ABSTRACT

This chapter sets out the meanings, fields and scope of research design and planning, including: approaching and defining research design; what to include in a research design; methodologies and their foundations, including quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods designs; design frameworks and matrices; literature searches and writing literature reviews, including using and evaluating websites; operationalizing research questions; planning data analysis and reporting; ensuring quality in research designs. The chapter underlines the importance of design in providing warrants for the data analysis, interpretation and conclusions, and it provides examples of warrants and their relationships to literature and theory. It notes that research design must be comprehensive, inclusive and fit for purpose, and it provides advice on how to address these. The chapter indicates strategic and tactical decisions that researchers can take in considering research designs and how to move from design to operational planning and managing the research, and it provides a fully worked examples of these.