The following will present an overview of research methodologies and designs used in the social sciences. The main objectives of this document outlined below.
After a brief review, you will be able to discuss the:
This basic and introductory documentation is no substitute for courses in research methods; we can only attempt a succinct and cursory introduction here. Our goal, however, is to provide enough information that you will be able to complete any relevant required coursework and get a start on:
Let's get started.
There are three methodologies common to psychological research. They are:
As you may remember, quantitative analysis is based on the positivist paradigm, whereas qualitative analysis is based on the interpretivist paradigm. Mixed methodologies, obviously, requires that the two paradigms be integrated, which is intellectually and philosophically quite challenging.
Before going on, please be aware that mixed-methods research, using both qualitative and quantitative methods and procedures, is complex and arduous, and can require special permission, additional coursework, and a mentor with expertise in mixed methods. Further, mixed-methods dissertations usually take longer and therefore are more costly, both in time and money. Each of Capella's doctoral schools has specific requirements for learners wishing to pursue mixed designs. You can find out more about the research guidelines of your school by visiting the Research in Your School page.
If you say you are doing a quantitative study, you are saying very little. All that means, essentially, is that you will use quantified data—numbers. A research project, however, has to have a research design, which consists of a plan or blueprint that has a series of steps which must be carefully planned ahead of time. These steps flow, one into the next, in a necessary order. This order is the same whether you do a quantitative study, a qualitative study, or a mixed study. Of course, there are some exceptions—there are always exceptions in social science!—but the order is almost always the same.
The design describes, graphically, what you will do and how you will do it.
The "what you will do" are the steps. The "how you will do it" is described in methods and procedures. We won't get to them so much in Track 2, because you will learn much more about them as you take the various research methods courses that will provide that knowledge.
But before we go into that, let's outline what the main steps of any research design include.
You have already encountered the first set of steps—the conceptualization of the study based on a literature review. I'll review them quickly as a refresher. First, you describe a research topic. You then do a thorough literature review to support and justify the topic, on the basis of which you next craft a problem statement. Following this, you write a research question.
Now you are ready to choose a methodology and a research design. The design involves the following steps that will be the blueprint for answering the research question and solving the research problem, which, after all, is the core purpose of your study.
The first step in your design is to create a sampling plan. That is, a plan for obtaining your participants. We'll deal with the details of the sampling plan later.
Next, you will devise a data collection plan. That is, a plan for gathering the information from those participants that you need to answer the research question. Following this, you will create a data analysis plan. This is where you actually come up with the answers to your research question. Last, you devise a plan for presenting the findings to other scholars.
These four elements are found in every research design. In studies with special needs, there may be additional elements, such as a risk mitigation plan if your participants are vulnerable people or if there are significant risks of harming the participants in some way.
So let's look now at basic research designs found in quantitative studies.
First, quantitative designs are the most common in the social sciences, so let's start there. We'll first divide quantitative methodology into three large families of quantitative designs. Different schools and writers use somewhat different terms, but at Capella University, we talk about three such families of quantitative designs:
No doubt, if this is your first introduction to designs, this can be confusing. There is a handout showing the acceptable quantitative designs for your school. It shows common kinds of research questions that call for each of the various designs in these families.
Other Quantitative Designs
The Department of Psychology uses approved designs only.
You should be aware that there are many other kinds of quantitative research designs that are used in social science. For example, meta-analysis is a powerful social science design used in psychology. But these are the families we rely on in our department, because one goal of the dissertation is to provide learners with solid experience using the basics of design. After graduation, if you go into professional research, you will be prepared to move to the next level of design sophistication.
There is one exception: A learner who wishes to do a more sophisticated design may receive approval if the mentor or a committee member has training and experience in the design, and the learner demonstrates additional coursework or training in the design.
Now, let's move along to qualitative designs.
Basic Qualitative Designs in Department of Psychology
Just as in quantitative methodology, there are other qualitative research designs that are not usually used in our department. For the same reason, we use only these that have been approved by the department. And as with quantitative studies, if you wish to use a different qualitative design, you must have a mentor or committee member with training and experience using the design and you will have to demonstrate additional coursework or training in the design.
We approve six Qualitative Designs in the department of counseling at Capella. They are:
Going into detail about each of these designs is beyond the scope of this presentation. However, you will be reviewing the handout "Design Diagrams,” which will show typical qualitative research questions and their related designs.
Doc. reference: phd_t2_u06s1_overviewmethrd.html