Causal research designs differ from exploratory or descriptive research designs in several ways. First, the primary focus of causal research is to obtain data that enables researchers to assess “cause-effect” relationships between two or more variables. In contrast, data from exploratory and survey research designs enables researchers to assess noncausal relationships between variables. The concept of causality between several independent variables (X) and one dependent variable (Y) in research designs specifies relationships that are investigated in causal research studies and stated as “If X, then Y.”
Three fundamental conditions must exist in order to accurately conclude that a causeeffect relationship exists between variables. Researchers must establish that there is temporal order between the independent X and the dependent Y variables such that variable X (or a change in X) must occur prior to observing or measuring variable Y (or a change in Y). Second, researchers must establish that collected data confirm there is some type of meaningful association between variable X and variable Y. Finally, researchers must account for (or control for) all other possible variables other than X that might cause a change in variable Y.