1. The Art of Research Design
Valentini Kalargyrou, Ph.D.

2. University of New Hampshire
Dr. Kalargyrou Bio
University of New Hampshire

3. University of New Hampshire
OUTLINE
Choosing research design
The role of theory
Qualitative vs. Quantitative
Using different research designs
Ethical considerations
University of New Hampshire

4. How Do you Choose your Research Design?
What is the goal of your study?
What problems do we want to resolve?
What is/are your research question(s)?
Does the question mainly involve description or causal inference?
Does it need in depth understanding or generalizing broadly?
Is it exploratory or confirmatory?
Does it focus on prediction or explanation?
Why literature review is important in the process?
University of New Hampshire

5. What is the Role of Theory in Research Design?
When would your research design and research questions be based on theory?
Almost always! Why?
Problem Identification
Literature Review
Theory
Research Questions
Research Design
University of New Hampshire

6. Quantitative vs. Qualitative
University of New Hampshire

7. When to Use Survey Designs
When you require a broadly representative sample
When data can be obtained by brief answers to structured questions
When you can expect an adequate and reliable response rate
Example: Attitudes towards people with disabilities
Disadvantages?
The implicit-association test (IAT) is a measure within social psychology designed to detect the strength of a person's automatic association between mental representations of objects (concepts) in memory.
University of New Hampshire

8. When to Use Experimental Designs
When causal processes are your main concern and they can be simulated in controlled conditions
When the independent variables can be manipulated
When internal validity is more important than external validity
Example: Perception of service quality when served by people with disabilities (combination of survey and experiment)
Disadvantages?
University of New Hampshire

9. When to Use Interview Designs
When in depth information is more important than the ability to generalize to a larger population
When questions call for in depth answers not easily answered in a survey format
When you are interested in generating new hypotheses instead of testing existing ones
Example: Role of training professionals in the hospitality industry, attitudes about the employment of people with disabilities
Disadvantages?
ZMET and Implicit Association Test go beyond social desirability answers
University of New Hampshire

10. When to Use Observation Designs
NATURALISTIC OBSERVATION
When you observe without being observed
When you want to explore social processes
When participant observation is impossible and can raise ethical considerations
When interested in discovering new variables than studying existing ones
When looking for a rich description of a particular content
PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION
When observation leads to participation as a consequence
When you need to need to get inside a political or social process
When merely interviewing or surveying is too distant from what you need to know to address your research questions
When you want to study variables in a particular context
University of New Hampshire

11. When to Use Secondary or Archival Sources
When available data for answering your research questions are better than what you could reasonably expect to generate yourself e.g. ODEP study
When archival sources are the object of investigation, such as websites and research reports in a literature review e.g. Disability study on Social ent/ship
When the object of investigation is not available to researchers but it can be approached indirectly through documents or other archival materials e.g. Sex trafficking and The Code
When the subject involves the past and other designs are impossible e.g. Diversity management review
University of New Hampshire

12. Combining Designs – Mixed Methods
When you want to support results with several methods e.g. combination of an experiment and a survey
When you want to use one method to inform another e.g. interviews and then surveys
When you want to elaborate, clarify or build on findings from other methods e.g. survey results discussed in focus groups
When you want to “tell the full story” in an area of inquiry e.g. grant in Hong Kong
University of New Hampshire

13. Ethical Considerations
Institutional Review Board and Human Subject Protection
Informed consent
Protect vulnerable populations
Anonymity of participants
Strive for:
Honesty
Objectivity and non discrimination
Openness
Confidentiality
Responsible publication
Responsible mentoring
University of New Hampshire

14. University of New Hampshire

15. University of New Hampshire
References
Vogt, P., Gardner, D. & Haeffele L. (2012). When to use what research design. New York: The Guilford Press.
Bryman, A. & Bell E. Business Research Methods (3rd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press.
McLeod, S. (2017). Simply Psychology; Stanford Prison Experiment. Retrieved from
University of New Hampshire