Components of Research Design (Cont.)• Research question(s) and sub-question(s):

• Formation of questions and/or hypotheses that are examined in the research

• Research questions needs to be as ‘precise’ and ‘concise’ as possible

• Indication to relationships between theories, concepts, variables, phenomena and/or events

• Questions/hypotheses – vital role in research design through determining scope and focus

• If relevant, formulation of sub-questions and/or operational hypotheses

• Sub-questions further help define what relations the research is observing and explaining

Components of Research Design (Cont.)

• Research question(s) and sub-question(s) (cont.):

• Variable:-

• A general category of objectives, events or situations, i.e. sex, income, social class

• Within this category, specific instances will vary

• Variable is a measurable dimension of a concept

• Research involve manipulation or measurement of variable

• Variables must have at least two values

• Explanation and analysis of the changes and differences in the variables is at the crux of research

Components of Research Design (Cont.)

• Research question(s) and sub-question(s) (cont.):

• Variable:-

• Typology of variable: nature & effect (causality)

Components of Research Design (Cont.)

• Research question(s) and sub-question(s) (cont.):

• Hypothesis:-

• Formulation of hypothesis for presuming problems that requires systemic inquiry.

• Hypothesis formulation gives direction in which way facts are to be arranged so irrelevant facts can be eliminated from relevant facts.

• Characteristics of hypothesis:

Components of Research Design (Cont.)

• Research question(s) and sub-question(s) (cont.):

• Hypothesis:- Sources• Specialized knowledge field• Publications i.e. published studies, research

abstracts, journals, books, papers etc.• Experiences and observations• Discussions and deliberations

Components of Research Design (Cont.)

• Research question(s) and sub-question(s) (cont.):

• Hypothesis:- Process of developing hypothesis

• Inductive reasoning deductive reasoning

Generalization, abstraction,

theory

Prediction, expectation, hypothesis

Observations, facts,

evidence

Observations, facts,

evidence

Components of Research Design (Cont.)

• Research question(s) and sub-question(s) (cont.):

• Variable & Hypothesis:• Operational definition of variables/concepts:

• Difficulties of operationalization:

Components of Research Design (Cont.)• Brief Theoretical/Analytical Review:

• A short discussion of relevant theoretical background

• An introduction of main analytical approaches to be examined and used

• One of the main functions of theory – providing explanation of processes and predict possible movements of certain variables

• Theories explain causal and natural relationship of variables

• Social problems and issues are complex and interrelated by nature – difficulty to give a comprehensive and satisfactory analysis – so use of analytical approaches, combining theories in an integrated framework of analysis

Components of Research Design (Cont.)

• Research Methodology:• An argued indication of the sources of data:• An argued choice for data collection, data

analysis and data processing techniques• Primary data, secondary data• Different methods: (i) Survey of documents and

other (secondary) sources, (ii) Observations, (iii) Questionnaire, (iv) Interview, (v) Case Study

• Research methods are tools and techniques for attacking research problem. But tools and techniques themselves are not enough without their appropriate uses.

Components of Research Design (Cont.)

• Research schedule:• A timetable, which is important for the student’s

own monitoring of progress and for the planning and co-ordination of supervision

• Table of contents• Indicative reference list