INTRODUCTION

 Research design is the framework or guide

used for the planning, implementation, and
analysis of a study.
 It is a systematic plan of what is to be done,
how it will be done, and how the data will be
analysed.
 Experimentation is the most scientifically
sophisticated research method.
 It is observation under controlled conditions.
 In experimental design researcher is an active
agent rather than passive observer.
DEFINITION

 Research design: It can be defined as a blue print of

research study, which enables the researcher to know on
whom, what, when, where, and how the study will be
conducted.

 Experimental research design: Experimental research

designs are concerned with examination of the effect of
independent variable on the dependent variable, where the
independent variable is manipulated through treatment or
intervention(s), and the effect of these interventions is
observed on the dependent variable.
Or
 According to Riley, experimental research design is a
powerful design for testing hypotheses of causal relationship
among variables.
ELEMENTS OF RESEARCH
DESIGN

 Qualitative Research design includes the five

major elements. These are:
Qualitative
With/without
The approach Quantitative conceptual
framework

Or both

Population, sample and

Method of data analysis sampling technique
Elements of
research design

Tools & method(s) of Time and place of

data collection data collection
SELECTION OF RESEARCH
DESIGN

 Research designs are plans and the

procedures for research. To meet the aims and
objectives of a study, researchers must select
the most appropriate design.
 Factors affecting selection of research
design
Nature and purpose of the research
problem

Researcher's knowledge and experience,

interest and motivation

Research ethics and principles

Subjects/participants

Resources and time

TYPES OF RESEARCH DESIGN

Research designs are classified into two broad

categories and several subtypes.

 Quantitative research designs

 Qualitative research designs
 TYPES OF RESEARCH DESIGN
A. QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS
Broad categories
1. Experimental research design
Types of research design
True experimental design
Post-test-only control design
Pre-test-posttest control group design
Solomon four-group design
Factorial design
Randomized block design
Crossover design
Quasi experimental design
 Nonrandomized control group design
 Time-series design
Pre-experimental design
 One-shot case design
 One-group pretest-post-test design
1. Non-experimental research designs
A. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGN
a. Descriptive design
 Univarent descriptive design
 Exploratory descriptive design
 Comparative descriptive design
b. Correlational/ex post facto design
 Prospective design
 Retrospective design
c. Developmental research design
 Cross-sectional design
 Longitudinal design
d. Epidemiological designs
 Case-control studies
 Cohort studies
e. Survey research design
a. Phenomenological research
b. Ethnographic research
c. Grounded theory
d. Case studies
e. Historical research
e. Action research
TRUE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS

 The true research design are those where

researchers have complete control over the
extraneous variables and can predict
confidently that the observed effect on the
dependent variable is only due to the
manipulation of the independent variable.
Main characteristics

 Manipulation: it refers to conscious control of the

independent variable by the researcher through
treatment or intervention(s) to observe its effect on
dependent variable.
 Control: it refers to the use of control group and
controlling the effects of extraneous variable in which
researcher is interested.
 Randomization: it means that every subject has and
equal chance of being assigned to experimental or
control group. Randomization is used in true
experimental research designs to minimize the threat
of internal validity of the study and to eliminate the
effect of extraneous variables on dependent variable.
Types of True Experimental Designs

 Post test only

 Pretest post-test only
 Soloman 4 groups
 Factorial design
 Randomized block design
 Cross over design
Post test only control design:
composed of two randomly assigned groups, i.e.
experimental and control but neither of which is
pretested before the administration of treatment on
the experimental group.
For example, to study the effect of an educational
intervention related to urinary incontinence on the
subsequent help seeking behaviour of older adults.
Experimental
Treatment Post-test
Random group
assignment
Control
group Post-test
Pretest post-test only: subjects are randomly
assigned to either the experimental or control
group.
 The effect of the dependent variable on both
the groups is seen before the treatment.
 Later the treatment is carried out on
experimental group only, and after treatment
observation of dependent variable is made on
both the groups to examine the effect of the
manipulation of independent variable on the
dependent variable.
 For example, such a design can be used for
‘an experimental study to assess the
effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapy
interventions for patients with breast cancer.’
Experimental
Pretest Treatment Post-test
group
Random
assignment
Control group Pretest Post-test
Soloman 4 group design: there are two experimental
groups (experimental group 1 and experimental group
2) and two control groups (control group 1 and control
group 2).
 The investigator randomly assigns subjects to four
groups. Out of the four groups, only experimental
group 1 and control group 1 receives the pretest,
followed by the treatment to the experimental group 1
and experimental group 2.
 Finally, all the four groups receive post-test, where

