Basic differences between research methods and research design
The concepts of research methods and research design in any area of research activity or study are very important and crucial. Research methods are involved in the sole responsibility of providing the prospective researcher with an appropriate and compatible research methodology that will be fitting to his or her research distinctive requirements and needs. Different to research methods, research design refers to the unique principals and strategies within which a research project is conducted and ultimately finished. For research students who have had difficulty in differentiating the two, this article will point out and explain the distinctions to Forster good understanding of either.
Research methods are categorized into two broad categories namely qualitative and quantitative methods. The diverse nature of research methods offer the concerned researcher numerous methods that can be used although it is important to observe that every research project come with specific requirements hence each research method used will depend on the nature of the project in hand. Research design that closely correlates with the methods will provide the principles and strategies for the appropriate execution of the research methods chosen for a given project. In other words research design provides a road map through which research objectives and goals can be achieved easily and professionally. Research design will involve in most cases the methodology chosen as well as process associated with data collection and analysis such as sampling procedures and data collection instruments.
The consequence of a poor or inefficient research design can be very disastrous in the final report of your research study. In most cases inefficient designs have produced incomplete and anomalous research results that cannot be meaningfully analyzed. It is also important that you note that change in research methods will be ultimately followed by a change in research design, a process that will take time to accomplish and put in place.