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RESEARCH DESIGN
KUSHAL KUMAR
ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR
DEPT. OF PHARMACOLOGY
ISF COLLEGE OF PHARMACY
WEBSITE: - WWW.ISFCP.ORG
EMAIL:KUSHAL1KUMAR@GMAIL.COM
ISF College of Pharmacy, Moga
Ghal Kalan, GT Road, Moga- 142001, Punjab, INDIA
Internal Quality Assurance Cell - (IQAC)

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Research Design: Definition
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 with economy in procedure.
It is a conceptual structure within which research is conducted; it constitutes the blueprint for the collection,
measurement and analysis of data.
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Research Design: Definition
It contains the information regarding:
What is the study about?
Why is the study being made?
Where will the study being carried out?
What type of data is required?
Where can the required data be found?
What periods of time will the study include?
What will be the sample design?
What techniques of data collection will be used?
How will the data be analysed?
In what style will the report be prepared?

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Research Design: Categories
Overall, there may be four categories:
 The sampling design – method of selecting items to be observed
for the given study.
 The observational design – relates to conditions under which
the observations are to be made.
 The statistical design – concerns with the analysis of gathered
data.
 The operational design – deals with the techniques to carry out
above three steps.

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Features of a Good Research Design
 Flexible
 Appropriate
 Efficient
 Accurate
 Economical
 Minimises the biasness
 Maximises the reliability of the result

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Types of Research Design
• Three traditional categories:
– Exploratory
– Descriptive
– Causal
• The choice of the most appropriate design depends largely on the objectives of the research and how much
is known about the problem and research objectives.

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Basic Research Objectives and Research Design
Research Objective Appropriate Design
 To gain background information, Exploratory
to define terms, to clarify
problems and hypotheses, to
establish research priorities
 To describe and measure a Descriptive
phenomena at a point in time
 To determine causality, Causal
to make “if-then” statements

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1. Exploratory Research Design
 Exploratory research is most commonly unstructured, informal research that is undertaken to gain background
information about the general nature of the research problem.
 By unstructured, we mean there is no formal set of objectives, sample plan, or questionnaire.
 It is usually conducted when the researcher does not know much about the problems.
 Exploratory research is usually conducted at the outset of research projects.
 The major emphasis is on the discovery of ideas and insights.

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Exploratory Research Design
 Uses
Gain Background Information
Define Terms
Clarify Problems and Hypothesis (refine research objectives)
Establish Research Priorities
 Generally, following three methods are used in this case:
a) Survey of concerning literature
b) Experience Survey
c) Analysis of insight-stimulating examples

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Continue…
a) The survey of concerning literature:
 simple method of developing hypothesis
 hypothesis stated by earlier researchers may be reviewed
 if the hypotheses have not been formulated yet then the task would be to review the literature and
formulate relevant hypotheses
b) The Experience Survey:
 means the survey of people who have had practical experience with the problem to be studied
 the respondents should also be allowed to raise issues and questions
 time taking process, so it would be better if a copy of questions to be discussed with the respondents is
sent to him well in advance

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Continue…
c) Analysis of “insight-stimulating” examples:
 suitable for relatively unexplored area of study
 no clear cut answer for what sort of examples should be selected
 in general, cases that provide sharp contrasts or having
striking features are considered

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2. Descriptive/Diagnostic Research Design
 Descriptive research studies are those studies which are concerned with describing the characteristics of a
particular individual, or of a group; whereas, Diagnostic research studies determine the frequency with
which something occurs or is associated with something else.
 Descriptive research is undertaken to describe answers to questions of who, what, where, when, and how.
 Descriptive research is desirable when we wish to project a study’s findings to a larger population, if the
study’s sample is representative.

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 Cross-sectional studies
 Longitudinal studies
 Panel Studies
a) Cross-sectional studies measure units from a sample of the population at only one point in time.
 Sample surveys: are cross-sectional studies whose samples are drawn in such a way as to be representative
of a specific population.
 These studies are usually presented with a margin of error.
 Cross-sectional studies take “snapshots” of the population at a point in time.
Three basic classifications:

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b) Longitudinal studies repeatedly measure the same sample units of a population over time.
 Longitudinal studies often make use of a panel which represents sample units who have agreed to
answer questions at periodic intervals.
 Many large research firms maintain panels of consumers.
Continue…

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Difference between Exploratory and Descriptive
Research Design
Research Design Exploratory/Formulative Descriptive/Diagnostic
Overall Design Flexible – provide opportunity
for considering diff aspects of
the problem
Rigid – enough provision for
protection against biasness,
must maximise reliability
Sampling Design Non-probability sampling design Probability sampling design
(random)
Statistical Design No pre-planned design Pre-planned design
Observational Design Unstructured instruments for
collection of data
Structured instruments for
collection of data
Operational Design No fixed decision about the
operational procedures
Advanced decision about
operational procedures

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Important Concepts Related to Research Design
 Dependent and independent variables
 Extraneous variables
 Control
 Confound relationship
 Research hypothesis
 Experimental and non-experimental hypothesis-testing research
 Experimental and control group
 Treatments
 Experiments
 Experimental units

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3. Hypothesis-Testing Research Design
Also known as Experimental studies.
 Researcher tests the hypotheses of causal relationship between variables.
 Well laid-down procedures has to be followed.
 The concept was developed by R. A. Fisher based on his research on agriculture.

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Thank you
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