Defining the research Problem

A research problem does exist

There

must be an individual (or a group or an organization),let us call it I ,to whom the problem can be attributed. The individual or the organization, as the case may be, occupies an environment, say N, which is defined by values of the uncontrolled variables, Yj

There

must be at least two courses of action, say C1 and C2 , to be pursued. A course of action is defined by one or more values of the controlled variables. There must be at least two possible outcomes, say O1 and O2 , of the course of action, of which one should be preferable to the other. In other words, this means that there must be at least one outcome that

The

courses of action available must provides some chance of obtaining the objective , but they cannot provide the same chance, otherwise the choice would not matter. Thus, if P (Oj /I,Cj,N) represents the probability that an outcome Oj will occur, if I select Cj in N, then P(O1/I,C1,N)# P(O1/I,C2,N).

In

simple words, we can say that the choices must have unequal efficiencies for the desired outcomes.

An illustration

Why is productivity in Japan so much higher than in India. What sort of productivity? With what industries the same is related? With what period of time?

What factors were responsible for the higher labour productivity of Japans manufacturing industries during the decade 1971 to 1980 relative to Indias manufacturing industries ?

To

what extent did labour productivity in 1971 to 1980 in Japan exceed that of India in respect of 15 selected manufacturing industries? What factors were responsible for the productivity differentials between the two countries by industries?

Research design

Decisions

regarding what, where, when, how much, by what means concerning an inquiry or a research study constitute a research design. Research design is the conceptual structure within which research is conducted; it constitutes the blueprint for the collection, measurement and analysis of data.

Research design may be split into following parts:

The

sampling design: which deals with the method of selecting items to be observed for the given study. The observational design: which related to the conditions under which the observations are to be made.

The

statistical design: which concerns with the question of how many items are to be observed and how the information and data gathered are to be analyzed The operational design: which deals with the techniques by which the procedures specified in the sampling, statistical and observational design can be

Need for research design

Research

design is needed because it facilitates the smooth sailing of the various research operations, thereby making research as efficient as possible yielding maximal information with minimal expenditure of effort, time and money. Ex blueprint of house, circuit design.

Extraneous variable
Independent

variables that are not related to the purpose of the study, but may affect the dependent variable are termed as extraneous variables. A study must always be so designed that the effect upon the dependent variable is attributed entirely to the independent variables(s), and not to some extraneous variable or variables.

Control
One

important characteristic of a good research design is to minimize the influence or effect of extraneous variable (s). The technical term control is used when we design the study minimizing the effects of extraneous independent variables. In experimental researches, the term control is used to refer to

Confounded relationships
When

the dependent variables is not free from the influence of extraneous variable(s), the relationship between the dependent and independent variables is said to be confounded by an extraneous variable (s).

Experimental vs non experimental

When

the purpose of research is to test a research hypothesis, it is termed as hypothesis- testing research. Research in which the independent variable is manipulated is termed experimental hypothesis-testing research . A research in which an independent variable is not

Experimental and control group

In

an experimental hypothesistesting research when a group is exposed to usual conditions, it is termed as control group. But, when the group is exposed to some novel or special conditions, it is termed as an experimental group.

treatment
The

different conditions under which experimental and control groups are put are usually referred to as treatments.

Research design in exploratory research study

Main

purpose is to formulate a problem for more precise investigation or developing the working hypothesis. Survey of concerning literature Experience survey Analysis of insight-stimulating examples.

Research design in descriptive and diagnostic research What is to be measured

,methods Clear cut definition of population. Rigid design (protection against bias and must maximize reliability)

Research design in hypothesis-testing research

Reduce

bias and increase reliability Experimental design

Basic principles of experimental designs

Principle of replication 2. Principle of randomization 3. Principle of local control
1.

Principle of replication
The

experiment should be repeated more than once. Increase statistical accuracy of the experiment.

Principle of randomization
It

provide protection against the extraneous factors. Variation caused by extraneous factors can all be combined under general heading of chance.

Principle of local control

Known

source of variability, is made to vary deliberately over as wide a range as necessary and This needs to be done in such a way that the variability it causes can be measured and hence eliminated from the experimental error. Blocks-are the levels at which we hold and extraneous factor fixed.

Important experimental design

Before-and after without control design

A

single test group is selected and the dependent variable is measure before the introduction of the treatment. The treatment is then introduced and the dependent variable is measured again after the treatment has been introduced.

After-only with control design

Two

groups (test and control) are selected and the treatment is introduced into the test group only. The dependent variable is then measured in both the group at the same time. Basic assumption in such a design is that the two areas are identical with respect to their

Before-and-after with control design

Two

areas are selected and the dependent variable is measured in both the areas for an identical time-period before the treatment. The treatment is then introduced into the test area only, and the dependent variable is measured in both for an identical timeperiod after the introduction of the treatement.

Completely randomized design

Involve

only two principle viz. the principle of replication and the randomization of experimental designs. The essential characteristic of the design is that subjects are randomly assigned to experimental treatments. If we have 10 subjects and we wish to test 5 under treatment A

(a) Two-group simple randomized design