Understanding
UNIT 2 RESEARCH DESIGN AND SAMPLING Quantitative Research
Sujata J. Gokhale and Nilima Srivastava
Structure
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Objectives
2.3 Introducing Research Design
2.3.1 Meaning of Research Design
2.3.2 Significance of Research Design
2.3.3 Advantages of Research Design
2.3.4 Designing Feminist Research
2.4 Types of Research Design
2.5 Sampling
2.5.1 Basic Concepts and Terms
2.5.2 Principles of Sampling
2.5.3 Advantages and Limitations of Sampling
2.6 Types of Sampling
2.61 Probability Sampling
2.6.2 Non-probability Sampling
2.7 Sampling in Qualitative Research
2.8 Let Us Sum Up
2.9 Unit End Questions
2.10 References
2.11 Suggested Readings
2.1 INTRODUCTION
After going through the earlier unit where you learnt about nuances of
quantitative research, in the present unit we will look into the frame work
or a blue print that we construct to carry out a research study. This unit
discusses ‘why’ and ‘how’ of research design and sampling methods in
quantitative research methodology. This understanding will help you in
choosing a particular research design and how a sample can be drawn from
a given universe so that the research is universal in its finding. Let us look
into detail of understanding, formulating, stages and advantages /
disadvantage research design. Also, you will read about meaning, types,
advantages and limitations of various aspects related to sampling.
213
,Quantitative Research
2.2 OBJECTIVES
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:
• Explain the meaning of ‘Research Design.’ and ‘Sampling’;
• Develop a Research Design; and
• Undertake a research study by formulating a research design and applying
sampling techniques.
2.3 INTRODUCING RESEARCH DESIGN
Let us first understand what is meant by research? Research simply means
a search for facts, answers to questions and solution to problems. It is a
purposive investigation. It is an ‘organized inquiry’. It seeks to find
explanations to unexplained phenomenon. But the task of research is
sequential process involving a number of clearly delineated steps. For a
scientific social research, research design and sampling are two important
stages.
Research design consists of series of actions or steps necessary to effectively
carry out research and the desired sequencing of these steps. To formulate
a specific research problem, constitutes the first step in scientific inquiry.
The formidable problem that follows the task of defining research
problem is progress in the research work, popularly known as ‘Research
design’.
2.3.1 Meaning of Research Design
It is important for you to understand that developing research design is a
challenge to the researcher because the success of her/his research work
is depended on the research design.
Any research is valid when its conclusions are true and verifiable. It is
reliable when the findings are repeatable. Reliability and validity of the
research require the planning of inquiry, i.e. the detailed strategy of how
the research will be conducted. Decisions regarding what, where, when,
how much, by what means concerning an inquiry or a research study
constitute a research design.
The term ‘design’ means drawing an outline or planning or arranging details.
It is a process of making research related decisions before the situation
arises. Research design is planning a strategy of conducting research.
214
, It plans as to: Research Design and
Sampling
• what is to be observed,
• how it is to be observed,
• when and where it is to be observed,
• why it is to be observed, how to record observation,
• how to analyses interpret observations, and how to generalize.
Research design is thus, a detailed plan of how the goals of research will
be achieved.
Box No.2.1
A research design is the arrangement of conditions for collection and
analysis of data in a manner that aims to combine relevance to research
purpose with economy in procedure.
In short, a research design is a logical and systematic plan prepared for
directing a research study. It specifies the objectives of the study, the
methodology and techniques to be adopted for achieving the objectives. It
constitutes the blueprint for the collection, measurement and analysis of
data and provides systematic plan of procedure for the researcher to follow.
2.3.2 Significance of Research Design
• It is a plan that specifies objectives of the study and the hypotheses
to be tested.
• It is an outline that specifies the sources and types of information
relevant to the research questions.
• It is a blueprint specifying the methods to be adopted for gathering and
analyzing the data.
• It facilitates the smooth sailing of the various research operations,
thereby making research as efficient as possible yielding maximal
information with minimal expenditure of effort, time and money.
• It has great bearing on the reliability of the results arrived at and as
such constitutes the firm foundations of the entire edifice of the research
work.
2.3.3 Advantages of Designing Research
The preparation of a research plan for a study aids in establishing direction
to the study and in knowing exactly what has to be done and how and when
it has to be done at every stage. Let us look at some more advantages of
designing a research.
