Chapter 3 Research Methodology PDF

CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY  LEARNING OBJECTIVES Choose an appropriate quantitative research design. Explain the Population of the Study Discuss Sampling Design and Kinds of Sampling Technique Explain the Research Instrument Discuss the Data Gathering Procedure Choose and ex...

CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY  LEARNING OBJECTIVES Choose an appropriate quantitative research design. Explain the Population of the Study Discuss Sampling Design and Kinds of Sampling Technique Explain the Research Instrument Discuss the Data Gathering Procedure Choose and explain the statistical treatment Enumerate and Explain the Ethical Considerations in Research RESEARCH DESIGN Refers to the overall plan and scheme for conducting the study. Enables the researcher to organize the components of his or her research in an orderly and coherent manner. This will ensure that the research or study will effectively address the research topic or problem.  The research design is also a template for the collection, measurement, and analysis of data. EXAMPLES OF RESEARCH DESIGN 1. DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH DESIGNS  Descriptive Normative Surveys  Correlational Research Studies  Descriptive Evaluative Studies  Assessment/Evaluation Studies  Descriptive Comparative Studies 2. EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH DESIGNS  Pre-test/Post-test Control Group Design Single group Pre-test Post-test Design 3. HISTORICAL RESEARCH DESIGNS POPULATION OF THE STUDY To identify trends in attitudes, opinions, behaviors, or characteristics of a large group of people. Is the complete set of persons, entities, or objects that possess some common characteristics that are of interest to the researcher and are the focus of the study. They are also classified into target populations and accessible populations. SAMPLING DESIGN Is a process through which a researcher selects a portion or segment from the population at the center of the researcher’s study. SAMPLING TECHNIQUE Is the name or other identification of the specific process by which the entities of the sample have been selected.  The basic distinction in modern sampling theory is between probability and the non- probability sampling technique.  PROBABILITY SAMPLING Refers to a sampling technique in which samples are obtained using some objective chance mechanism, thus involving randomization. They require the use of a sampling frame (a list/map of all the sampling units in the population). The probabilities of selection are known.  There are commonly used probability sampling techniques which are the: 1. SIMPLE RANDOM SAMPLING 2. SYSTEMATIC SAMPLING 3. STRATIFIED SAMPLING 4. CLUSTER SAMPLING SIMPLE RANDOM SAMPLING Is the basic probability sampling design, in which the sample is selected by a process that does not only give each element in the population a chance of being included in the sample but also makes the selection of every possible combination of the desired number of cases equally likely. The sample is selected in one of two ways: by means of a table of random numbers or by using the lottery technique. SYSTEMATIC RANDOM SAMPLING Is affected by drawing units at regular intervals from a list. The starting point or the first units to be taken is a random choice. It differs from one simple random sampling where each member of the population is not chosen independently. Once the first member has been selected, all the other members of the random sample are automatically determined. The population list in the systematic sampling must be in random order. STRATIFIED RANDOM SAMPLING In selecting sub-samples proportionate in size to the significant characteristics of the total population. The population is first divided into different strata, and then the sampling follows. Age, gender, and educational qualifications are some possible criteria used to divide a population into strata. CLUSTER SAMPLING Is a technique in which the unit of sampling is not the individual but the naturally occurring group of individuals. The technique is used when it is more convenient to select individuals from a defined population.  NON-PROBABILITY SAMPLING It is a process of selecting respondents in which not all members of the entire population are given a chance of being selected as samples.  The major forms of non-probability sampling are accidental (convenience), purposive, and quota sampling. ACCIDENTAL SAMPLING It is also called accidental or incidental sampling. Is one in which the investigator simply reaches out and takes the cases that are at hand, continuing the process until the sample reaches a designated size. PURPOSIVE OR JUDGMENT SAMPLING Is used when practical considerations prevent the use of probability sampling. It also involves handpicking subjects, usually to suit very specific intentions. QUOTA SAMPLING Is somewhat similar to stratified sampling, in that the population is divided into strata, and the researcher deliberately sets specific proportions in the sample, whether the resulting proportion reflects the total population. Instrumentation An important part of the research study is the instrument in gathering the data because the quality of research output depends to a large extent on the quality of research instruments used. RESEARCH INSTRUMENT Is the generic term that researchers use for a measurement device like a survey, test, questionnaire, and many others.  