Question

Sometimes one of the hard things to determine is what type of research design to use when conducting research. Think about the following:

What are the strengths and weaknesses of using the correlational design? When are you most likely to use this design?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of using the descriptive design? When are you most likely to use this design?

What are the strengths and weaknesses of using an experimental design? When are you most likely to use this design?

Answer 1

Correlational study design is beneficial while studying two quantitative variables and analysing their Co variance.

The drawback is that this designs cannot be used to insinuate causation, as it is not necessary that correlation affects causation.

Descriptive methods are used when there is a need for a nuances descriptive analysis of a phenomenon. They are used widely in observational and space study type studies.

But they cannot be used for making accurate statements and assumptions and they are not based in quantitative analysis and cannot be used as predictors of causal relations either.

Experimental designs are used for studies that involve aan experimental set up and are used to gain an experimental perspective and pattern for a specific analytical purpose.

The drawback being that sometimes within these designs there are variables which are beyond the experimenter control, and can as a result vitiate the conclusion.