Research Design

What the resources cover

The page follows a study from first idea to finished design. Early material deals with the problem and the question. The slide set RESEARCH PROBLEM explains why a research problem creates reader interest and focuses attention. Several flowcharts on identifying a research problem, and one on writing a research question, sit alongside it.

Next come the designs themselves. Mind maps such as Types of Research Design, Quantitative Research Designs and Selecting a Study Design compare exploratory, experimental and other approaches. Others look at Small-n and Large-n comparative work, with a map on the weaknesses of methods covering concept stretching and selection bias.

Where to start

Begin with the flashcard deck SRM W2, which covers concepts, units of analysis, variables, hypotheses and the Belmont Report on ethics. Then open the Research Design Decision Tree map to see how choices connect.

1. Read the research problem slides and flowcharts.
2. Browse the design maps to compare approaches.
3. Move to experimental, quasi-experimental and within-subjects material.
4. Finish with observation, bias and validity.

Using quizzes and maps together

Read a map first, then test yourself. The quiz Introduction to Study Design asks which studies can show causation, which pairs well with the deck on experimental and observational studies. The flowcharts Threats to Internal Validity and Quasi-experimental Design help you check answers you got wrong. Note the gaps, return to the map, and try the quiz again.

Where this unit sits

Research Design belongs to the Planning and Designing Research strand of Research methods and academic skills. Teachers can use the notes, flowcharts and quizzes as ready-made starting points for a class, and students can use them to plan their own projects.

Choose one resource that matches where you are in your project, open it, and build your own flashcards from what you find.