Types of Research Design

• Describe phenomena as they exist. Descriptive studies generally take raw data and summarize it in a useable form.
• Can also be qualitative in nature if the sample size is small and data are collected from questionnaires, interviews or observations.

Experimental

• The art of planning and implementing an experiment in which the research has control over some of the conditions where the study takes place and control over some aspects of the independent variable(s) (presumed cause or variable used to predict another variable)

Quasi-experimental

• A form of experimental research in which the researcher cannot control at least one of the three elements of an experimental design:

• Environment
• Intervention (program or practice)
• Assignment to experimental and control groups

• Collection and evaluation of data related to past events that are used to describe causes, effects and trends that may explain present or future events. Data are often archival.
• Data includes interviews.

Ethnographic

• The collection of extensive narrative data over an extended period of time in natural settings to gain insights about other types of research.
• Data are collected through observations at particular points of time over a sustained period.
• Data include observations, records and interpretations of what is seen.

Case Studies

• An in-depth study of an individual group, institution, organization or program.
• Data include interviews, field notes of observations, archival data and biographical data.