Descriptive Designs

Descriptive designs include: survey research, case study research, ethnographic research, qualitative research, phenomenological research, historical research, and evaluation research.

Survey Research

Survey of current information can be conducted by measurement, observation, interview or questionnaire. In the health industry, clinical notes are also a source of past information which could be used. In questionnaires, often the order of questions are specifically worked out for effect, and use psychological techniques such as recency, primacy effect, the way wording takes place etc. Surveys are often used in market research.

Surveys give a cross section picture of the area investigated. They can say what usually happens, how often things happen, how many etc...

Surveys are usually done on a sample of a population. To justly extrapolate from the survey results to the population you should have randomly selected the sample. you need not manipulate or control any of the variables, you are just noting them.

Case Study Research

In contrast to the group focus of surveys, case studies are about individuals. Similar data is used, but it is often very intense data. Often an individual is followed for a period of time.

the aim of case studies are to help make clear theoretical propositions. You sift through the data collected and try to identify and make sense of any patterns. this is extremely useful when little is known about the particular problem. Ideally the case study should result in hypothesis that can be tested in experimental/quasi-experimental designs

Like surveys, you need not manipulate or control variables, just note them. However, unlike surveys, you don't need to randomly select subjects; subjects just need to meet your criteria.

Ethnographic, Qualitative, Phenomenological Research

These methods of research are approached which can be used to gather information about individual or groups. They can therefore be like special cases of surveys or case studies. What differentiates them is that they concentrate on what things mean to people. It is based on a world view which results in the belief that the quality of life, health etc can only be adequately understood when the whole of the persons experience is considered and the meaning to people considered. It is thus holistic and recognises the social and cultural context of the research, making little attempt to be objective or distant from the issues.

Historical Research

As the name implies this is done to investigate how things have happened in the past. Often seeing how something was in the past helps us to understand why things are as they are now. One of the difficulties with historical research is that it relies on the accuracy of the records being used. Great care must be taken to verify the accuracy of records.

Evaluation

Physiotherapy often uses program of intervention. These programs need to be evaluated to see if they are effective and efficient. By determinig what are the key aspects of the program, what the key outcomes are and what reseources used are an evaluation can be performed.