In this chapter, the researcher presents and discusses approaches, design and methods to be employed in this study. This chapter further introduces the justification and rationale behind the choice of the research design, method, and analytical process upon which this study will be founded. It also highlights details of the research design, target population, sampling procedures and technique, data collection tools, analysis and presentation as well as ethical consideration.
3.1. Research Design
Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2009, p.600) defines research design as “the overall plan of how the researcher will go about answering the research questions”. Research design according to Bryman (2008) provides the overall direction of the research including the process by which the research is carried out.
This study will be conducted using the descriptive survey research method. The descriptive survey is most preferred in this study since it allows the researchers to study phenomena that do not allow for manipulation of variables (Saunders et al ., 2009). The result of such investigation makes it possible to find explanation of the social phenomenon in question. The research design also helps in measuring the respondents’ attitudes, opinions, habits or any of the variety of social issues in a large population. The research design and the steps to be adopted in research methodology will be kept in focus the objectives and research questions.
3.2. Target Population
Population
A research design can be understood as the planning of any scientific research from the first to the last step. In this sense it is a program to guide the researcher in collecting, analyzing, and interpreting facts (Bless and Higson-Smith, 1995:63).
The methodology was described with the data collection method. Quantitative and qualitative questionnaire which consisted of closed questions with a choice of fixed answers and free text to enhance qualitative data were sent out in the form of mailshot, followed by telephone call to non-respondents and it was repeated for more wider sample results to gain more evidence to reduce bias (Parahoo, 2006).
This study used a quantitative methodology of data collecting to answer the research questions. The specific research questions studied included the following:
This section of the paper seeks to explain the steps that were taken to gather the data, the participants and sampling that were employed, the location where the data was collected, the instruments used to gather the data, ethical considerations that were thought of and the limitations and delimitation of this research.
The research will make use of both primary and secondary sources of data. In the primary source, questionnaires and interviews were granted.
The chapter examines the background of the study, statement of the problem, objectives of the study, research questions, significance of the study, scope of the study, limitations of the study and conceptual framework adopted for the study.
Quantitative and Qualitative are said to be systematic in different design. Both design have to follow a process system that involved defining a principle of research.
Through the understanding of the elements involved in a research paper, a person can obtain the ability to complete good research. In research there are two questions asked; what is going on for descriptive research and why is it going on for explanatory research. The research design is simply the theory building approach to research. Although research design is the hardest part of research it is vital for research to be guided.
This chapter presents a comprehensive overview of methodology used in this study: research design, study participants, data collection and instruments, reliability and validity, data analysis, ethical concerns, and study limitations, followed by a brief summary.
This chapter includes the methodology and research design of the study. The chapter is organized in the following sections: (a) research design and design appropriateness;
This chapter presented the research design for addressing the research questions guiding this study. This chapter detailed the design of the research. Research design, sampling process, data collection and analysis were the main aspects that were detailed. The study was conducted by making use of a questionnaire.
This chapter discussed the methodological approach undertaken in the research. It outlined the research questions, the method employed for data collection, the sampling methods and how the data was analysed along with ethical considerations and the limitations of the
Chapter 3 will focus on the methodology and design of the study with comparisons and justifications of the selection of the quantitative descriptive methodology. Expanded explanation of the planned population for the study, as well as the materials and instrumentation of the planned study will be provided. Statements of operational definitions of variables, procedures, data collection and analysis will also be submitted for consideration of the dissertation proposal committee. Assumptions, limitations, delimitations, and ethical assurances and overall summary will conclude the chapter.
The research design can be better described as the strategy that will be applied to answer the research questions. The most important thing in research design is to make clear the objectives deriving from the research question and at the same time pointing out the sources from which you aim to collect the data. It is essential to include the limitations you should probably need to override during the whole process. In that stage it is also necessary to decide which tactic will be followed. Decisions about tactics will involve you being clear about the different quantitative and qualitative data collection techniques (for example, questionnaires, interviews, focus group, published data) and subsequent quantitative and qualitative data analysis procedures (Saunders, et al., 2007).
The study for this thesis will be exploratory research using secondary data collected by the communication agency, MESH Planning. The agency developed an innovative approach called ‘real-time experience tracking’, which involves three stages of data collection. And both qualitative and quantitative data will be collected and used in this context in order to get an insight of critical incidents.