Research Methodology
Study design and methods
Mixed Methods Research Design Framework
Design a mixed methods study — selecting the appropriate design type based on the integration goal (convergent, explanatory sequential, or exploratory sequential), designing the integration point where data streams meet, and building the sampling strategy for each strand that supports the integration.
Survey Methodology Design Framework
Design a methodologically sound survey — selecting the administration mode based on population access and response quality tradeoffs, designing the questionnaire with bias-minimizing question order and response format, and building the administration protocol that achieves the target response rate.
Longitudinal Study Design Framework
Design a longitudinal study — determining the number and spacing of measurement waves based on the theoretical change trajectory, planning attrition mitigation strategies, and selecting appropriate analytic approaches that model within-person change rather than between-person differences at a single time point.
Action Research Methodology Framework
Design an action research project — establishing the collaborative inquiry structure, designing the plan-act-observe-reflect cycles, building practitioner knowledge claims that are appropriate to action research's epistemology, and producing knowledge that is both locally actionable and theoretically transferable.
Case Study Research Methodology Framework
Design a case study research project — selecting the case type and rationale, designing data collection across multiple evidence sources, building the within-case and cross-case analysis strategy, and establishing analytical generalization that distinguishes case study's statistical generalization from its legitimate theoretical contribution.
Research Ethics & IRB Preparation Framework
Prepare a research ethics protocol — identifying the specific risks of this study for this population, designing informed consent procedures proportional to those risks, and building the ethical justification that explains why the research question justifies any risks imposed on participants.
Measurement & Validity Framework
Design valid and reliable measurement instruments — operationalizing constructs with precision, selecting or developing validated scales, calculating reliability coefficients, and assessing construct validity through convergent and discriminant evidence.
Sampling Strategy Design Framework
Design a research sampling strategy — selecting probability or non-probability sampling based on the research question's generalizability requirements, calculating or justifying sample size with explicit criteria, and documenting the sampling decisions that determine what population the findings can and cannot be generalized to.
Qualitative Research Methodology Framework
Design a qualitative research study — selecting the appropriate qualitative tradition based on the research question's epistemological requirements, designing purposive sampling with theoretical saturation criteria, and building a rigor framework that uses qualitative-specific validity criteria rather than inappropriate quantitative standards.
Research Design Selection Framework
Select and justify a research design — matching the research question's causal structure to the appropriate design type, identifying the internal and external validity threats the chosen design controls and which it leaves unaddressed, and building the design brief that guides all subsequent methodological decisions.