Question

Q#5:    Clarify the important concepts relating to research design and the research design in case of descriptive and diagnostic research studies and the research design in case of hypothesis-testing research studies?

Mention the reference at the end.

Solution to be typed up to 500 words or 600 words.

Answer 1

Answer :-

The important concepts relating to research design

Dependent and Independent Variables:- A variable is a concept that can take on different
quantitative values. E.g., weight, height, income, etc.

Extraneous Variable:- Independent variables that are not related to the purpose of the study, but
may affect the dependent variable are termed as extraneous variables.

Control:- The most significant quality of a good research design is to reduce the influence/effect of
extraneous variable(s). Control is a technical term, which is used while designing the study, by
reducing the effects of extraneous independent variables.

Pilot Study:- A pilot study is a standard scientific tool for ‘soft’ research, allowing scientists to
conduct a preliminary analysis before committing to a full-blown study or experiment.

Scientific Control Group:- A scientific control group is an essential part of most research designs,
allowing researchers to eliminate and isolate variables.

Experimental Unit(s):- The pre-determined plots or the blocks, where different treatments are
used, are known as experimental units. Such experimental units must be selected (defined) very
carefully.

Experiment:- The process of examining the truth of a statistical hypothesis, relating to some
research problem, is known as an experiment. For example, we can conduct an experiment to examine
the usefulness of a certain newly developed drug.

Treatments:- This can be defined as the different types of conditions under which the experimental
and control groups are put.

Research Hypothesis:- When a prediction or a hypothesised relationship is to be tested by scientific
methods, it is termed as research hypothesis.

Confounded Relationship:- When the dependent variable is not free from the influence of
extraneous variable(s), the relationship between the dependent and independent variables is said to
be confounded by an extraneous variable(s).

The research design in case of descriptive and diagnostic research studies

Descriptive research studies are those studies which are concerned with describing the characteristics of a particular individual, or of a group, whereas diagnostic research studies determine the frequency with which something   occurs   or   its   association with   something   else.

The design in such studies must be rigid and not flexible and must focus attention on the following:

o Formulating the objective of the study (what the study is about and why is it being made?)

o Designing   the   methods   of   data   collection   (what   techniques   of gathering data will be adopted?)

o Selecting the sample (how much material will be needed?)

o Collecting the data (where can the required data be found and with what time period should the data be related?)

o Processing and analysing the data.

o Reporting the findings

The research design in case of hypothesis-testing research studies

Hypothesis-testing     research     studies     (generally     known     as experimental studies) are those where the researcher tests the hypotheses of causal relationships between variables.Hypothesis-testing     research     studies     (generally     known     as experimental studies) are those where the researcher tests the hypotheses of causal relationships between variables.

Such studies require procedures that will not only reduce bias and increase reliability, but will permit drawing inferences about causality Such studies require procedures that will not only reduce bias and increase reliability, but will permit drawing inferences about causality

The basic principles of experimental designs:The basic principles of experimental designs:

(1)    Randomization.

(2) Replication.

(3) Local Control.

reference :-www.researchgate.net