1.5 Research Design

Systematic empirical investigation of quantitative properties and phenomena and their relationships. Asking a narrow question and collecting numerical data to analyze utilizing statistical methods. The quantitative research designs are experimental, correlational, and survey (or descriptive). Statistics derived from quantitative research can be used to establish the existence of associative or causal relationships between variables. The Quantitative data collection methods rely on random sampling and structured data collection instruments that fit diverse experiences into predetermined response categories. These methods produce results that are easy to summarize, compare, and generalize. Quantitative research is concerned with testing hypotheses derived from theory and/or being able to estimate the size of a phenomenon of interest. Depending on the research question, participants may be randomly assigned to different treatments (this is the only way that a quantitative study can be considered a true experiment). If this is not feasible, the researcher may collect data on participant and situational characteristics in order to statistically control for their influence on the dependent, or outcome, variable. If the intent is to generalize from the research participants to a larger population, the researcher will employ probability sampling to select participants. Each of these research forms demands different research design model(s).

1.5 Research Design

This is a method, a plan, a structure or a strategy a researcher considers most appropriate to use to investigate research questions in his/her research study in order to come up with a solution(s) or an answer(s) to the research problem(s) or question(s) envisaged. That is, a Research Design is a plan so designed as to offer the kind of route an Investigator has to follow and type of activities that will take place en-route in order to find a solution or solutions to identified problem(s). It is a Method a Researcher plans to use to collect data (information), to organize and analyze that information into comprehensible results.

Research designs fall into two broad classes:-Experimental and Quasi-experimental where experimental studies are characterized by the ability to randomize subjects into treatment and control groups.

1.6 Hypothesis

"A hypothesis is a logical supposition, a reasonable guess, an educated conjecture. It provides a tentative explanation for a phenomenon under investigation. " (Leedy and Ormrod, 2001). Or a hypothesis is a tentative answer to a research problem. The hypotheses are tentative because they can only be verified only after they have been tested scientifically. OR Research hypotheses are the specific testable predictions made about the independent and dependent variables in the study. Usually the literature review has given background material that justifies the particular hypotheses that are to be tested. Hypotheses are couched in terms of the particular independent and dependent variables that are going to be used in the study. An example would be:

"Children who are exposed to regular singing of the alphabet will show greater recognition of letters than children who are exposed to regular pronouncing of the alphabet" .