Clinical Guides: Planning a Research Project v2: Select Design

A study design refers to the structured approaches researchers use to gather data in order to address a specific research question.
Certain questions are best answered through the analysis of numerical data, which is the focus of quantitative research.
Other questions are more effectively explored by identifying patterns, themes, or insights within the data, which is characteristic of qualitative research.

Why is it important to understand study designs?

To effectively evaluate research, it's essential to examine how a study is designed and carried out. This helps you assess how relevant and trustworthy the findings are for your own work or practice.
By understanding different study designs, you can better identify strong or flawed studies and ensure your own study is up to standard.

Selecting a study design

Selecting the most appropriate study design for your research depends primarily on three factors:

Your research question
The available time and resources
Ethical implications

Recommended resources:

Health Research Study Designs Guide

Hassan, Z. A., et al. (2006). What Study Design Should I Choose? Malaysian family physician, 1(1), 29–31.
Mellis, C. M. (2020). How to choose your study design. Journal of paediatrics and child health, 56(7), 1018–1022.
Noordzij, M., et al. (2009). Study designs in clinical research. Nephron. Clinical practice, 113(3), c218–c221.
Swinscow, T.D.V. (1997). Study design and choosing a statistical test. BMJ Resources for Readers.

RineCynth Research Advisory. (2024). Choosing the Right Study Design: A Step-by-Step Guide.

Study designs