Research design is really just a plan of action. Because the search for meaning, understanding or critique are open-ended, it does not mean that interpretive and critical research cannot be designed.

Here is one way to think about the typical ‘moves’ in creating a research design:

1. what is the conceptual topic
2. review what is already known, looking for alternative perspectives
3. what is interesting to explore; what questions are interesting to ask
4. think conceptually about what you know and want to know
5. what is your theoretical perspective and methodology
6. what is the content and why is it interesting or relevant
7. what methods will be used and why
8. how will data be stored, analyzed, synthesized
9. how and to whom will the research be reported

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