Listed below is the research design checklist. A tutorial on how to use this checklist is also included on this website. We have also included a pdf version of this checklist that is easier to print out.
1. Literature review completed?
2. Problem statement developed?
3. Variables identified and operationally defined?
4. Research hypothesis clearly states expected relationship among the variables?
5. Descriptive statistics planned?
6. Inferential statistics planned?
7. Post hoc or secondary analyses planned?
8. Theoretical base for study clear?
9. Do hypotheses and procedures address the issues?
10. Independent variable manipulations planned?
11. Manipulations pretested?
12. Manipulation check planned?
13. Dependent measures operationally defined?
14. Dependent measures piloted?
15. Reliability and validity data available?
16. Did you include procedures to measure reliability?
17. Controls for threats to internal validity in place?
18. Controls for threats to external validity in place?
19. Sample adequately represent target population?
20. Demographic variables measured?
21. Sample sufficiently large?
22. Participants properly assigned to conditions (experimental research)?
23. Groups carefully defined (differential research)?
24. Information on the matching preserved for analysis (matched-subjects design)?
25. Participants available?
26. Participants scheduled?
27. Participant-fee procedures ready?
28. IRB approval obtained (human research)?
29. Informed consent forms available (human research)?
30. Debriefing and/or feedback procedures ready (human research)?
31. Ethical guidelines checked and research approved (animal research)?
32. Adequate space available?
33. Free of distractions?
34. Equipment checked?
35. Sufficient research staff?
36. Assistants adequately trained for emergencies?
37. Assistants adequately trained in procedures?
38. Blind procedures in place?
39. Instructions to participants clear?
40. Instructions and procedures piloted?
If all check out, then you are ready to "fly."