Improve your study design

 What are the types of study design? 

Study design does not mean taking many decisions, collecting data, or proceeding with procedures, analysis, etc., but it is also concerned with the rationale for these decisions. And we have to distinguish between design and approach, design is the plan, while the approach is the means that you use to explore your research interests. The choice of type of research, whether qualitative or quantitative, affects the study design. This article has some types of study design.

The first study design is the experimental study design:

Experimental design began at the end of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries with psychological experiences. As for the characteristics of the experimental research, they are represented in the following points:

• The study participant is chosen in groups such as experimental groups and control groups.

• This type of study design is carried out on one or more groups.

• Results of this type of study design are measured at the end of the experiment.

• Procedures are designed in this type of study design, taking into consideration factors that threaten honesty.

• Statistical comparisons are managed for different groups.

The second study design is the simple study design:

This type of study design consists of two variables, the independent variable and the dependent variable. The independent variable has two levels: the experimental group and the control group. Researchers should make efforts to ensure that the difference between the two groups is due to the studied variables, and to control the external variables that affect the results of the study. The simple design is tribal or dimensional design.

The third study design is the survey study design:

Researchers usually use this type of study design in some data through an interview or questionnaire. The goal of this type of study design is to investigate relationships between variables in tools. This type of study design, survey research, is used a lot in education, especially in quantitative research. The researcher selects a sample from the study community for a questionnaire or an interview that includes trends, opinions, behavior and characteristics of society. It may be used between another person. In this type of study design, the researcher uses research questions or hypotheses, performs statistical analysis and interpret results.

Key features of survey study design:

Except for designs for cross or longitudinal studies, the following keys are used for scanning. The characteristics of this type of study design are as follows:

• Selecting the sample from the study community.

• Collecting information through questionnaires or interviews.

• Designing tools to collect information.

• Getting a high rate of responses.

• Design and use questionnaires by mailing them.

• Conducting a survey interview.

 What is research design example? 

The study design is one of the initial steps during the preparation of the study, it helps the scientific researcher in setting methods and procedures to be used during the collection and analysis of data and variables in the study problem, as well as all stages of writing the study to the fullest extent. Examples of study design are experimental study design, simple study design, survey study design and so on. 

What type of research design is a questionnaire?

The questionnaire is one of the most prominent tools used in scientific research, especially in educational and social research, as it is the researcher’s way to obtain data and information related to the vocabulary of the study, whether the survey is partial or survey. Mostly, the questionnaire is used to identify the directions of the study sample and study its behavior, and to discover important information that obliges the researcher to carry out scientific research,

Before using the questionnaire, the scientific researcher must verify the suitability of the questionnaire to the type of research to be carried out. For example, if the research is related to applied sciences, such as studying a type of virus, manufacturing a machine, etc.

The use of the questionnaire is not appropriate for that type of research that requires observation. So the researcher must be aware of the feasibility of using the questionnaire. One of the most famous types of research or scientific theses that require the scientific researcher to use the questionnaire as a tool to collect information is social research or related to human behaviors in general.

 What are the disadvantages of using a questionnaire? 

There is no doubt that the researcher uses the questionnaire to collect information that must be included in the scientific research. The questionnaire is an important means of scientific research, and it is recognized that the scientific researcher when conducting a study of one of the phenomena or problems, should collect information and data to clarify and analyze the nature of the phenomenon or problem that he drives in the research. Among the tools used for this are questionnaire, tests, notes and interviews. The tools used vary according to the nature of the scientific research material. It can be used more than one tool for research or scientific thesis. Here we will review some of the disadvantages of the questionnaire, as follows:

• Sometimes some members of the sample are unable to choose the exact answers to the questionnaire questions because of the complexity of the questions, or because of the difficulty of formulating them, or because of the strange words.
• Some members of the sample who are asked questions may not be serious in answering, and this leads to not obtaining satisfactory and honest results.
• The researcher cannot notice the reactions of the sample members to the questionnaire questions, because the questionnaire distributes a number of persons other than the researcher.
• The difficulty of applying the questionnaire in illiterate societies.
• The researcher may lose some copies of the questionnaire upon transfer.
• More than one person may participate in answering the questionnaire.
• Raising boredom to the sample if the questions are many, or excessively long.

 What are the advantages and disadvantages of qualitative research? 

The advantages of qualitative research:

• Qualitative research is characterized by great flexibility.
• Qualitative research leaves room for improvement.
• Qualitative research provides an opportunity for the study sample to express its views freely.
• Qualitative research provides the researcher with a large amount of information.
• Qualitative research is characterized by the ability to do it quickly.

 The disadvantages of qualitative research 

• There may be some circumstances that compel the researcher to leave the study site, which leads to a difficulty in knowing all aspects of it.
• Difficulty in generalizing the results due to the small sample of the study.
• Qualitative research requires a long time during the analysis.
• Qualitative research requires a high material cost, such as moving from one place to another.

With greetings: Al - Manara Consulting to help researchers and graduate students