CHAPTER 5: RESEARCH DESIGNS

Historical Design
-          The study is focused on the past (what was).
-          It is a scientific critical inquiry of the whole truth of past events using the critical method in the understanding and interpretation of facts which are applicable to current issues and problems.
Uses of Historical Research

• It is useful in searching through the past for solutions to contemporary problems and needs.
• It is used to throw light on the present.
• It gives people a sense of continuity of the past to the present.
• It enables the communities to grasp their relationship with the past to the current issues; and
• Presentation of the facts in readable form involving problems of organization, composition, exposition and interpretation.

Major Steps of Historical Research

• Collection of data
• Criticism of data collected
• Presentation of facts

Sources of Historical Research

• Primary Sources

-          Documents – These include school directives, court decisions, executive and other official records, personal materials. Newspapers and periodicals.
-          Remains – These include physical plant, equipment, apparatus, teaching aids and devices, pictures of buildings or furnishing, forms of diplomas and certificates, textbooks and reference books.

• Secondary Sources – These are histories of education, bibliographies, encyclopedia and many others.

Descriptive Design
-          The study focuses on the present condition.
Descriptive researches are valuable in:

• Providing facts on which scientific judgments may be based.
• Providing essential knowledge about the nature of objects and persons.
• For closer observation into the practices, behavior, methods and procedures.
• Playing a large part in the development of the instrument for the measurement of many things.
• Formulating of policies in the local, national or international level.

 Types of Descriptive Research
1.      Descriptive-survey – This type is suitable wherever the subjects vary among themselves and one is interested to know the extent to which different conditions and situations are obtained among these subjects.
A survey is useful in (1) providing the value of facts, and (2) focusing attention on the most important things to be reported.
2.      Descriptive-normative survey – The term “normative” is sometimes used because surveys are frequently made to ascertain the normal or typical condition for practice, or to compare local test results with a state or national norm.
3.      Descriptive-status – This approach to problem-solving seeks to answer questions to real facts elating to existing conditions.
4.      Descriptive-analysis – This method determines or describes the nature of an object by separating it into its parts.
5.      Descriptive-classification – This method is employed in natural sciences subjects.
6.      Descriptive-evaluative – This design is to appraise carefully the worthiness of the current study.
7.      Descriptive-comparative – This is a design where the researcher considers two variables and establishes a formal procedure to compare and conclude that one is better than the other.
8.      Correlational survey – This is designed to determine the relationship of two variables (X and Y).
9.      Longitudinal survey – This involves much time allotted for investigation of the same subjects of two or more points in time.
Experimental Design
-          Is the problem-solving approach that the study is described in the future on what will be when variables are carefully controlled or manipulated.
Types of Experimental Design
1.      Single-group design – This design involves a single instrument with two or more levels.
2.      Two-group design – In this design, two comparable groups are employed as experimental and control groups or two comparable groups are both experimental groups.
3.      Two-pair group design – This design is an elaboration of the two-group design wherein there are two control groups and two experimental groups.
4.      Parallel-group design – This design in which two or more groups are used at the same time with only a single variable manipulated or changed.
5.      Counterbalanced or Latin square design – This design is also called “rotation design” or quasi-experimental design. It involves an exchange of two or more instruments taken by the subjects during the experiment.
6.      Complete Randomized Design (CRD) – This design in which a group of test plants or animals is studied only once but subsequent treatment is applied to determine the cause of change.
7.      Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) – This experimental design uses a group of test plants and animals as subjects of the study which are studied once but subsequent treatment applied are replicated to determine the cause of change.
8.      Correlational design – This experimental design is used to determine the relationship of two dependent variables, X and Y, how they are manipulated by the independent variables.
9.      Pre-Test-Post-Test design – This design involves the experimental group and the control group which are carefully selected through randomization procedure.
Case Study Design
-          Is a problem-solving technique wherein the study is described from the past, present and the future.
The Cycle of Case Study

• Recognition and determination of the status of the phenomenon to be investigated.
• Collection of data related to the factors or circumstances associated with the given phenomenon.
• Diagnosis or identification of causal factors as basis for remedial or developmental treatment.
• Application of remedial or adjustment measures.
• Subsequent follow-up to determine the effectiveness of the corrective or developmental measures applied.