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Research Designs in Social ScienceIV Seminar on

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IntroductionWhat is Research?

It is the scientific and systematic investigation to search for knowledge.

Research is to see what everybody else has seen and to think what nobody else has thought. ( Albert Szent Gyorgyi)30/05/20153

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ObjectivesTo understand the concept of research design.

To be familiar with the different types of research designs.

To review research studies related to research designs.

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What are Research Designs ?30/05/20155

Research design is the arrangement of conditions for collection and analysis of data in a manner that aims to combine relevance to research purpose with economy in procedure. Selltiz(1976)

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Contd..

Research design refers to plan, structure, strategy of investigation conceived as to obtain answers to research questions & to control variance. (Kerlinger, 1967)

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Purpose of Research Designs30/05/20158

Components of research designsVariable Extraneous variableConfounded effectResearch hypothesisExperimental and control group Treatments

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Guiding principle in identifying the research design30/05/201510

Contd

MAXIMIZINGExperimentalVarianceMake treatment and control Carefully monitor the studyDesign the study to control internal validity threatsMINIMIZINGErrorVariance1.Watch for errors in measurement2.Increase control over experimental conditions3.Improve the reliability of measuring instrumentsCONTROLExtraneousVarianceEliminating the variable as a variableRandomizationMatching the subjects

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Features of good research designsObjective Reliable Predictable Definite Accurate Efficient Economical Valid

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Internal and External validity of research designs INTERNAL VALIDITYEXTERNAL VALIDITY

Accuracy

Generalizations

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Threats to Internal Validity

History Selection bias MaturationInstrumentation Statistical regression Experimental mortality

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Threats to External Validity Selection bias Prior knowledge about subjectsArtificial situation of the experimentCarry over effects

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Types of Research Designs30/05/201516

I. Exploratory/Formulative Research DesignThe purpose of exploratory studies is to formulate research problems for precise investigation.

It is undertaken to acquire background information about the research problem.

To develop a working hypothesis from operational point of view.30/05/201517

ContdExploratory research is most commonly unstructured research.

In this design, non-probability sampling is used.

Ex :Studies to explore the potential for introducing agro-based industries. 30/05/201518

Techniques for conducting exploratory research

1.Secondary data analysis

2.Experience survey or pilot survey

3. Focus group interview

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II. Descriptive and Diagnostic research designDescriptive research is also called status research.

It is a fact finding studies.

It describes accurately the characteristics of particular individual ,group or situation.

It is used for in depth analysis of data.

Ex :To Study the culture, norms, family type, relationships.

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III. Hypothesis testing or Experimental research designsIt is a blueprint of procedure for testing the hypothesis.

They test the causal relationship between the variables.

Here the investigator has direct control over the independent variables.

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Principles of experimental designs1.The principle of randomization

2.The principle of replication

3.The Principle of local control

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Ex-post-facto Research designs

Ex-post-facto research design is a systematic & empirical enquiry in which the scientist doesn't have direct control over independent variables and manipulation of independent variables doesnt occur. (Kerlinger, 1967)

Ex-post facto means from what is done afterwards.30/05/201523

Common design notationROXO

ROO

Post-test observation.

Time

Line 1 (EG)Line 2 (CG)Pre-test observation.30/05/201524

1.One-Group After-Only Design

EGXO30/05/201525

2.One Group Before - After Design

EGXO2O130/05/201526

3.Simulated Before-After DesignEGCGXO1O2D(O2-O1) 30/05/201527

4.Two Group, After Only DesignsCause to effect designs Presumed cause Presumed effects Presumed effects

CGEG30/05/201528

II. Effect to Cause Design. Presumed effects Presumed cause Presumed cause

EGCG30/05/201529

Advantages of Ex-post-Facto Research DesignsThey establish empirical validity of statements.

The consequences are immediately observable.

The problems that are not amenable for experimental study are studied by ex-post-facto research designs. 30/05/201530

Limitations of Ex- post-facto Research designs

More risk of improper interpretation.

It lacks internal validity in some designs were there is no scope for control groups.30/05/201531

Other Ex-post- facto Research designs1.Field studiesIts a ex-post-facto studies which systematically discovers the relationship between sociological & psychological variables in social settings.

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Weakness: Lack of precision or accuracy.They involve more problems in relation to feasibility, cost ,time etc.Strengths :

They are very close to reality.These studies are most significant in finding solutions to rural problems. These studies have high discovery potentials. 30/05/201533

1.Randomized Posttest-Only Control Group DesignR - Random assignmentThere is no benchmark.Assignment to groups occurs through randomization.Its most economical design, flexible and controls most of the threats to internal validity.

