At the request of several, I have consolidated the various responses the following post:

> I am finishing up my syllabus for an "intro to research" grad course, 
> and I continue my struggle for a better term for the aspect of 
> research that we usually call "research design." By this, I mean that 
> class of choices/techniques that include panel study, case study, 
> cross-sectional, time-series, etc., designs. I don't like to use 
> "research design" because I argue that all choices in planning a 
> research project are about its design (including measurement, 
> sampling, etc. choices, and even choices about stating the research 
> question). In the past few years, I have been using the phrase 
> "observational plan,"
> but I don't really like that much either. Any suggestions?

It seems that many are struggling with this issue (which makes me feel less stupid). 

For what's worth, I went with "observational design" this year.

Here are the responses:

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How about "blueprint"?

Tassili Pender
Visiting Fellow, Department of Government, Harvard University 

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I tend to use "research strategy" in order to stress the ongoing and dynamic element, whereas "design' suggests that we  do it once and then follow it to the "end" which, of course , never does arrive.

j.David Singer
University of Michigan

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I agree that the whole process is research design. Is the part to which you refer actually the "empirical data-frame"?

Eric Prier
Florida Atlantic University

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empirical approaches?  observational techniques? 

Barry C. Burden
University of Wisconsin

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You could adopt the econ. norm and call it "identification strategy."

Greg Huber
Yale University

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I don't know if it will help with the naming/labeling problem, but my syllabus (attached) tends to break "research design" into different parts -- experimental designs, observational designs, etc.  The thing that unifies these different things is that they are plans for collecting data in a way that maximizes internal validity; so, how about "data collection outlines"
or something like that?

Maybe the syllabus will help stimulate some other ideas.

Scott D. McClurg
Southern Illinois University

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Study type?  Study mode?  Data collection plan/approach/method?

I tend to use the term "research design" in my classes since it's what's used by the textbook - and the less confusion over terminology, the better.  But I think (if pressed) I'd probably use something in the "data collection (something)" family for the sort of design decision you are talking about.

Hope this helps,

Chris Lawrence
St. Louis University

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From the Dept. of Shameless Self Promotion, I have a new text which is formally called Program Evaluation:  A Statistical Guide (MESharpe), 
but it reflects my experience with the texts in this field which describe experimental research designs, numerous quasi-experimental designs, and say 
little about regression-type nonexperimental designs.  I call them tic-tac-toe books:  they describe a design, but do not give you the statistical 
tools for analysis of each design.  My text combines econometrics (and the standard requirements for unbiased and efficient estimates), and merges it with research 
design.  There is also a chapter on measurement and survey design and analysis, and a little on sampling...tho I do talk about this as a selection 
problem, as in Heckman selection.  I devise a cross-walk between the standard "threats to internal/external validity" list and the assumptions for BLU 
estimates.   

I dont solve the terminological problem....but I hope I address the substantive problem. 

Let me know...I can email you the version I sent to ME Sharpe last year.  The edited, formatted  text will be out on Sept 22, or so.....It does assume a year (or 
semester?) of stats. 

Laura Langbein
American University

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How about "study design"?  You seem to be talking about the specific choices of the design of a particular study within the larger framework of designing one's research program.

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