A research design basically means the plan or technique of shaping the research, or as Hakim (1987) puts it “design deals mainly with aim, purposes, motives and plans within the practical constraints of location, time, money and availability of staff”. The possibilities of success of a research study is significantly improved when the “beginning” is properly defined as a precise statement of goals and justification.
Need and Importance of Research Design
Research design carries an important influence on the reliability of the results attained. It therefore provides a solid base for the whole research. It is needed due to the fact that it allows for the smooth working of the many research operations. This makes the research as effective as possible by providing maximum information with minimum spending of effort, money and time.
For building of a car, we must have a suitable blueprint made by an expert designer. In a similar fashion, we require a suitable design or plan just before data collection and analysis of the research project. Planning of design must be carried out cautiously as even a small mistake might mess up the purpose of the entire project. The design helps the investigator to organize his ideas, which helps to recognize and fix his faults, if any.
In a good research design, all the components go together with each other in a coherent way. The theoretical and conceptual framework must with the research goals and purposes. In the same way, the data gathering method must fit with the research purposes, conceptual and theoretical framework and method of data analysis.
Figure 1 – Research Design Need
The importance of research design in research methodology is due to the following:
- It may result in the preferred kind of study with helpful conclusion.
- It cuts down on inaccuracy.
- Allows you get optimum efficiency and reliability.
- Reduce wastage of time.
- Reduce uncertainty, confusion and practical haphazard related to any research problem.
- Of great help for collection of research material and testing of hypothesis.
- It is a guide for giving research the right path.
- Gets rid of bias and marginal errors.
- Provides an idea concerning the type of resources needed in terms of money, effort, time, and manpower.
- Smooth & efficient sailing (sets boundaries & helps prevent blind search)
- Maximizes reliability of results.
- Provides firm foundation to the endeavor.
- Averts misleading conclusions & thoughtless useless exercise.
- Provides opportunity to anticipate flaws & inadequacies (anticipates problems).
- Incorporates by learning from other people’s critical comments & evaluations.
Read Also: Significance of Research Design
Efficient research is dependent first upon the considerate statements of purpose and objectives, and associated research questions. These essential preliminary steps in turn drive important choices regarding study type, plans for analyses and competent implementation within bounded timeframes and budgets.
The research endeavour materializes by picking suitable study types according to coherent research questions, appropriate data collection, and eventually concludes by drawing inferences based on correctly planned analyses.
It was very helpful thank a lot!