Week 6 Research Design PDF

Chapter 6 : Research Methods 6.1 QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 6.2 STUDY DESIGN IN QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH 6.3 STUDY DESIGN IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 6.1 Quantitative Research Quantitative research is rooted in the philosophy of rationalism; follows a rigid, structured and predetermined set of...

Chapter 6 : Research Methods 6.1 QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 6.2 STUDY DESIGN IN QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH 6.3 STUDY DESIGN IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH 6.1 Quantitative Research Quantitative research is rooted in the philosophy of rationalism; follows a rigid, structured and predetermined set of procedures to explore. It aims to: Quantify the extent of variation in a phenomenon Emphasise the measurement of variables and the objectivity of the process Communicate findings in an analytical manner Draw conclusions and inferences that can be generalised Qualitative Research The main focus for qualitative research is to understand, explain, explore , discover and clarify situations, feelings, perceptions, attitudes, values, beliefs and experience of a group of people It follows an open, flexible and unstructured approach to enquiry It aims to; Explore diversity rather than to quantify Emphasize the description and narration of feelings, perceptions and experiences rather than their measurement Communicate findings in a descriptive and narrative rather than analytical manner Place less emphasis on generalisations 6.2 Study Design in Quantitative Research There are 2 types of study designs in Quantitative Research 1. The number of contacts with the study population 2. The reference period of the study 1. The number of contacts with the study population There are 3 groups on the number of contacts with the study population 1.1 cross-sectional studies 1.2 before-and-after studies 1.3 longitudinal studies 1.1 Cross-sectional studies Also known as one-shot/snapshots or status studies Aimed at finding out the prevalence of a phenomenon, situation, problem, attitude or issue, by taking a cross-section of the population Basically, what you do is you decide what you want to find out about, identify the study population, select a sample and contact your respondents to get the information However, it involves only one contact with the respondents You won’t be able to measure change 1.2 The before-and-after study design Also known as pre or post test Appropriate design to measure the impact of effectiveness of a programme Can be described as two sets of cross sectional studies as data collection is made on the same population between two points in time The change is measured by comparing the difference in the phenomenon before and after the intervention. 1.3 The longitudinal study design This design is useful when you want to collect data on a continuous basis It is to determine the pattern of change in relation to time For example, you want to study a group of people adp[tign to a programme over a period of time The study population is visited a number of times at regular intervals, usually over a long period of time to collect the information. Intervals are not fixed it could vary from study to study and might be as short as a week or longer than a year. It is like a repeated cross-sectional studies which is done over a period of time However, the problem with this design is that as the respondents are frequently contacted, the respondents might respond without giving a thought and they might give the same answer 2.The reference period of the study 2.1 retrospective study design 2.2 prospective study design 2.3 retrospective-prospective study design 2.1 Retrospective study design Investigate a phenomenon, situation, problem or issue that has happened in the past Are usually conducted based on the available data on that phenomenon or on the basis of respondents’ recall of that situation 2.2 The prospective study design Refer to the likely prevalence of a phenomenon, situation, problem, attitude or outcome in the future Attempt to establish the outcome of an event or what is likely to happen Experiments are usually classified as prospective studies as the researcher must wait for an intervention to register its effect on the study population. 2.3 retrospective-prospective study design Focuses on past trends in a phenomenon and studies it into the future Part of the date is collected retrospectively from the existing records before the intervention is introduced and then the study population is followed to ascertain the impact of the intervention For example, the impact of the use of tiktok on students’ productivity. Other designs commonly used in quantitative research Online survey Trend studies If you want to study changes in a phenomenon, situation, attitudes or facts relating to an area of interest to you over a period of time a trend study is the most appropriate for you. Trend analysis enables you to find out what has happened in the past, what is happening now and what is likely to happen in the future in a population group. The design involves selecting a number of data observation points in the past, together with a picture of the present or assumptions as to the future trend.  Cohort Studies Cohort studies are based upon the existence of a common characteristic, such as year of birth, graduation or marriage within a subgroup of a population. Suppose you want to study the employment pattern of a batch of accounts who graduated from a university in 2015. You would need to contact all the accountants who graduate in 2015 to understand their work history. 6.3 Study designs in qualitative research 1. Case study 2. Oral history 3. Focus group/group interview 4. Participant observation 1. Case study A case could be an individual, a group , a community, an instance, an episode, an event ,a subgroup of a population, a town or a city. In a case study design, the case that you select becomes the basis of a thorough, holistic and in- depth exploration of the aspects that you want to find out about It is a very useful design when exploring an area where little is known or where you want to have a holistic understanding of the situation, phenomenon, episode, site, group or community. 2. Oral history Oral history is more a method of data collection than a study design However, in qualitative research, it has become an approach to the study of perceptions, experiences and accounts of an event or gathering historical knowledge as viewed by individuals. Oral history is a process of obtaining, recording, presenting and interpreting historical or current information based on personal experiences and opinions of some members of a study group. 3. Focus groups/group interviews Focus groups are a form of strategy in qualitative research in which attitudes, opinions or perceptions towards an issue, product, service or programme are explored through a free an open discussion between members of a group and the researcher. Both focus groups and group interviews are facilitated group discussion in which a researcher raises issues or asks questions that stimulate discussion among members of the group. 4. Participant observation This is done by developing a close interaction with members of a group or living in the situation which is being studied. You as a researcher get involved in the activities of the group, create a rapport with group members and then having sought their consent, keenly observe the situation, interaction, site or phenomenon. You make detailed notes of what you observe Reference Kumar, R. (2019). Research Methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. Californa: Sage Publication.