ABSTRACT
Having established a rationale for conducting research and pursuing our theme of research as an activity, we now progress to the planning and design phase of the research project. In many ways, establishing the research rationale and designing the project are inherently linked. For example, the reason for conducting a particular piece of research may be linked to the need to examine or test specific relationships or to investigate particular issues. It may be driven by the curiosity of the researcher or be addressed towards policy questions. Whatever the rationale for the research or the desired outcomes, effective research design is crucial to any research activity.
