Thinking like a researcher — before you start researching.
Before you choose a method, design a survey, or even pick your participants, there’s one question you have to face:
What exactly are you trying to find out — and why does it matter?
That’s the heart of research design. It’s not just about collecting data — it’s about asking the right questions, in the right way, with the right tools. It’s about making sure your dissertation doesn’t just exist — but makes sense.
Good research design helps you avoid the two most common PhD traps:
1. Collecting too much data without a clear purpose
2. Asking a question so vague, even you aren’t sure how to answer it
As qualitative researcher Joseph Maxwell puts it, “The key to a successful design is having a conceptual framework: a system of concepts, assumptions, and theories that support your research.”¹ In simpler terms, you need to know where you’re coming from before you decide where to go.
Let’s break it down:
- Your research paradigm is your view of knowledge. Are you trying to measure something (positivist)? Understand a process (constructivist)? Change something (critical)?
- Your design is your general plan: case study, ethnography, experiment, etc.
- Your method is what you do: interviews, surveys, observations, etc.
- Your tools are the things you use: questionnaires, coding software, transcription apps.
All these layers work together. Choosing a method without knowing your question is like picking a tool before knowing what you’re building.
For example:
You want to study teacher burnout. You could:
- Distribute a large-scale survey to 500 teachers (quantitative, cross-sectional design)
- Conduct deep interviews with 5 teachers over time (qualitative, narrative design)
- Observe classroom dynamics in high-stress schools (ethnographic design)
Same topic. Totally different studies. Design is the bridge between your idea and your impact.
In our seminar, we’ll work on clarifying research questions, identifying your framework, and matching your question to a design that works. Because your PhD isn’t just about finding answers — it’s about asking better questions.
Works Cited
- ¹ Maxwell, J. A. (2013). Qualitative Research Design: An Interactive Approach (3rd ed.). Sage Publications.
- ² Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research Design: Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed Methods Approaches (4th ed.). Sage Publications.
