UndergradSkiller: Skill Set Map for Undergraduates and Their Educators

CRITICAL THINKING AND PROBLEM-SOLVING: Research Methods

Research Design

Research design refers to the overall strategy for conducting a study. This includes how questions are framed, what data is collected, and how it is analyzed. Understanding the basics of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methods research helps students plan their own projects and critically assess the work of others.

Useful Resources on Research Design:

Purdue OWL. (n.d.). Research: Where to begin. https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/conducting_research/research_overview/index.
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Annotation: Covers the early stages of the research process. Includes guidance on choosing and narrowing a research topic, formulating research questions, and understanding different types of sources. A practical starting point for students beginning their first research assignments.

Kimmons, R. (2022). Educational research: Across multiple paradigms. EdTech Books. https://open.byu.edu/education_research/mixed_methods

Annotation: Chapter from an open educational textbook on educational research covering mixed methods research design. Introduces the rationale for combining qualitative and quantitative approaches and outlines three common structures: parallel, linear, and iterative.

Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (4th ed.). SAGE. https://discovery.techlib.cz/permalink/420CARDS_NTK/1k9hgcg/alma990009514140109902

Annotation: This book provides a practical guide to designing qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods research, covering the process from reviewing literature and developing research questions to designing and presenting a study. The sixth edition includes updated APA 7th edition guidelines, inclusive language, and recent examples and developments in mixed-methods research.

Peer Review: None

Table of contents:

3.1. Critical Thinking
3.1.1. Introductions to Critical Thinking
3.1.2. Developing Thinking Skills

3.2. Critical Reading and Analysis

3.3. Analysis and Argumentation

3.4. Critical Reasoning

3.5. Synthesis

3.6. Problem-Solving and Design Thinking
3.6.1. Problem-Solving
3.6.2. Design Thinking

3.7. Research Methods

3.7.1. Research Design

3.7.2. Research Ethics

3.8. Data Literacy
3.8.1. Understanding Data
3.8.2. Computational Thinking
3.8.3. Statistical and Numerical Analysis

3.9. Curiosity and Creative Thinking
3.9.1. Creative Exercises
3.9.2. Understanding Curiosity

 

Author: Leeanne Irwin

Peer Reviewer(s): None