Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
By
Bryan Kauma
BEFORE EXAMINING TYPES OF RESEARCH DESIGNS, IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE
CLEAR ABOUT THE ROLE AND PURPOSE OF RESEARCH DESIGN. WE NEED TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT RESEARCH DESIGN IS AND WHAT IT IS NOT. WE NEED
TO KNOW WHERE DESIGN FITS INTO THE WHOLE RESEARCH PROCESS FROM
FRAMING A QUESTION TO FINALLY ANALYZING AND REPORTING DATA.
DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH (WHAT IS GOING
ON?)
Although some people dismiss descriptive EXPLANATORY RESEARCH (WHY
research as `mere description', good description QUESTIONS)
is fundamental to the research enterprise and it For example, it is one thing to describe the
has added immeasurably to our knowledge of
crime rate in a country, to examine trends
the shape and nature of our society.
over time or to compare the rates in different
Descriptive research encompasses much countries. It is quite a different thing to
government sponsored research including the
develop explanations about why the crime
population census, the collection of a wide range
rate is as high as it is, why some types of
of social indicators and economic information
crime are increasing or why the rate is
such as household
higher in some countries than in others.
expenditure patterns, time use studies,
employment and crime statistics and the like. Answering the `why' questions involves
Descriptions can be concrete or abstract. A developing causal explanations. Causal
relatively concrete description might describe explanations argue that phenomenon Y (e.g.
the ethnic mix of a community, the changing age income level) is affected by factor X (e.g.
profile of a population or the gender mix of a gender). Some causal explanations will be
workplace. simple while others will be more complex.
Alternatively For example, we might argue that there is a
the description might ask more abstract direct effect of gender on income
questions such as `Is the level of social
inequality increasing or declining?' How secular
is society?' or `How much poverty is there in this
community?'
WH AT IS R ESEA RCH DE SIGN
A research design is a set of logical procedures that (when followed) enables
one to obtain evidence to determine the degree to which a theoretical
hypothesis (or set of hypotheses) is/are correct.
To come up with a good research output, a good research design is needed.
Without a good research design, the researcher will find himself flooded
with information which may not be appropriate in meeting his objectives.
Choosing the correct research design will enable the researcher to gain a
Case Study
Longitudinal Design
then an experiment is carried out to find out if the hypothesis is correct or not.
The results are analyzed using statistics that form the basis in coming up with a
conclusion. When many experiments have already been done getting the same
results, a theory may be formed which are then conveyed through publication of
findings.
For example, an experiment is carried out to find out which amount of a toxin will
conditions.
In social studies it is difficult to use this design because it involves the use of
people, and may have hazardous implications, albeit drug companies for example
DatLabs/ CAPS may administer a trail drug test on different people to find out
weather a drug is suitable for public use.
PREDOMINATELY USED BY
Advantages Disadvantages
Advantages Disadvantages
context, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident.
Copes with the technically distinctive situation in which there will be many more variables of interest
than data points. As a consequence, it relies on multiple sources of evidence, with data needing to
converge in a triangulating fashion. And thus, it benefits from the prior development of theoretical
propositions to guide data collection and analysis.
Are most useful for descriptive/exploratory research. E.g. field research. From your field notes (or other
type of data) you can examine the logic of change over time and compare the results of your study with
others described in the literature.
It brings out the unique aspects of the area of study. A community may be rural, (a non-unique factor)
but the means and trends of livelihood patterns differ from other rural communities. For example,
Masvingo and Binga are both rural tourism communities, but a case study approach will reveal that in
the latter fishing is a main mode of livelihoods as compared to tourism that dominates on the former.
A study to access the success and failures of an implemented project/ policy in a nation. Projects have
differential impacts according to community and setting, therefore in an effort to analyze the feasibility
of the program as a whole from an abstract stand point, before placing it in comparison vis--vis other
regions, a case study approach is ideal. For example, a study on the impact of the Information
Communication Technology Policy in Zimbabwe from 2010-15, using a case study approach, will allow
for an depth inquiry focusing on an independent region/community using a reasonable sample size and
access the impact of the policy and will allow for hidden nuances to be unearthed.
Offer validity because of the naturalness of the research setting. Generalizations to other groups is
assumptions
Good alternative or complement to the group
focus of psychology
DISADVANTAGES
Hard to draw definite cause-effect conclusions
Hard to generalize from a single case (often need
two or more case studies for comparative analysis
sake)
Possible biases in data collection and
interpretation (since single person gathers and
analyzes the information)
organizations with long term goals for example eradicating poverty in Africa e.g.
in Zimbabwe the World Vision Amalima Project. A baseline survey conducted to
understand agricultural trends and habits in Zimbabwe, before the second phase
of introduction of sustainable livelihoods is introduced based on the outcomes of
the baseline.
Because baseline results will have a huge impetus on the permanent culture of
Are usually done when it is difficult to analyze a case-study which is only a one-shotdeal.
Peoples shifting attitudes and behavior can be detected for example, cause-effect
relationship may be investigated between the number of faculty research outputs and the
amount of time given for research as work load over three years.
Uses same variables over a period of time.
Used to determine success or failure patterns, identifying gaps and strengths with project
over time.
In 2012, Catholic Relief Services Zimbabwe and Dabane Trust conducted a Water and
Sanitation Hygiene survey in Bulawayos 3 urban wards to assess the methods used by local
women and girls when disposing of sanitary pads. Environmentally friendly methods where
introduced and taught and studies where carried out to assess the rate of adoption by the
community analyzing the environmental and socio-economic impact of the use of the new
methods.
In 2009 January, Zimstat assessed primary schools in Harare, Bulawayo and Gweru to
(involves considerably more than one case or a small group) and involves
systematic data collection we use the term cross sectional instead of
case study to describe it.
For example, a contingent valuation study asks a sample of a population
for outcomes e.g. ZESA prepaid meters were welcomed because public
opinion was that ZESA was extorting clients under the old fixed meter
system.
Advantages Disadvantages
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