Learning Objectives
Design and justify a practical research plan that defines the claim, selects appropriate participants and methods, gathers relevant evidence and addresses reliability, validity, bias and ethics.
Purpose Of Question 2(b)
The second part of Question 2 asks how a claim could be researched or tested. You must design a credible investigation and justify why the chosen methods and evidence would answer the claim.
A list such as “use interviews, surveys and the internet” is not enough. Explain who would be studied, what would be asked or measured, how bias would be reduced and how the evidence would test the exact claim.
Break Down The Claim
Identify the population, key concept and scope of the claim. Broad words such as most, effective, better, harmful or successful must be translated into something measurable.
Claim
“Most secondary students learn better with digital textbooks.”
Breakdown
- Population: secondary students.
- Comparison: digital textbooks against printed textbooks or another clear condition.
- Outcome: what “learn better” means, such as test scores, retention or task completion.
- Scale word: “most” requires evidence from a sufficiently broad and representative sample.
Write A Clear Research Question
Convert the claim into a testable question. For example: “Do secondary students achieve higher comprehension scores after using a digital textbook than after using the same material in print?”
A clear question guides the choice of participants, evidence and analysis.
Select The Target Population
State whose views or behaviour matter. Avoid vague phrases such as “ask people”. Identify the relevant age group, location, user group, profession or stakeholder.
If the claim is global or very broad, explain how several countries, regions or types of community could be included. A school-level investigation may not prove a global claim but can test it within a defined context.
Choose A Sampling Strategy
Use a sample large and varied enough for the claim. Random sampling gives members of the population a chance of selection. Stratified sampling deliberately includes important groups in suitable proportions. Quota sampling can ensure representation when a complete sampling list is unavailable.
Stratified Sample
To investigate transport preferences among city residents, include participants from different districts, age groups and income groups rather than surveying only commuters at one train station.
Questionnaires And Surveys
Questionnaires are useful for collecting comparable information from many participants. Use neutral wording, clear response options and a mixture of closed and open questions where suitable.
- Closed questions provide data that can be counted and compared.
- Rating scales can measure strength of agreement or satisfaction.
- Open questions provide reasons and unexpected insights.
- A pilot survey can reveal confusing wording before the main study.
Explain how the answers will test the claim. For example, compare the proportion agreeing across groups rather than merely stating that a survey will be used.
Interviews And Focus Groups
Interviews can investigate reasons, experiences and perspectives in depth. Use a consistent interview guide if responses must be compared. Follow-up questions can clarify answers.
Focus groups reveal interaction and disagreement, but dominant participants may influence others. Confidential individual interviews may be better for sensitive issues.
Observation
Observation is useful when behaviour matters more than reported opinion. Decide what will be observed, for how long and how it will be recorded. Use clear categories so different observers can apply the same method.
Observation Plan
To test whether a recycling campaign changes behaviour, count correctly sorted items in the same locations for two weeks before and two weeks after the campaign.
Experiments And Comparisons
An experiment can compare outcomes under different conditions. Keep important variables as similar as possible, use an appropriate comparison group and measure outcomes consistently.
Causation
A difference between two naturally occurring groups does not automatically prove that one factor caused the difference. Other variables may explain it.
For educational or social research, full control may be difficult. A carefully matched comparison and acknowledgement of limitations can still provide useful evidence.
Secondary Research
Published reports, official statistics, academic studies, organisational records and reputable databases can provide wider or longer-term evidence. Check authorship, method, date, sample and relevance.
Use more than one independent source where possible. Agreement across credible evidence can strengthen the conclusion; disagreement may reveal differences in context or method.
Quantitative And Qualitative Evidence
Quantitative Evidence
Numerical evidence such as percentages, frequencies, measurements and test scores. It can show patterns, scale and comparison.
Qualitative Evidence
Detailed non-numerical evidence such as explanations, experiences, observations and interview responses. It can show meaning, motives and context.
A mixed-method design can combine breadth and depth. For example, a survey may show how common an opinion is, while interviews explain why people hold it.
Reliability, Validity And Fair Testing
Reliability concerns whether a method would produce consistent results. Validity concerns whether the research actually measures what the claim requires.
Validity Problem
Using the number of hours spent online as the only measure of digital skill may be invalid because time online does not necessarily show competence.
Standardised instructions, pilot testing, repeated measurements and clear definitions can improve quality.
Ethics In Research Design
- Gain informed consent.
- Protect privacy and confidential information.
- Allow participants to withdraw.
- Avoid unnecessary physical, emotional or social harm.
- Use additional safeguards for children or vulnerable participants.
- Report findings honestly and do not alter data to fit the claim.
Ethical design is part of credible research, not an optional extra.
How To Organise An Eight-Mark Design Answer
Research Design Framework
- Define what the claim means and state the target population.
- Describe a suitable sample and explain why it is representative.
- Describe at least one primary method in practical detail.
- Explain what quantitative or qualitative evidence will be collected.
- Add secondary evidence or a second method for checking.
- Explain how results will be compared to test the claim.
- Address bias, reliability and ethics.
Original Practice Task
Claim
“People are more willing to use public transport when fares are reduced.” Explain how this claim could be tested.
Possible Design
Select comparable routes or time periods and measure passenger numbers before and after a fare reduction, while recording other changes such as service frequency or fuel prices. Survey a representative sample of passengers and non-passengers using neutral questions about price and other influences. Compare results with similar routes where fares did not change, and use ticket records as quantitative evidence. Interviews could explore why choices changed. Protect participant privacy and acknowledge that seasonal or service changes may affect the result.
Common Mistakes
- Listing methods without practical details.
- Failing to define a broad term in the claim.
- Using only people who are easiest to reach.
- Choosing evidence that cannot answer the claim.
- Confusing opinion data with proof of actual behaviour.
- Ignoring comparison, time period or measurement.
- Claiming the design proves causation when other variables remain.
- Forgetting ethics and bias.
Exam Checklist
- I define vague terms in the claim.
- I identify the correct target population.
- I justify the sampling method.
- I explain what data each method will produce.
- I show how the evidence will test the claim.
- I include quality controls and ethical safeguards.
Lesson Summary
- Break the claim into population, comparison, outcome and scope.
- Choose a sample that matches the breadth of the claim.
- Explain exactly how each method will be carried out.
- Use quantitative and qualitative evidence where each adds value.
- Explain how evidence will be analysed or compared.
- Address alternative variables, reliability, validity and ethics.
