Designs of Educational Research- Descriptive Experimental and Historical


Descriptive Research Design

It is designed for the investigator to gather information about present existing conditions.

It studies investigate phenomena in their natural setting.

Here the researcher does not manipulate the variables or arrange for events to happen.

The present events or phenomena are observed & described here.

Types of Descriptive Research

Survey Studies
School Survry
Job Survey
Public Opinion Survey
Social Survey
Developmental Studies
Growth Studies
Longitudinal
Cross-Sectional
Follow-up Studies
Trends Studies
Inter-Relationship Studies
Case Study
Ex-post Facto/ Casual Comparative Studies
Correlation & Prediction Studies
Cross-Cultural & Comparative Studies


Historical Research Design

Historical Research is the Systematic collection and evaluation of data to describe, explain, and thereby understand actions or events that occurred in the past.


No manipulation or control of variables or Data and primarily focuses in the past.

Historical research is not based upon experimentation, but upon reports of observation which cannot be repeated. 

Types of Historical Research
Bibliographic Research
Legal Research
Studying the history of ideas
Studying the history of institutions.

Experimental Research Design
Experimental research design are concerned with
Examination of the effect of independent variable on the dependent variable,
Where the independent variable is manipulated through treatment or intervention &
The effect of those interventions is observed on the dependant variable.
Data are collected through random method.

Types of Experimental Research
True Experimental Design
Post-test only ,
Pretest post-test only,
Solomon 4 groups ,
Factorial ,
Randomized block,
Crossover

Quasi – Experimental Research Design
Nonrandomized control group design,
Time-series design

Pre – Experimental Research Design 
One-shot case design ,
One-group pretest-posttest design

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