X1TreatmentO1Posttest

REGCG

RO2Posttest

True Experimental Designs

D(O2-O1) 30/05/201534

2.Two groups After Only Design with matched subjects Matched subjects without randomization

EGMCGX1Treatment

O1Posttest

O2Posttest

D(O2-O1) The groups occur naturally without randomization.Matching controls the variation among the matched subjects.The D indicates the significance of treatment in changing the dependent variable.30/05/201535

ii. Matched subjects with randomization

EGMCGX1Treatment

O1Posttest

O2Posttest

D:(O2-O1) R Both matching and randomization are done.

There is an inbuilt internal validity.

Impact of film shows, slide shows, method demonstrations, field visits either singly or used in combination.

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3.Randomized Pretest-Posttest Control Group Design

Also called four cell design.There is pretest measure which provides the bench mark for comparison of posttest results. It has inbuilt internal validity.

EGCG

R

RXTreatmentO2Posttest

O1Pretest

O3Pretest

O4Posttest

D:(O2-O1) (O4-O3)

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G1:EGG2:CG

R

RXTreatmentO2Posttest

O1Pretest

O3Pretest

O4Posttest

4.Randomized Pretest-Posttest Design with two controlsG3:CG

R

XTreatment

O5Posttest

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5.Solomon Four-Group Design

O1Pretest

O2Posttest

X1Treatment

G1EGO6Posttest

G4CG

Sample

O3Pretest

G2CGG3CGO4Posttest

O5Posttest

X1Treatment

Post-TestOnlydesignPretestPosttestdesign30/05/201539

RESEARCH EVIDENCES

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Impact of Television on Farmers.(Awadh Nath Mishra,1967) One group Before-After measurement design was adopted for evaluation of five Agricultural telecasts and their impact on gain in the knowledge level of farmers by comparing the before and after observations. 30/05/201541

Communication Behaviour of Extension Personnel :An Analysis of Harayana Agricultural Extension Systems.(Akhouri,1973) The research design selected for the study was Field Survey in an Organizational setting to study the individual communication behaviour & relative communication efficiency of extension personnel.30/05/201542

Relative effectiveness of two modes of presentation on gain in cognition and retention- A field experiment. (Balakrishna,1993)

Randomized control group pretest posttest design for measuring the relative effectiveness of two modes of lecture presentation on gain in cognition and retention of the gained cognition.

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Processes and Issues in Revitalizing Panchayati Raj System through 73rd Constitutional (Ammendment)Act,(1999)Lalit Kumar Tyagi

A Descriptive diagnostic Research Design was applied to study the process of empowerment of weaker sections by new Panchayati Raj legislation.30/05/201544

Development and Testing of Computer Assisted Instruction Modules(CAIMS)(Ganeshmoorthy,2005)

In this study Before-After Design with control group was used for testing the effectiveness of Computer Assisted Instructional Modules (CAIMS) over the conventional teaching method.30/05/201545

An exploratory study on organic farming practices and their adoption by farmers(Parvathamma,2006)An exploratory design was adopted to study the adoption levels of organic farming practices and to find out the major constraints faced by farmers in practicing organic farming. 30/05/201546

Research designs followed in the Dept. of Agril. Extension, UAS, Bangalore30/05/201547

Table1a. Research designs followed in the Master Degree studies,Dept. of Agril. Extension, UAS, Bangalore

SI.NoTypes of Research Designs1969-1978N %1979-1988N %1989-1998N %1999-2008N %2009-2014N %Total

%1.Exploratory research design 4 0.95 6 1.4 1 0.23 1 0.23-------- 32.Descriptive and diagnostic research design3 0.715 1.19-------------------23.Ex-post-facto research design15 3.580 1990 21.4109 25.956 13.3834.Field studies4 0.955 1.192 0.4725.Experimental research design(i)Randomized posttest only research design5 1.195 1.192 0.47--------------3(ii)Two group after only with matched subjects.3 0.716 1.421 0.23-----------------2(iii)Randomized pretest- posttest research design5 2.387 1.655 1.42------------------5Total39 9114 28 24110 2656 13100

N=42030/05/201548

SI.NoTypes of Research Designs1977-1986N %1987-1996

N %1997-2006

N %2007-2014N %Total

%1.Exploratory research design 2 1.9 1 0.95 1 0.95--------42.Descriptive and diagnostic research design1 0.951 0.95-----------------23.Ex-post-facto research design15 14.220 23.8036 34.2815 14.6814.Field studies3 2.851 0.95------------------45.Experimental research design(i)Randomized posttest only research design2 1.903 2.85------------------5(iii)Randomized pretest- posttest research design3 2.851 0.95--------------------4Total26 2527 2537 3515 15100

Table1b. Research designs followed in the Doctoral Degree studies,Dept. of Agril. Extension, UAS, Bangalore

N=10530/05/201549

Conclusion30/05/201550

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