BUSI710
Research
Design
Liberty University
BUSI710: Foundations of Applied Research
Methods
Describe the Three Designs and When is it Appropriate to Use Each
Design?
The type of research, the data needed, and the study's content are all factors that influence
research design. Fixed, flexible, and mixed research designs are the three options. Fixed designs are
theory-driven and dependent on quantitative evidence. True experiments, single-case experiments, quasi-
experiments, and non-experiments with a defined method and mechanism use a fixed design. A flexible
design is focused on qualitative data. It does not adhere to a strict protocol, but it does allow for some
flexibility in the research process and emphasis. Mixed design incorporates both quantitative and
qualitative data, as well as fixed and flexible study designs (Robson & McCartan, 2016).
How Are the Designs
Similar?
Although the research methods vary in structure, they share certain characteristics. They use
effective data collection methods and provide an accurate evaluation of the relationship between
variables (Mehrad & Zangeneh, 2020). Each design method has a similar structure for starting research.
The problem statement, research query, and form of data must all be established before any research can
begin. Establishing the validity of the findings by eliminating bias and performing research that is
repeatable for similar results is another similarity between the research designs. Furthermore, the three
design approaches have a lot in common when it comes to context. Since each design method has various
types of research frameworks and goals, the context of the research helps direct the structure and
emphasis of the research design method (Robson & McCartan, 2016).
Research
Design
Liberty University
BUSI710: Foundations of Applied Research
Methods
Describe the Three Designs and When is it Appropriate to Use Each
Design?
The type of research, the data needed, and the study's content are all factors that influence
research design. Fixed, flexible, and mixed research designs are the three options. Fixed designs are
theory-driven and dependent on quantitative evidence. True experiments, single-case experiments, quasi-
experiments, and non-experiments with a defined method and mechanism use a fixed design. A flexible
design is focused on qualitative data. It does not adhere to a strict protocol, but it does allow for some
flexibility in the research process and emphasis. Mixed design incorporates both quantitative and
qualitative data, as well as fixed and flexible study designs (Robson & McCartan, 2016).
How Are the Designs
Similar?
Although the research methods vary in structure, they share certain characteristics. They use
effective data collection methods and provide an accurate evaluation of the relationship between
variables (Mehrad & Zangeneh, 2020). Each design method has a similar structure for starting research.
The problem statement, research query, and form of data must all be established before any research can
begin. Establishing the validity of the findings by eliminating bias and performing research that is
repeatable for similar results is another similarity between the research designs. Furthermore, the three
design approaches have a lot in common when it comes to context. Since each design method has various
types of research frameworks and goals, the context of the research helps direct the structure and
emphasis of the research design method (Robson & McCartan, 2016).
