Research Design
Description:
Research design is the systematic planning of research, usually involving: (a) the formulation of a research question or research questions (b) the development of a strategy to answer or address (a); (c) the gathering of data and evidence using a range of appropriate data gathering instruments and methods; (d) the analysis of this data in context of (a); (e) the presentation of results.
A common error is for researchers to move directly to the gathering of data without paying enough heed to the requirements of other steps in the research design process or of key generic requirements with regard to e.g. the nature of enquiry and research in general, reliability and validity, sampling and a host of ethical and good practice standards. A range of quality web-based sources and services do exist however with regard to many of these topics, a small selection of which is listed below along with a link to slides from a TLU workshop focussed on data gathering methods.
Online Resources:
http://www.socialresearchmethods.net/ — excellent web-based resource which includes an online textbook covering the range of topics usually covered in a typical introductory undergraduate or graduate course in social research methods.
http://www.ischool.utexas.edu/~palmquis/courses/RsrchHome.html — basic directory and repository of information on a range of key research methods from a Library and Information Science perspective. Of mixed quality but worth a look.
http://www.fhi.org/NR/rdonlyres/etl7vogszehu5s4stpzb3tyqlpp7rojv4waq37elpbyei3tgmc4ty6dunbccfzxtaj2rvbaubzmz4f/overview1.pdf — Basic but solid introduction to Qualitative Research Methods from Family Health International
http://iss.leeds.ac.uk/info/312/surveys/217/guide_to_the_design_of_questionnaires/1 — sensible and readable guide to the design of quesionnaires from Leeds University
http://fds.oup.com/www.oup.co.uk/pdf/0-19-874204-5chap15.pdf – full book chapter on the place of the interview as a qualitative research tool.
Resources:
