Business Research Methods II: Research Design and Data Collection
Develop core research design skills with a focus on philosophy, data types, sampling, and data collection methods.
349 enrolled on this course
Duration
5 weeksWeekly study
1 hourLanguages
English, Italiano, Español, Français, PortuguêsEnglish, Italiano100% online
How it works
Business Research Methods II: Research Design and Data Collection
This course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to continuing professional development principles. Find out more.
Master research design fundamentals and practical data collection techniques
Continue your learning with Taipei Medical University on their follow-up to their Business Research Methods series on this five-week online course.
Building on the foundational ideas introduced in part one, you’ll explore research philosophy, data types, sampling, and both quantitative and qualitative collection methods.
You’ll see how effective research design clarifies questions, guides method selection, and prevents wasted effort, helping you conduct studies with confidence.
Grasp research design principles and philosophy
Start by grasping the core principles of research design and how different philosophical approaches shape your methods.
You’ll learn to match your research questions with the right frameworks, making sure your study is clear, coherent, and meaningful.
You’ll also explore the differences between qualitative and quantitative approaches, gaining the confidence to choose the right design for your research goals. This foundation will make your investigations more effective and focused.
Explore data types, sampling techniques, and data sources
Next, dive into the world of data. Learn how to pick the most relevant sources for your research and understand the different types of data and how to use them effectively.
You’ll also look at sampling techniques, from probability to non-probability methods, and see how to gather reliable, representative data that really supports your study.
Apply methods for quantitative and qualitative data collection
Finally, put your knowledge into practice. Learn how to design clear, reliable questionnaires for quantitative research and how to run interviews and focus groups that give you rich, meaningful insights.
Syllabus
Week 1
Start with Why: Uncovering the Philosophy Behind Research
Welcome to the Course
In this course, your educator will be learning with you. Please tell us what you expect.
Where Do You Stand? Understanding Research Philosophies
Discover the big ideas behind research and reflect on which philosophy aligns with your view of knowledge.
From Thought to Action: Putting Philosophy into Practice
Learn how research beliefs influence your design choices—and explore how to navigate real-world research challenges.
Week 2
What’s Already Out There? Making the Most of Secondary Data
Getting to Know Secondary Data
Explore what secondary data is, how it differs from other data types, and where to find it.
Can I Trust This Data? Evaluating Secondary Sources
Learn how to assess the quality of secondary data using key criteria, and reflect on what matters most in your own research context.
Week 3
Who, How, and Why: Choosing the Right Sample for Your Study
Sampling Basics
Learn what sampling is and explore key methods used to select participants in research.
Probability or Not? Choosing the Right Sampling Strategy
Compare probability and non-probability sampling and reflect on which is more appropriate for different research questions.
Making Your Sample Representative
Tackle real-world sampling challenges and explore strategies for achieving better sample representativeness.
Week 4
Ask the Right Questions: Designing Quantitative Surveys That Work
Designing Better Questions
Learn about question types and practice designing a questionnaire aligned with your research goals.
From Questions to Quality Data
Explore techniques to refine wording, choose scales, and improve response rates in real research settings.
Week 5
Listen Closely: Using Interviews and Focus Groups to Gather Insight
Interviews or Focus Groups? Understanding the Tools
Explore key qualitative methods and when to use them through comparison and real-world reflection.
Planning for Insightful Conversations
Learn how to design and conduct qualitative interviews or focus groups to collect rich, reliable data.
Assessment Time
This is the final review for this course. Thank you for participating in this course.
Who is this accredited by?
The CPD Certification Service was established in 1996 and is the leading independent CPD accreditation institution operating across industry sectors to complement the CPD policies of professional and academic bodies.
When would you like to start?
Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.
Available now
Learning on this course
On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.
What will you achieve?
By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...
- Understand the fundamental concepts of research design
- Recognize different perspectives of research philosophy
- Identify and select appropriate sources of data
- Grasp the logic and techniques of sampling methods
- Design high-quality questionnaires and interview questions
- Evaluate the reliability and relevance of data
Who is the course for?
This course is perfect for anyone seeking to enhance their research design and data collection skills, including students preparing theses, academic researchers, and professionals in business research settings.
Who will you learn with?
National Taipei University
Assistant Professor
Graduate Institute of International Business
College of Business
National Taipei University
Who developed the course?
Taipei Medical University
Taipei Medical University (TMU) has been a leader in Taiwan’s healthcare system for over half a century due to its research, teaching excellence, internationalization and outstanding medical service.
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Cancel for free anytime |
Ways to learn
Choose the best way to learn for you!
Subscribe & save
$244.99 for a whole year
Automatically renews
Develop skills to further your career
- Access to this course
- Access to 1,000+ courses
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Digital certificate when you're eligible
Cancel for free anytime
Buy this course
$109/one-off payment
Fulfill your current learning need
- Access to this course
- Learn at your own pace
- Discuss your learning in comments
- Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible
Start learning today
Free
Try this course - with limits
- Limited to 5 weeks
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades) Sale price available until 2 November 2026 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply. | |||
Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)
Sale price available until 2 November 2026 at 23:59 (UTC). T&Cs apply.
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