The Three Categories of Research Design

Introduction

No study is complete without a research design. Research studies are included because they help shape the methodology of the study and the data collection. The research design also makes it possible to streamline the analysis processes included in the study. The main categories included in a research design are the mixed methods category, the quantitative category, and the qualitative category. There are unique elements and intentions in each design. This is because each design is meant to cater to varying research questions and objectives. The paper will discuss the three aspects of research design and the intentions included in the same. There will also be a discussion of these design methodologies and a consideration of how they could be applied professionally.

Quantitative Research

The phrase quantitative research is used to refer to numerical data being collected and analyzed to determine the link between the collected data. The analysis also determines and confirms hypotheses and develops reasonable generalizations. The main characteristics of quantitative research are the objective approach and structure. The strategy and structure emphasize statistical analysis along with the measurement. The research is usually used to answer questions that need numerical data and provide explanations for predictions and phenomena.

The main objective of carrying out quantitative research is usually to make quantifications of phenomena and to find out whether there are any relationships between variables (Frey, 2018). Quantitative research is also used to generate statistically valid conclusions. The strategies used to bring about the same are experimentation and surveys to collect the needed data. These are then analyzed using statistical techniques. As for the methodology, the methodologies that are employed in quantitative research are descriptive, causal-comparative, and also experimental. Through descriptive statistics, it then becomes possible to describe what the state of a phenomenon is. Experimental designs, on the other hand, are used to investigate cause-and-effect interactions in controlled interventions (Crowther & Lancaster, 2012. On the other hand, causal-comparative research examines the impact of independent variables on dependent variables.

Qualitative Research

Qualitative research is used to explore complex human experiences. They also explore interactions and behaviors by using in-depth examinations and interpreting textual data. The focus of qualitative research is usually on understanding meanings, various contexts, and also perspectives. The methods used to bring about the same are observing, analyzing content, and conducting interviews (Walliman,2021). The objective of qualitative research is to explore, describe, and then come up with interpretations of participants’ perspectives. The emphasis is usually on getting a subjective comprehension of social realities and developing new theorems per the qualitative data.

The methodologies used in qualitative research are case studies, phenomenology, grounded theory, and ethnography. For each of these identified methodologies, there is an approach that is unique to how the data is collected and also how the analysis is carried out. It implies it allows those researching to get novel insights on various phenomena. Quantitative research findings can integrate professional practices at professional levels by using critical skills to study human behavior, beliefs, and motives. On the other hand, education can benefit from qualitative studies wherein teaching methodologies will be scrutinized, correctly implemented strategies will be devised and curriculum development will be designed.

Mixed Methods Research

In mixed methods research, qualitative and quantitative research are integrated into one. The combination makes it possible to triangulate data to understand a complex phenomenon. The method provides a combination of the strengths of both quantitative and qualitative techniques and gives the researcher a more comprehensive insight into the research question. Mixed methods focus on complementing the quantitative data with qualified ideas or the opposite direction, getting the research questions in the most multi-faceted way. It stresses the need to be methodologically flexible and to use multiple findings to strengthen validation and trust.

In mixed methods research, both data collection and analysis can be carried out sequentially or concurrently using quantitative and qualitative methods. Researchers may use surveys, experiments, interviews, observations, or content analysis to get various data types. The mixed methods approach is very productive in professional research (Coe et al., 2021). It gives detailed perceptions of the multi-faceted problems. For example, in business management, during a study on organizational change, using mixed methods, one may aggregate quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. Hence, these methods might consist of both numbers and stories, respectively.

Conclusion

Research design is paramount in outlining the methodology, determining data collection, and analyzing a study. The main elements and ideas of the quantitative, qualitative, and mixed designs research are the key things that ensure the rigor and relevance of the research conducted. By employing the right research design and methodologies, researchers can efficiently respond to questions and contribute significantly to their professional fields with the findings.

References

Coe, R., Waring, M., Hedges, L. V., & Ashley, L. D. (Eds.). (2021). Research methods and methodologies in education. Sage.

Crowther, D., & Lancaster, G. (2012). Research methods. Routledge.

Frey, B. B. (Ed.). (2018). The SAGE encyclopedia of educational research, measurement, and evaluation. Sage Publications.

Walliman, N. (2021). Research methods: The basics. Routledge.