Introduction

A research design is ’a set of guidelines and instructions to be followed in addressing the research problem’ (Creswell et al., 2007, p. 238). The definition implies that a research problem or research question informs the choice of design, whereas a research design serves as the plan that the researcher will use in conducting the research and addressing the problem in such a way that will ensure the maximum validity of the findings. These questions are open-ended, calling for views supplied by participants in a study (Creswell et al., 2007, p. 238). The research design influences the choice of research methods, i.e. the strategies to be used to implement the plan.

Some of the most common qualitative research designs include: narrative research, grounded theory, phenomenology, participatory action research (PAR), ethnomethodology, and historical study.