What aspect does a research design focus on?

A research design primarily focuses on the methodology used to gather data. It encompasses the overall plan for a study, including how data will be collected, measured, and analyzed. This design serves as a blueprint for the research process, ensuring that the data collection methods will adequately address the research questions and hypotheses.

The methodology includes various components, such as selecting the type of research (e.g., experimental, survey, observational), defining the population of interest, choosing sampling methods, and determining the tools and instruments for data collection. A well-structured research design is crucial for the validity and reliability of the results, as it directly impacts how effectively the research can draw conclusions about the studied phenomena.

Other aspects mentioned, such as ethical considerations, theoretical frameworks, and potential biases of the researcher, are important to the research process but are not the primary focus of research design. Ethical considerations relate to the integrity and safety of participants, theoretical frameworks provide the context and rationale for the study, and researcher biases involve the personal beliefs or perspectives that might influence the analysis or interpretation of data. However, these elements do not define the structure and approach of how data is actually gathered, which is the core of research design.