The
research design refers to the overall strategy that you choose to integrate the
different components of the study in a coherent and logical way, thereby,
ensuring you will effectively address the research problem; it constitutes the
blueprint for the collection, measurement, and analysis of data.
Note that your
research problem determines the type of design you should use, not the other
way around!
The function of a research design is to ensure that
the evidence obtained enables you to effectively address the research problem
logically and as unambiguously as possible. In social sciences research,
obtaining information relevant to the research problem generally entails
specifying the type of evidence needed to test a theory, to evaluate a program,
or to accurately describe and assess meaning related to an observable
phenomenon.
With this in mind, a common mistake made by
researchers is that they begin their investigations far too early, before they
have thought critically about what information is required to address the
research problem. Without attending to these design issues beforehand, the
overall research problem will not be adequately addressed and any conclusions
drawn will run the risk of being weak and unconvincing. As a consequence, the
overall validity of the study will be undermined.
The length and complexity of describing research
designs in your paper can vary considerably, but any well-developed design will
achieve the following:
1.
Identify the research problem clearly
and justify its selection, particularly in relation to any valid alternative
designs that could have been used,
2.
Review and synthesize previously
published literature associated with the research problem,
3.
Clearly and explicitly specify
hypotheses [i.e., research questions] central to the problem,
4.
Effectively describe the data which
will be necessary for an adequate testing of the hypotheses and explain how
such data will be obtained, and
5.
Describe the methods of analysis to
be applied to the data in determining whether or not the hypotheses are true or
false.
The organization and structure of the section of
your paper devoted to describing the research design will vary depending on the
type of design you are using. However, you can get a sense of what to do by
reviewing the literature of studies that have utilized the same research
design. This can provide an outline to follow for your own paper.
Definition and Purpose
The essentials
of action research design follow a characteristic cycle whereby initially an
exploratory stance is adopted, where an understanding of a problem is developed
and plans are made for some form of interventionary strategy. Then the
intervention is carried out (the "action" in Action Research) during
which time, pertinent observations are collected in various forms. The new
interventional strategies are carried out, and this cyclic process repeats,
continuing until a sufficient understanding of (or a valid implementation
solution for) the problem is achieved. The protocol is iterative or cyclical in
nature and is intended to foster deeper understanding of a given situation,
starting with conceptualizing and particularizing the problem and moving
through several interventions and evaluations.
What do these studies tell you?
This
is a collaborative and adaptive research design that lends itself to use in
work or community situations.
Design focuses
on pragmatic and solution-driven research outcomes rather than testing
theories.
When
practitioners use action research, it has the potential to increase the amount
they learn consciously from their experience; the action research cycle can be
regarded as a learning cycle.
Action research
studies often have direct and obvious relevance to improving practice and
advocating for change.
There are no
hidden controls or preemption of direction by the researcher.
What these studies don't tell you?
It
is harder to do than conducting conventional research because the researcher
takes on responsibilities of advocating for change as well as for researching
the topic.
Action research
is much harder to write up because it is less likely that you can use a
standard format to report your findings effectively [i.e., data is often in the
form of stories or observation].
Personal
over-involvement of the researcher may bias research results.
The cyclic
nature of action research to achieve its twin outcomes of action (e.g. change)
and research (e.g. understanding) is time-consuming and complex to conduct.
Advocating for
change requires buy-in from participants.
A
single or small number of cases offers little basis for establishing
reliability or to generalize the findings to a wider population of people,
places, or things.
Intense exposure
to the study of a case may bias a researcher's interpretation of the findings.
Design does not
facilitate assessment of cause and effect relationships.
Vital
information may be missing, making the case hard to interpret.
The case may not
be representative or typical of the larger problem being investigated.
If the criteria
for selecting a case is because it represents a very unusual or unique
phenomenon or problem for study, then your intepretation of the findings can
only apply to that particular case.
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