A research design is the general strategy selected in integrating various elements of a research in a logical and systematic way. The research problem helps to define the type of design that one will use. The selection of an appropriate measure extends beyond examining the primary psychometric characteristics and considers the extra features of instruments that will affect the validity and purpose of the study (Friedman et al 2015). Some of the aspects that a researcher should consider when choosing a population are ethics, experimental procedures, and the degree of generality of the results.
Participants
When choosing a population, the researcher needs to define the subpopulation for the study. They need to consider the imaginary study or the factors which may limit the study in a particular geographical region. A population is defined in various ways depending on the interests of the researcher (Bordens " Abbott,2002). When choosing, for instance, the effects of brain lessons on the learning abilities, the researcher should use animal subjects. In case the researcher wants to study the dynamics of disobedience, they need to use human participants, but the selection of population is dependent on the needs of the experiment.
Experimenters
In a psychology research, the role of an experimenter is to behave in a standardized manner and collect the data without influencing the response of the participants. Experimenters confront the task and dilemmas at stake in vulnerable populations at the odds of such concepts in their roles. A pilot study, also referred to as the feasibility study, is the smaller version or mock trial that is done in preparing for the main research (Yin, 2017). The primary objective of a conducting a pilot study is giving an advance warning and guidance to the main study in instances where it could fail. It also helps the researcher identify the necessary tools and methods for conducting the main study.
References
Bordens, K. S., " Abbott, B. B. (2002). Research design and methods: A process approach. McGraw-Hill.
Friedman, L. M., Furberg, C. D., DeMets, D. L., Reboussin, D. M., " Granger, C. B. (2015). Basic study design. In Fundamentals of clinical trials (pp. 89-121). Springer, Cham.
Yin, R. K. (2017). Case study research and applications: Design and methods. Sage publications.
