Module Components

• Learning Activities

Topics

• Foundations of Research
• Time
• Research Designs
• Theory in Research
• Module 2 Self-Review

NRSG 790 - Methods for Research and Evidence-Based Practice

Module 2: Research Design and Planning

Foundations Overview

Quantitative research refers to any research based on something that can be accurately and precisely measured. For example, it is possible to discover exactly how many times per second a hummingbird's wings beat and measure the corresponding effects on its physiology (heart rate, temperature, etc.).

Qualitative research refers to any research based on something that is impossible to accurately and precisely measure. For example, although you certainly can conduct a survey on job satisfaction and afterwards say that such-and-such percent of your respondents were very satisfied with their jobs, it is not possible to come up with an accurate, standard numerical scale to measure the level of job satisfaction precisely.

Types of Qualitative Research Design

Qualitative research is a means by which we describe and explain the social world and to develop explanatory models and theories. It is the primary means by which the theoretical foundations of social sciences may be constructed or re-examined. Given that Qualitative research does not seek to “prove” there is no manipulation of variable, and threat to validity are looked at differently. Below are the basic designs of Qualitative Research

Types of Quantitative Research Design

There are two (2) main types of research designs: Experimental and Observational. At times it is difficult to determine the design of a study (unless the researcher tells you!). Consider the decisional tree below when determining the basic design of a study.