What is Research Design

A well-planned conceptual framework that enables the researcher to collect high-quality relevant unbiased data by using authentic and credible sources thereby to achieve valid conclusions.

When researchers plan to use some certain research strategy to address the research questions and the hypotheses is called research design.

A draft that integrates theory, method, data, rhetoric, and authorship for subsequent implementation of academic research.

An overall plan for data collection.

This refers to the plan that outlines how a study is to be conducted, including the blue print for data collection methods and procedures as well as data analysis.

A detailed methodological plan guiding the entire research. It is a framework of methods and techniques chosen by the researchers to address the research questions. Thus, the focus is on how the research is going to be conducted and contains explanations about data collection methods, measurement and analysis. The design has to be neutral (not biased), reliable (if research is repeated, similar results are expected); valid (the measuring tools chosen for the research have to lead to relevant results for the specific ongoing research); and generalizable (the research results should be extended from the sample to a wider population). The research design can be quantitative or qualitative, depending on whether statistical conclusions are required for the study. It can also be descriptive (only describing the issue under research); experimental (aiming to state causal relationships between independent and dependent variables); correlational (to establish if there exists a relation between two variables, with no statement of what causes what else); diagnostic (deep analysis of the causal tissue of a certain topic); explanatory (where the researcher provides personal ideas and thoughts about a certain theme).

The set of methods and procedures used in collecting and analysing data for a research project.

A research methodology designed for conducting the study.

The process of developing a roadmap which explains how a chosen research method will be applied to answer a specific research question.

An overall plan for data collection.