the effects of the dependent variables of the study are

observed and comparison is made of the four groups
to assess the effect of independent variable on
dependent variable.
 The soloman four group design is believed to be
the most prestigious experimental research
design because it minimizes the threat to
internal and external validity.
Exp group 1 Pretest Treatment Post-test

Control group 1 Pretest Post-test

Random
assignment Exp group 2 Treatment Post-test

Control group 2 Post-test

Factorial design: the researcher manipulates two
or more independent variables simultaneously
to observe their effects on the dependent
variables.
 This design is useful when there are more

than two independent variables, called factors

to be tested.
 For example, a researcher wants to observe

the effects of two different protocols of mouth

care prevention of VAP when performed at
different frequencies in a day.
 This design also facilitates the testing of several
hypothesis at a single time. Typical factorial
design incorporates 2x2 or 2x3 factorial, but it can
be any combination. The first number (α) refers to
the independent variables or the types of
experimental treatments, and the second number
(β) refers to the level or frequency of the
treatment.
Frequency of mouth Protocols of mouth care
care
Chlorohexidine(α1) Saline (α2)

4 hourly(β1) (α1) ..(β1) (α2) ..(β1)

6 hourly(β2) (α1) ..(β2) (α2) ..(β2)

8 hourly(β3) (α1) ..(β3) (α2) ..(β3)

Randomized block design: when there are large
number of experimental comparison groups, the
randomized block design is used to bring
homogeneity among selected different groups.
 This design looks similar to factorial design in
structure, but out of two factors, one factor is not
experimentally manipulated.
 For example, a researcher wants to examine the
effects of three different types of antihypertensive
drugs on patients with hypertension. To ensure
the homogeneity among the subjects under
treatment, researcher randomly places the
subjects in homogeneous groups (blocks).
  There are two factors: type of antihypertensive
drugs and type of patients with hypertension,
where only the type of drug is manipulated and
types of patients with hypertension are simply
grouped in different blocks with similar
characteristics to ensure homogeneity.

Types of Blocks
antihypertensive Pts. With primary Diabetic pts. With Renal pts. With
drugs hypertension (I) hypertension (II) hypertension (III)
A A, I A, II A, III
B B, I B, II B, III
C C, I C, II C, III
Cross over design: in this design, subjects are
exposed to more than one treatment, where
subjects are randomly assigned to different
orders of treatment. It is also known as ‘repeat
measures design’.
 For example, when we are comparing the
effectiveness of chlorohexidine and saline
mouth care protocol, first we administer the
chlorohexidine mouth care protocol on group 1
and saline mouth care protocol on subjects of
group 2.
 Later the treatment is swapped where group 1
receives saline mouth care and group 2
receives chlorohexidine. In such studies,
subjects serve their own control.

Groups PROTOCOLS OF MOUTH CARE

Group I chlorohexidine(α1) saline(α2)

Group I saline(α2) chlorohexidine(α1)

Advantages
 Considered most powerful
designs
 Greater degree of purity
 Conditions not found in
natural setting can be
created in experimental
setting
 Conditions can be created
in short period of time that
may take years to occur
naturally
Disadvantages
 Ethical problems
 Many of human variables
neither have valid
measurable criteria nor
instruments to measure
them.
 Not possible to impose
control over extraneous
variables in natural
settings
 Difficult to get cooperation
from study subjects