Fixed Designs

There is so much to think about with fixed designs in a research project. After reading chapter 5 in Robson's book, my mind is abuzz with the various options, not only for my research proposal in the class, but also for the assessments we conduct at work. A concept that really interested me were the differences between pre-tests and post-tests depending on the kind of research that is being conducted. I've used some pre- and post-test measures with the work I do as a program evaluator, but it was great to read about the theories behind why one type would work better than another. I also never considered post-only tests, yet I realized I have looked at those types of tests before. I was also interested in the idea that there are different kinds of groups to use in different types of evaluations. Some are the same, some are different, and some are multiple groups who are the same or different. It's almost like a menu of options and you need to pick the right ingredients to have the best results for your study. Having said that, it still boggles me whether any of the fixed designs will apply to my research question. I don't have the answer yet, but I feel like after I've gotten a more solidified question in mind, the rest will fall into place.