Research Design and Methods

Research Design

• Definition: A detailed plan outlining how to conduct a research study, including the methods and procedures to be used.
• Components:
  • Research question or hypothesis
  • Literature review
  • Methodology (data collection and analysis)
  • Sampling strategy
  • Data collection tools (e.g. surveys, interviews)
  • Data analysis plan
  • Timeline and budget

Reliable Resources

• Types of sources:
  • Academic journals
  • Government reports
  • Non-profit organization publications
  • Primary sources (e.g. data, images)
• Evaluation criteria:
  • Authority (author's expertise and credentials)
  • Currency (timeliness of information)
  • Relevance (alignment with research topic)
  • Objectivity (lack of bias)
  • Peer-review status

Search Engines

• Types:
  • General search engines (e.g. Google, Bing)
  • Academic search engines (e.g. Google Scholar, Microsoft Academic)
  • Specialty search engines (e.g. PubMed, arXiv)
• Search strategies:
  • Using keywords and phrases
  • Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT)
  • Quotation marks for exact phrases
  • Advanced search features (e.g. file type, date range)

Bias

• Types:
  • Confirmation bias (selective information processing)
  • Selection bias (non-random sampling)
  • Information bias (inaccurate or incomplete data)
  • Confounding bias (extraneous variables affecting results)
• Mitigation strategies:
  • Use of control groups
  • Randomization and blinding
  • Data triangulation (multiple sources and methods)
  • Awareness of personal biases and assumptions

CRAAP Test

• A framework for evaluating the credibility and reliability of sources:
  • C - Currency: Is the information up-to-date?
  • R - Relevance: Is the information relevant to the research topic?
  • A - Authority: Is the author an expert in the field?
  • A - Accuracy: Is the information accurate and reliable?
  • P - Purpose: What is the purpose of the information? Is it to inform, persuade, or entertain?