To help distinguish between instrument and instrumentation, consider that the instrument is the device and instrumentation is the course of action which is the process of developing, testing, and using the device.  Researchers can choose the type of instruments to use based on their research questions or objectives. There are two broad categories of instruments namely: 1. researcher-completed instruments 2. Subject-completed instruments  RESEARCHER-COMPLETED SUBJECT-COMPLETED INSTRUMENTS INSTRUMENTS Rating scales Questionnaires Interview schedules/guides Self-checklists Tally sheets Personality inventories Flowcharts Achievement/aptitude tests Performance checklists Observation forms DATA COLLECTION METHODS/PROCEDURE There are many methods to collect data, depending on the research design and the methodologies employed in your research study. The following are the techniques in gathering data for quantitative research. QUESTIONNAIRES The main purpose of a questionnaire is to help extract data from respondents. It serves as a standard guide for the interviewers who need to ask the questions in exactly the same way.  FIVE SECTIONS IN A QUESTIONNAIRE 1. The respondent’s identification data 2. Introduction 3. Instruction 4. Information 5. Classification data and information 1. PAPER-PENCIL QUESTIONNAIRES 2. WEB-BASED QUESTIONNAIRE 3. SELF-ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRES  PAPER-PENCIL QUESTIONNAIRES Can be sent to a large number of people and saves the researcher time and money. People are more truthful while responding to the questionnaires regarding controversial issues in particular due to the fact that their responses are anonymous.  WEB-BASED QUESTIONNAIRE Is a new and inevitably growing methodology using internet-based research. This would mean receiving an e-mail on which you would click on an address that would take you to a secure website to fill in a questionnaire.  SELF-ADMINISTERED QUESTIONNAIRES Questionnaires are generally distributed through the mail, filled out, and administered by the respondents themselves which are returned via mail to the researcher.  The questionnaires can also be distributed by means of magazine and newspaper inserts or they can be left and or picked up by company personnel or the researcher.  STATISTICAL TREATMENT Statistical tests are a major part of data interpretation. Sarno (2010), stresses that by statistical testing, a researcher can compare groups of data to determine the probability that differences between results are based on chance, thus the researcher can conclude the validity of the hypothesis. COMMON STATISTICAL TOOLS MEAN FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION STANDARD DEVIATION T-TESTS PEARSON ( r ) CORRELATION CHI-SQUARE TEST  MEAN More commonly known as “the average”, is the sum of a list of numbers divided by the number of items on the list. The mean is useful in determining the overall trend of a data set or providing a rapid snapshot of your data. Another advantage of the mean is that it’s very easy and quick to calculate.  FREQUENCY DISTRIBUTION Is presented in tables or charts that show how many of your evaluation participants fall into various categories of interest (Wilder Research, 2009).  STANDARD DEVIATION Often represented with the Greek letter sigma (σ), is the measure of a spread of data around the mean. It represents the distribution of the responses around the mean.  T-TESTS Are used to test if the difference of means is statistically significant. It tests if the sample is representative of the populations.  PEARSON CORRELATION Is used to find a correlation between at least two continuous variables. The value for such a correlation lies between 0.00 (no correlation) and 1.00 (perfect correlation).  CHI-SQUARE There are two types of Chi-square test but both involve categorical data. One type of chi-square test compares the frequency count of what is expected in theory against what is actually observed. Second type of chi-square test is known as a chi-square test with two variables or the chi- square test for independence.  ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS Scientific writing can be a complex and arduous process, for it simultaneously demands clarity and conciseness. Ethics promotes the pursuits of knowledge, truth, and credibility. It also fosters values that are essential to collaborative work.  BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ETHICAL PRACTICE 1. OBTAINED INFORMED CONSENT FROM PARTICIPANTS 2. THERE SHOULD BE NO PRESSURE ON INDIVIDUALS TO PARTICIPATE 3. RESPECT INDIVIDUAL AUTONOMY 4. AVOID CAUSING HARM 5. MAINTAIN ANONYMITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY 6. TAKE PARTICULAR CARE IN RESEARCH WITH VULNERABLE GROUPS REFERENCES Practical Research 2 Quantitative Research Ruben E. Faltado III, EdD Medardo B. Bombita, DPA Helen B. Boholano, LIB, EdD Angeline M. Pogoy, EdD