PRACTICAL RESEARCH 1

LESSON 5: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

GATHERING AND GENERATING DATA respondents’ lived experiences either in

• Method. A method is a technique which the writing or through interviews.
researcher uses to gather and generate data • The goal of this study is to analyze the
about the subjects of their study. meaning behind these experiences for each
• METHODOLOGY. A methodology is the section of subject, rather than generalizing to a
the research paper which explains why the greater population (Donalek, 2004).
researchers chose to use particular methods. The 5. GROUNDED THEORY
methodology also includes descriptions of any • The theory or general pattern of
and all theoretical and/or ideological concepts understanding will emerge as it begins with
informing and influencing the course of the study, initial codes, develops into broad themes or
and the researcher’s rationale adhering to these domains and redounds into a grounded
concepts. theory.
• RESEARCH DESIGN. A research design is a plan • Grounded theory is an attempt to extract a
which structures a study to ensure that the data general abstract theory of a process, or
collected and generated will contain the interaction grounded in views of research
information needed to answer the initial inquiry participants.
as full and clearly as possible. 6. ACTION RESEARCH
• It refers to an overall strategy that a • It is a design which involves a cycle of
researcher uses to logically and coherently identifying a problem regarding a situation
integrate the various components of the study. or process, developing a strategy for
intervention (the ‘action’) with the purpose
COMMON RESEARCH DESIGNS of improving the said situation or process,
1. CASE STUDY implementing the said intervention, and
• The case study studies a person, program or observing and analyzing the results until a
event in a defined time frame (Leedy and sufficient level of understanding of (or valid
Omrod, 2001). solution to) the problem is achieved.
• Cresswell (1998) says the structure of a MAIN METHODS USED IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
case study should be the problem, the 1. INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEW. These are like
context the issues and the lessons learned. conversations which are designed to elicit the
• It is a comprehensive, in-depth examination information that the researcher needs.
of a specific individual, group of people or Interviews must be conducted as rigorously,
institution. systematically, and transparently as possible
2. ETHNOGRAPHY to ensure the reliability and validity of the
• Macmillan (1993) defines this type of information.
research an interactive and which requires 2. GROUP INTERVIEW. Group interviews are
relatively extensive time in a site to interviews conducted simultaneously with
systematically observe, interview and several participants. This type of interview is
record processes as they occur naturally at appropriate in particular cases such as when
the selected location. the study is concerned with a community issue
• Leedy and Omrod (2001) say that or a shared experience.
ethnography studies groups of people that 3. OBSERVATIONS. Observations are conducted
share a common culture. to document and analyze behavior and social
3. CONTENT ANALYSIS phenomena as they occur in their natural
• This kind of research examines choice and context, and may be useful in identifying, for
use of words from which concepts or example, discrepancies between what people
images are vividly derived. It looks at the say and what they do.
relationship between words and their
meanings, stressing the system of relations PLANNING THE RESEARCH DESIGN
between words as a source of meaning. 1. Establishing the purpose.
4. PHENOMENOLOGICAL STUDY 2. Methodological location.
• Cresswell (1998) points out that the 3. Scoping.
essence of this study is the search for “the 4. Nature of the data.
central underlying meaning of the research 5. Thinking ahead.
participant’s experience”. STAGES THE PROJECT
• Leedy and Omrod (2001) stress that the 1. Conceptualizing stage.
purpose of the study is “to understand an 2. Setting up a data management system.
experience from the research participant’s 3. Sampling and theoretical sampling.
point of view”. 4. Collecting and generating data.
5. Analysis.
• This design focuses on obtaining
descriptions of the subjects’ or

Prepared by: Ms. Ma. Veronica Anne E. Bengala