Selecting a Study Design

Topics covered
• Differences between quantitative and
qualitative study designs
• Common study designs in quantitative
research
• Common study designs in qualitative research
• Other philosophy-guided designs
authored by Stephanie Fleischer © SAGE publications Ltd 2014
Differences between quantitative and
qualitative study designs
• Quantitative studies
designs:
– Specific
– Rigid
– Well structured
– Ensure validity and
reliability
• Qualitative research
designs:
– Flexible
– Emergent
– Non-sequential
Differences in philosophical perspectives determine the
approach of enquiry
authored by Stephanie Fleischer © SAGE
publications Ltd 2014
Study designs in quantitative research
Study designs can be classified by examining
from three different perspectives:

1. The number of contacts with the study
   population
2. The reference period of the study
3. The nature of the investigation
   authored by Stephanie Fleischer © SAGE
   publications Ltd 2014
   Study designs based on the number of
   contacts
   • Cross-sectional: most common and take a crosssection
   of the population at one point in time
   • Before-and-after: also known as pre-test/posttest
   design which take two cross-sectional data
   collection points on the same population to find
   out changes.
   • Longitudinal: the population is researched a
   number of times; a series of repetitive crosssectional
   studies collecting the same information
   authored by Stephanie Fleisher © SAGE
   publications Ltd 2014
   Study designs based on the reference period
   (time-frame)
   • Retrospective: investigate things that
   happened in the past
   • Prospective: investigate things that are likely
   to happen in the future, such as experiments
   • Retrospective-prospective: focus on both past
   trends and study it into the future, such as
   before-and-after studies without a control
   group
   authored by Stephanie Fleisher © SAGE
   publications Ltd 2014
   Study designs based on the nature of the
   investigation
   • Experimental: starting from the cause to
   establish the effect; the researcher
   introduces the intervention that is
   assumed to cause the change in a
   controlled or natural environment.
   authored by Stephanie Fleisher © SAGE
   publications Ltd 2014
   Experimental designs
   • Random design
   • The after-only design
   • The before-and-after experimental design
   • The control group design
   • The double control group design
   • The comparative design
   • The ‘matched control’ experimental design
   • The placebo design
   authored by Stephanie Fleisher © SAGE
   publications Ltd 2014
   Study designs based on the nature of the
   investigation – continued
   • Non-experimental: Starting with the effect to
   research the cause; a phenomenon is known
   and the researcher attempts to establish what
   caused it.
   • Quasi- or semi-experimental: This design has
   elements of both experimental and nonexperimental
   studies.
   authored by Stephanie Fleisher © SAGE
   publications Ltd 2014
   Figure 8.1 Types of study design
   authored by Stephanie Fleisher © SAGE
   publications Ltd 2014
   Other quantitative designs
   • Online surveys
   • The cross-over comparative experimental design
   • The replicated cross-sectional design
   • Trend studies
   • Cohort studies
   • Panel studies
   • Blind studies
   • Double-blind studies
   Study designs in qualitative research
   • Case studies: In-depth exploration of a
   atypical case of a particular event, group,
   instance, etc.
   • Oral history: Obtaining, recording, presenting
   and interpreting information in someone’s
   own words
   • Focus groups/ group interviews: Facilitated
   group interviews of an open discussion of a
   topic
   authored by Stephanie Fleisher © SAGE
   publications Ltd 2014
   Study designs in qualitative research
   continued
   • Participant observation: Researcher gets
   involved in a social interaction and observes the
   situation first hand
   • Holistic research: More a philosophy, research
   from every perspective
   • Community discussion forums: Large group
   discussion
   • Reflective journal log: Diary of the researcher’s
   thoughts
   authored by Stephanie Fleisher © SAGE
   publications Ltd 2014
   Other philosophy-guided designs
   • Action Research: Research that requires action
   to improve practice or take action to an issue
   • Feminist research: Underpinned by feminist
   concerns in terms social inequality between
   men and women
   • Participatory and collaborative research
   enquiry: Based on the philosophy of community
   development involving community members
   actively in the research process
   authored by Stephanie Fleisher © SAGE
   publications Ltd 2014