For Pew Research Center surveys, this involves thinking about what is happening in our nation and the world and what will be relevant to the public, policymakers and the media. We also track opinion on a variety of issues over time so we often ensure that we update these trends on a regular basis to better understand whether people’s opinions are changing. Comparative research can provide insight into the effects of different variables and contribute to understanding social, economic, political, or cultural issues across different contexts.
Qualitative research vs. Quantitative research
A variable represents a measurable attribute that varies across study units, for example, individual participants in a study, or at times even when measured in an individual person over time. Some examples of variables include age, sex, weight, height, health status, alive/dead, diseased/healthy, annual income, smoking yes/no, and treated/untreated. There are several types of research study designs, each with its inherent strengths and flaws. The study design used to answer a particular research question depends on the nature of the question and the availability of resources. In this article, which is the first part of a series on “study designs,” we provide an overview of research study designs and their classification.
You'll Be Excited to Hit The Books in These Chic Studies
Questions that ask respondents to evaluate more than one concept (known as double-barreled questions) – such as “How much confidence do you have in President Obama to handle domestic and foreign policy? ” – are difficult for respondents to answer and often lead to responses that are difficult to interpret. In this example, it would be more effective to ask two separate questions, one about domestic policy and another about foreign policy. An example of a wording difference that had a significant impact on responses comes from a January 2003 Pew Research Center survey.
Reliability and validity
Many surveyors want to track changes over time in people’s attitudes, opinions and behaviors. A cross-sectional design surveys different people in the same population at multiple points in time. However, it is common for the set of people in survey panels to change over time as new panelists are added and some prior panelists drop out. Many of the questions in Pew Research Center surveys have been asked in prior polls. Questionnaire design is a multistage process that requires attention to many details at once.
Ethnographic Research ExampleA researcher interested in understanding the impact of digital technology on the daily life of a remote indigenous tribe might spend several months living with the tribe. The researcher would observe and participate in their daily activities, conduct informal interviews, and take detailed field notes to capture the changes and influences brought about by digital technology. An ethnographic study is usually conducted over an extended period of time and involves observing and interacting with the participants in their natural setting (Stokes & Wall, 2017). The methodology is derived from the field of anthropology where researchers immerse themselves in the culture they’re studying to gather in-depth insights.
Meet the Methods Series: Quantitative intersectional study design and primary data collection - Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada
Meet the Methods Series: Quantitative intersectional study design and primary data collection.
Posted: Wed, 04 Aug 2021 07:00:00 GMT [source]
A case study is an in-depth study of a particular research problem rather than a sweeping statistical survey. It is often used to narrow down a very broad field of research into one or a few easily researchable examples. The case study research design is also useful for testing whether a specific theory and model actually applies to phenomena in the real world. Each type of study has different methods with unique advantages and disadvantages.
Pretesting a survey is an essential step in the questionnaire design process to evaluate how people respond to the overall questionnaire and specific questions, especially when questions are being introduced for the first time. Quasi-experiments are often used in social sciences where it’s difficult or ethically problematic to manipulate independent variables and randomly assign participants (Ortiz & Greene, 2007). Mixed-Methods ExampleAn education researcher interested in student motivation might use a mixed-method approach.
Directionality of study designs
Quasi-experimental research design is similar to experimental research design, but it lacks one or more of the features of a true experiment. This type of research design is used when it is not feasible or ethical to conduct a true experiment. This blog summarizes the concepts of cluster randomization, and the logistical and statistical considerations while designing a cluster randomized controlled trial. A questionnaire, like a conversation, should be grouped by topic and unfold in a logical order.
Cohort studies: prospective and retrospective designs
We frequently test new survey questions ahead of time through qualitative research methods such as focus groups, cognitive interviews, pretesting (often using an online, opt-in sample), or a combination of these approaches. Researchers use insights from this testing to refine questions before they are asked in a production survey, such as on the ATP. What’s important is that you, as the researcher, understand the limitations of the design and conduct your quasi-experiment as rigorously as possible, paying careful attention to any potential confounding variables.
For example, in an ethnography or a case study, your aim is to deeply understand a specific context, not to generalise to a population. Instead of sampling, you may simply aim to collect as much data as possible about the context you are studying. Any change in test scores could have been influenced by many other variables, such as increased stress and health issues among students and teachers.
Assimilation effects occur when responses to two questions are more consistent or closer together because of their placement in the questionnaire. People were more likely to say that Republican leaders should work with Obama when the question was preceded by the one asking what Democratic leaders should do in working with Republican leaders (81% vs. 66%). However, when people were first asked about Republican leaders working with Obama, fewer said that Democratic leaders should work with Republican leaders (71% vs. 82%). Generally, these types of scales should be presented in order so respondents can easily place their responses along the continuum, but the order can be reversed for some respondents. Perhaps the most important part of the survey process is the creation of questions that accurately measure the opinions, experiences and behaviors of the public. Accurate random sampling will be wasted if the information gathered is built on a shaky foundation of ambiguous or biased questions.
In the design section of a research paper, describe the research methodology chosen and justify its selection. Outline the data collection methods, participants or samples, instruments used, and procedures followed. Ensure clarity and precision to enable replication of the study by other researchers. Ideally, the research design should be developed as early as possible in the research process, before any data is collected.
Cohort Research ExampleA health researcher could study a cohort of smokers and non-smokers over a period of 20 years to understand the long-term effects of smoking on lung health. The researcher could gather data at regular intervals, tracking changes in the participants’ health over time. Unlike longitudinal studies, which examine variables across a time horizon, a cross-sectional design will only collect data at one point in time. A cross-sectional research design involves collecting data on a sample of individuals at one specific point in time (Levin, 2006). Example of a Case StudyA researcher conducts a case study in one classroom, examining a new teaching method that the teachers have implemented. The study focuses on how the teacher and students adapt to the new method, conducting semi-structured interviews with the teachers and students.
With this raw data, you can do your own analysis to answer new research questions that weren’t addressed by the original study. Observations may be conducted in real time, taking notes as you observe, or you might make audiovisual recordings for later analysis. Data collection methods are ways of directly measuring variables and gathering information. They allow you to gain first-hand knowledge and original insights into your research problem.
Grounded theory typically involves collecting data through interviews or observations and then analysing it to identify patterns and themes that emerge from the data. These emerging ideas are then validated by collecting more data until a saturation point is reached (i.e., no new information can be squeezed from the data). There are many different research design types when it comes to qualitative studies, but here we’ll narrow our focus to explore the “Big 4”. Specifically, we’ll look at phenomenological design, grounded theory design, ethnographic design, and case study design.
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