215
UNIT 2 RESEARCH DESIGN AND SAMPLING Quantitative Research
Sujata J. Gokhale and Nilima Srivastava
Structure
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Objectives
2.3 Introducing Research Design
2.3.1 Meaning of Research Design
2.3.2 Significance of Research Design
2.3.3 Advantages of Research Design
2.3.4 Designing Feminist Research
2.4 Types of Research Design
2.5 Sampling
2.5.1 Basic Concepts and Terms
2.5.2 Principles of Sampling
2.5.3 Advantages and Limitations of Sampling
2.6 Types of Sampling
2.61 Probability Sampling
2.6.2 Non-probability Sampling
2.7 Sampling in Qualitative Research
2.8 Let Us Sum Up
2.9 Unit End Questions
2.10 References
2.11 Suggested Readings
2.1 INTRODUCTION
After going through the earlier unit where you learnt about nuances of
quantitative research, in the present unit we will look into the frame work
or a blue print that we construct to carry out a research study. This unit
discusses ‘why’ and ‘how’ of research design and sampling methods in
quantitative research methodology. This understanding will help you in
choosing a particular research design and how a sample can be drawn from
a given universe so that the research is universal in its finding. Let us look
into detail of understanding, formulating, stages and advantages /
disadvantage research design. Also, you will read about meaning, types,
advantages and limitations of various aspects related to sampling.
213
,Quantitative Research
2.2 OBJECTIVES
On completion of this unit, you will be able to:
• Explain the meaning of ‘Research Design.’ and ‘Sampling’;
• Develop a Research Design; and
• Undertake a research study by formulating a research design and applying
sampling techniques.
2.3 INTRODUCING RESEARCH DESIGN
Let us first understand what is meant by research? Research simply means
a search for facts, answers to questions and solution to problems. It is a
purposive investigation. It is an ‘organized inquiry’. It seeks to find
explanations to unexplained phenomenon. But the task of research is
sequential process involving a number of clearly delineated steps. For a
scientific social research, research design and sampling are two important
stages.
Research design consists of series of actions or steps necessary to effectively
carry out research and the desired sequencing of these steps. To formulate
a specific research problem, constitutes the first step in scientific inquiry.
The formidable problem that follows the task of defining research
problem is progress in the research work, popularly known as ‘Research
design’.
2.3.1 Meaning of Research Design
It is important for you to understand that developing research design is a
challenge to the researcher because the success of her/his research work
is depended on the research design.
Any research is valid when its conclusions are true and verifiable. It is
reliable when the findings are repeatable. Reliability and validity of the
research require the planning of inquiry, i.e. the detailed strategy of how
the research will be conducted. Decisions regarding what, where, when,
how much, by what means concerning an inquiry or a research study
constitute a research design.
The term ‘design’ means drawing an outline or planning or arranging details.
It is a process of making research related decisions before the situation
arises. Research design is planning a strategy of conducting research.
214
, It plans as to: Research Design and
Sampling
• what is to be observed,
• how it is to be observed,
• when and where it is to be observed,
• why it is to be observed, how to record observation,
• how to analyses interpret observations, and how to generalize.
Research design is thus, a detailed plan of how the goals of research will
be achieved.
Box No.2.1
A research design is the arrangement of conditions for collection and
analysis of data in a manner that aims to combine relevance to research
purpose with economy in procedure.
In short, a research design is a logical and systematic plan prepared for
directing a research study. It specifies the objectives of the study, the
methodology and techniques to be adopted for achieving the objectives. It
constitutes the blueprint for the collection, measurement and analysis of
data and provides systematic plan of procedure for the researcher to follow.
2.3.2 Significance of Research Design
• It is a plan that specifies objectives of the study and the hypotheses
to be tested.
• It is an outline that specifies the sources and types of information
relevant to the research questions.
• It is a blueprint specifying the methods to be adopted for gathering and
analyzing the data.
• It facilitates the smooth sailing of the various research operations,
thereby making research as efficient as possible yielding maximal
information with minimal expenditure of effort, time and money.
• It has great bearing on the reliability of the results arrived at and as
such constitutes the firm foundations of the entire edifice of the research
work.
2.3.3 Advantages of Designing Research
The preparation of a research plan for a study aids in establishing direction
to the study and in knowing exactly what has to be done and how and when
it has to be done at every stage. Let us look at some more advantages of
designing a research.
215
