1. 3
Research Design

2. Content What is Research Design? Types of Research Design
1. Cross-sectional
2. Longitudinal
3. Case study
4. Comparative

3. Research Design A plan that specifies
the sources of information used
types of information used
A strategy specifying which approach will be used for
gathering data
analysing data.
Describes the constraints
time budget
cost budget

4. Research Design (i) What is the study about?
(ii) Why is the study being made?
(iii) Where will the study be carried out?
(iv) What type of data is required?
(v) Where can the required data be found?
(vi) What periods of time will the study include?
(vii) What will be the sample design?
(viii) What techniques of data collection will be used?
(ix) How will the data be analysed?

5. Parts of the Research Design Process
Overall research design can be split into following parts:
(a) the sampling design
deals with the method of selecting items to be investigated
e.g. Random or non-random
(b) the observational design
the conditions under which the investigation is be made;
e.g. Official data, survey data, case study

6. Parts of the Research Design Process
(c) the statistical design
how many items are to be observed
how will information and data be analysed

7. Types of Research Design
1. Cross-sectional
2. Longitudinal
3. Case study
4. Comparative
We will now look at these in more detail

8. 1. Cross-sectional research design
Collection of data on more than one case
Data is collected at a single point in time
E.g. a day , month year
At least two variables collected
But usually many more
Then examine to detect patterns of association.

9. 1. Cross-sectional Research Design
Collecting several pieces of data from various cases at a single point in time
Here the case could be a countries, a regions, people, businesses etc.
e.g. study of shopping choices of students on a day in November 9 9

10. Single Survey Research Design
Typical example of cross-sectional design
Collection of data on more than one case
Data mainly collected by questionnaire or structured interview
Data collected at a single point in time
At least two variables collected
Then examine to detect patterns of association.
Key Question: What determines the shopping habits of students?

11. 2. Longitudinal Research Design
Survey of the same sample on more than one occasion
Often referred to as panel or cohort studies
Taking our student shopping example
Study of shopping choices of students on one day in November, December, January, February etc
Key Questions: Do shopping habits of student change over time and if so why? 11 11

12. 2. Longitudinal Research Design
Collecting data on the same cases at various points in time
Eg. surveying the same group of people year after year 12 12

13. 2. Issues with Longitudinal Research
Attrition, because people die, or move home, or withdraw from the study.
Knowing when is the right time for the next wave of data collection.
Should you wait 6 months, year, 5 years?
The first round may have been badly thought out, which leaves the later rounds in a bit of a mess.

14. 3. Case study design Detailed and intensive analysis of one case
e.g. a single community, school, family, person, event, or organization
Often involves qualitative research
Soft data?
Example: What influences the subject choices of students at the University in 2014?
Detailed interviews with lecturers, students, parents, employers 14 14

15. 3. Issues with Case-Study Research
Biggest issue concerns external validity
Are the factors that determine student subject choice in one University the same in another University? We don’t know (we only studied one)
Some argue that point of this research is to examine particular cases
Not really concerned with making general findings.
Cases may be extended longitudinally
Go back and study the same, school, family, person the following year.

16. 4. Comparative Research Design
Using the case study methods
to compare two or more meaningfully contrasting cases
Can be qualitative or quantitative
Often cross-cultural comparisons
e.g. study of the shopping habits of students in Prague and in Vienna 16 16

17. 4. Comparative Research Design
Prague
Vienna
Repeating a cross sectional study with various different groups at the same time 17 17

18. Research Design in Summary
Quantitative and qualitative research can be executed using any of these research designs
Survey research is the most typical form for quantitative research 18 18

19. Research Design in Summary
Good Research Design must contain
a clear statement of the research problem;
procedures and techniques to be used for gathering information;
the population to be studied;
methods to be used in processing and analysing data.