Causal Comparative Research: Things Every Researcher Should Know About

Research and development are integral parts of academics. It contributes to the overall progress of students in particular and of a nation in general. Moreover, a well-planned research design is necessary to draw the expected conclusion, while a poor design can collapse the entire research project. The research design must be very specific to the nature and the field of study. Causal comparative research design is also an important type of research that aims to find the causes of relationships between the reported variables by comparing them in different conditions. This article will discuss the causal-comparative research design, its types, features, and examples in detail.

What is causal-comparative research?

The research designed to identify the causative relationship between the identified dependent and independent variables is known as causal-comparative research. This relationship between the variable involved in a study is mostly based on suggestions or assumptions, as in many cases, getting complete control over the independent variable is almost impossible. Causal comparative research helps in sorting the large-scale data, though in many cases, it is useful in small-scale studies as well. This type of research resembles correlational studies, but in causal-comparative research, the independent variables involved are mostly present in a categorical form. The longer goals of this research are to test the causality.

In simple words, casual comparative research is the method to find the causal relationship between the circumstances and events. It explores why certain events occur while others do not. In these research designs, the researchers often start by hiring a dissertation writing service UK and observing the effects and end by finding their root cause. Thus, this type of research design is useful for the studies that aim to explore the causes without using experimental or other manipulating approaches due to ethical considerations and other restrictions.

What are the three types of causal-comparative research?

In causal-comparative research, we design comparative studies where the differences between the groups are pre-determined, and the sole purpose of research is to find the reasons for these differences. These researches are of three types, including;

1. Exploration of effect
2. Consequences
3. Causes

Apart from these, we broadly classify the causal-comparative research designs into two types: Retrospective causal-comparative studies and Prospective causal-comparative studies. The former is the type of research that starts with a research question addressing the effect of an event, and the aim of the research is to find whether one variable affects the other or not. In the latter type, the researchers begin the research with causes, and the goal of their studies is to find the effect of an event. Thus, both types are reciprocal to each other, and the latter is far more common these days.

Based on these approaches, variables involved in a study are investigated to find the causal relationship among different groups. Examples of these variables include personality traits, interpersonal skill levels, organizational variables (age, sex, and gender), and ability variables (like achievement, both professional as well as academic).

What are the features of causal-comparative research design?

Casual comparative research design explores the relationship among variables where the independent variables already exist. Such researches make studies descriptive rather than experimental. The key features of these researches are as follows:

1. The researchers cannot manipulate the dependent or independent variables involved in a study.
2. The results of these researches explain the causal relationship between all variables to see the effect of one on another.
3. While making groups for studying the relationship or circumstances of an event, the researcher must identify the key differences between them.
4. These researches aim to find the phenomenon of interest.
5. It investigates variables that are important for the exploration of cause, effect, or circumstances in the later stages of research.
6. It involves at least one categorical variable and compares the groups to determine the relationship between variables based on performance.
7. These researches are less time-consuming compared to other researches. It is the most economical research design, and researchers can draw the best possible conclusions based on personal opinions.

Broadly, causal-comparative research is ideal for the researchers who aim to conduct behavioral studies without manipulating variables. At the same time, no research design is perfect and has a number of weaknesses. Some points that limit its use in other studies include the lack of randomization and the inability to alter or manipulate the independent variable.

What are the examples of causal-comparative research?

The main purpose of causal-comparative research is to explore the causes of identified effects by comparing the dependent and independent variables in different groups. It has a number of examples. Below are a few of them;

1. Exploration of the ethnicity of both genders at a different workplace. The research question to find this trend includes ‘What are the differences in environments that make females more civilized as compared to males at the workplace?’
2. Investigation of students’ trend to leave the universities after completing one year of education. The research question for this study may include ‘what are the characteristics of the students that leave universities after completing one year of education?’

Conclusion

Causal comparative research examines the causes and effects of the differences that already exist in individuals of different groups. Its three main types depending on their nature, namely, exploration of effect, exploration of consequences, and exploration of causes. While based on structural differences, these researches are of two types: Retrospective and Prospective causal-comparative studies. Its key features include the categorization of at least one variable and identifying the root cause of events without manipulating the independent variable. Besides, the lack of randomization and inability to alter the independent variable are also the factors that limit the scope of these casual comparative studies.