Unit – II

RESEARCH DESIGN AND MEASUREMENT

1. What is a research design? [AU JUNE 2014, JUNE 2015]

A research design is a plan, structure and strategy of investigation so conceived as to
obtain answers to research questions or problems. The plan is the complete scheme or
program of the research. It includes an outline of what the investigator will do from writing
the hypotheses and their operational implications to the final analysis of data.

2. Describe briefly exploratory research design.

Exploratory studies are those which aim at gaining familiarity with a phenomenon or
which aim at achieving insights into the phenomenon or studies which deal with formulation
of a more precise research problem or developing a hypothesis.

3. What are the methods of exploratory research?

a. Study of secondary sources of information;
b. Survey of individuals who are apt to have ideas on the general subject; and
c. Analysis of selected cases.

4. What is the aim of causal research design? [Dec 2014]

Causal designs are known as experimental designs and it analyses the cause – effect
relationship between the variables.
5. What are the limitations of causal research design?
a. Field experiment can involve many variables outside the control of the
experiments, resulting in unanticipated differences in conditions surrounding
treatment groups.
b. It may be difficult or expensive to gain the cooperation of people concered when
setting up the experiments.
c. The experimenter may lack knowledge of experimental procedures, reducing the
d. chance of results that demonstrate causality.
d. Experiments are notoriously expensive and time consuming.

6. What is an experimental design? [Dec 2014] DEC 2016 MAY 2017

Experimental design is a blueprint of the procedure that enables the researcher to test
his hypothesis by reaching valid conclusions about relationships between independent and
dependent variables. It refers to the conceptual framework within which the experiment is
conducted.
7. What is after only design?
Design consists of applying the experimental variable to an experimental group and
measuring the dependent variable, after and only after the application of the experimental
variable.

8. What is ex post facto design?

Study of problems with the help of adequate historical background.

9. Explain completely randomized design.

It is the simplest possible design and involves two principles, viz., the principle of
replication and the principle of randomization. The essential characteristic of this design is
that subjects are randomly assigned to the experimental treatment.

10. Define factorial designs.

Factorial designs are used in experiments where the effects of varying more than one
factor are to be determined.
 11. Define internal and external validity in experimental design.
Internal validity asks did the experimental treatment make the difference in this specific
instance rather than other extraneous variables.
External validity asks to what populations, settings, treatment variables, and measurement
variables can this observe effect be generalized.
12. What is validity? NOV 2015, NOV 2017
a) Validity is the extent to which a test measures what it claims to measure. It is vital
for a test to be valid in order for the results to be accurately applied and interpreted.
Validity is defined as the best available approximation to the truth of a given
proposition, inference, or conclusion.

13. What do you mean by rank order rating scale?

In this method the respondents are asked to rank the responses in the order of priority.
This is purely an ordinal scale that describes the most favored or disfavored item, but does
not speak about the distance between any of the items.

14. Define a variable.

A variable is defined as a characteristic that can be manupilated or observed, and can
take on different values, either quantitatively or qualitatively (e.g. family income, age,
gender, heart disease, blood pressure, etc.)

15. What are the different types of variables?

 Descriptive variables are those that which will be reported on, without relating them
to anything in particular.
 Numeric variables give a number, such as age.
 Discrete variables are numeric variables that come from a limited set of numbers.
They may result from, answering questions such as „how many‟, how often‟, etc.

16. Distinguish between dependent and independent variable.

An independent variable is one is manipulated by the researcher. It is like the knob on
a dial that the researcher turns. In graphs, it is put on the X-axis.
A dependent variable is one which changes as a result of the independent variable
being changed, and is put on the Y-axis in graphs.

17. What are extraneous variables?

Extraneous variables are additional variables which could provide alternative
explanations or cast doubt on conclusions.
18. What is an intervening variable?
An intervening variable links the independent and dependent variables when the
relationship between them cannot be established without the intervention of another variable.

19. What is measurement?

The determination of size in relation to some observed standard, e.g. metre, kilogram,
second, ampere, degree Kelvin, candela, mole, or some unit derived from these seven basic
units.

20. What is nominal scale? DEC 2015

Nominal scale is defined as measurement of a variable which results in the
classification of phenomena into a set of consistent and non-overlapping attributes (yes, no,
male, female, etc).
21. Define accuracy measurement.
Accuracy of measurement depends upon the extent to which it is free from systematic
and variable errors. Freedom from variable errors is known as the reliability of a
measurement and freedom from systematic errors is known as the validity of a measurement.

22. Why is level of measurement important?

First, knowing the level of measurement helps us to decide how to interpret the data
from that variable. When we know that a measure is nominal then we know that the
numerical values are just short codes for the longer names. Second, knowing the level of
measurement helps us to decide what statistical analysis is appropriate on the values that were
assigned.

23. Define scaling.[DEC2014], NOV 2017

Scaling is the science of determining measuring instruments for human judgment.
One needs to make use of appropriate scaling methods to aid in improving the accuracy of
subjective estimation and voting procedures. Scaling, as a science of measuring human
judgment, is as fundamental as collecting data on well-developed natural sciences.

24. What is rating scale?

A rating scale typically requires that the respondent indicates his attitude towards an
object in the following manner.

25. What is itemized rating scale?

In this rating scale, the respondent is asked to choose from a limited number of
categories instead of placing a mark on the continuum.

PART - B

1. Explain the various types of research design. Pg no 36 – 48 [May 2015, NOV 2016, NOV 2017
Dec 2015, MAY 2017]
2. Elaborate different types of experimental Design. Pg no 43 – 48 [ Dec 2014 Reg 2010]
3. How validity and reliability of research can be judged? What are the different factors that affect the
validity and reliability? Pg no: 67 - 70
4. What do you mean by a research variable? Give different types of research variable. Pg no: 52 - 53
5. Describe the various measurement and scaling techniques. Pg no: 61 – 67 [ Dec 2014, May 2015,
Nov 2015, MAY 2017]
6. Distinguish between nominal scale and ordinal scale as well as between interval scale & ratio scale
with some examples. Pg no: 59 – 60 [Dec 2014 Reg2013]
7. Write a note on measuring reliability and validity of an instrument. Pg no: 70 – 71 [Dec 2014 Reg
2013]
8. Explain in detail about in-depth interviews. Pg no: 37
9. Make a comparison between Descriptive and experimental research design. Pg no: 39,43
10. What is focus group interview? Write about the advantages of focus group interview. Pg no: 38.