Methodology
Introduction
This chapter will give a discussion of the different methods and procedures used and done in the study; this chapter will discuss the research perspective; this chapter will also give a description of the research design, it will then feature the process of data collection and how the data will be analyzed. The study will make use of the quantitative method; research process onion will be used as the design for the study .The different techniques used in the research method will be discussed to give explanation of its purpose and application to the study. The methods that will be discussed will help in determining the relation between animal cruelty and bullying.
Research Philosophy
It is important to point out that researchers within both the quantitative or positivist paradigm and the qualitative or constructivist paradigm use interview and observational methods and both are interested in objective as well as subjective data. However, constructivist researchers prefer open-ended interviews, observations, and documents such as diaries. Positivist researchers prefer structured interviews, observations, and documents such as school or clinic records. In the experimental approach within the so-called positivist, or quantitative, framework, the investigator establishes a detailed plan prior to the study. This plan includes details such as who the participants in the investigation would be, how they would be selected, how the treatment group(s) would be assigned, what the treatment would be, how the treatment would be measured, and other details of the study. In the so-called logical positivist or quantitative framework, which is one of the two main research paradigms, a specific plan is developed prior to the study. In the constructivist or qualitative approach, less structure surrounds the use of specific guidelines in the research design. However, general guidelines are followed in qualitative research. All research must be conducted and reported so that it can be tested and verified by others (Gliner & Morgan, 2000).The research is exploratory in nature and based on the study of positivist phenomena, therefore the researcher intends to use a positivist methodological approach. This stems from the fact that the study is empirically grounded and is being undertaken to gain more understanding of the issue from an objective point of view. This point of view is being taken to minimize personal prejudice and bias. This research is based on quantitative research method so as to permit a flexible approach. The choice and design of methods are constantly modified during data gathering based on continuing analysis. This will give way for creation of an investigation of important new issues, concerns, probabilities and questions as they arose.
Research Design guide and strategy
The research process onion of Saunders et al (2003) will be used in the entirety of the study in order to formulate the most suitable research approaches and doable strategies for this study. The first layer raises the question of the research philosophy to adopt, the second considers the subject of research approach that flows from the research philosophy, the third examines the research strategy most applicable, the fourth layer refers to the time horizon a researcher applies to his research, and the fifth layer is the data collection methods to be used (Saunders et al, 2003). The research process onion assists the study in gathering detailed information on evaluating the connection between bullying and animal cruelty. The research process onion will act as a guide and it will provide the step by step procedure that will make sure that the goals of the study will be met. Each step or layer of the onion will be met before making other moves.
Sampling
There are 2 kinds of sampling method one is Probability, the other is Non-probability. In probability sampling method each member of the population has non-zero probability of being selected. Probability sampling method includes simple random sampling, simple stratified sampling, proportional stratified sampling, systematic sampling, cluster sampling, area sampling, double sampling, and multi-stage sampling. In Non-probability sampling method the participants is chosen from the population in a nonrandom manner. Non-probability sampling method includes convenience sampling, judgment sampling, purposive sampling, accidental sampling quota sampling, and snowball sampling. The convenience sampling technique is used in the research to pick up the participants, due to the reason that the availability of the participants was taken into consideration. The participants in the study will be a combination of volunteers, inmates, and the resident psychologists. The participants should be carefully chosen so that the study can distinguish all the characteristics and issues by the participants. In conducting convenience sampling the sample would be respondents who are there at the time the study is conducted. Only the volunteers, inmates, and the resident psychologists who are available at that moment would be used for the research. The rational for the use of such sampling technique is based on the fact that resident psychologists and volunteers would have an idea on any connection between those who commit bullying and animal cruelty. The inmates would give their ideas on bullying, animal cruelty and the reasons for committing such acts. The participants would complete the research in their respective rooms in the detention center.
Measures
Questionnaires can be designed and used to collect vast quantities of data from a variety of respondents. They have a number of benefits over other forms of data collection: they are usually inexpensive to administer; very little training is needed to develop them; and they can be easily and quickly analyzed once completed. An effective questionnaire is one that enables the transmission of useful and accurate information or data from the respondent to the researcher. Once transmitted, the answers must be recorded, coded and analyzed fairly so that they accurately reflect the respondents’ views. Essentially, there are three broad types of questionnaire the mail survey, the group-administered questionnaire, and the household drop-off survey (Birmingham & Wilkinson, 2003). The mail survey is, by far, the most common questionnaire type. This instrument is addressed to respondents and delivered by mail, and can be an efficient way of collecting large amounts of data. The group-administered questionnaire is a useful instrument for collecting data from a sample of respondents who can naturally be brought together for the purpose. This type of instrument allows each member of the group to complete his or her own questionnaire and return it to the researcher on completion. The household drop-off survey is a hybrid of the mail and the group-administered survey. Using this approach, the researcher delivers the questionnaire by hand to a member of an identified household for collection at some later date (Birmingham & Wilkinson, 2003). The responses of respondents will be facilitated through the use of questionnaires. This will include inquiries on the socio-demographic information of the selected research participant. The participants will be asked to answer the inquiries in the questionnaire, each participant grading the statements using the Likert scale. In the Likert technique, a set of attitude statements are presented, where subjects of a study are asked to express agreement or disagreement using a five-point scale. The degree of agreement is given a numerical value ranging from one to five (Anderson 1998). A total of thirty participants will compose the sample for the questionnaire method. There will be ten volunteers, seventeen inmates and three psychologists. A group-administered questionnaire would be used. The researchers would visit the respondents, divide the research into groups that will focus on one type of respondents, simultaneously give the questionnaire to the respondents, wait for their responses and leave together with the responses.
Data collection
To attain information the researcher has two major options one is primary data collection another is secondary data collection. Primary data will be the responses of the participants. The secondary data will come from the academic materials and research publications that are significant to the research. The secondary source of data will come from research through the internet; books, journals, related studies and other sources of information. Acquiring secondary data are more convenient to use because they are already condensed and organized. Moreover, analysis and interpretation are done more easily. These additional data and information will also be used to support as well as contradict the findings of the study depending on the credibility of the authors and the journals where they were found published.
Validation of the questionnaire
To validate the instrument used, the researcher pre-tested a draft of the questionnaires. This was done through an initial survey of five participants. The five participants will not be included in the final data gathering process. After the respondents have given their answers to the questionnaire, they were asked to cite the parts of the questionnaire that needed amendment. This was done to see if questions were unclear or if people had other points they want to make. Afterwards, the content of the survey questions was reanalyzed and changed by the researchers to find out unnecessary questions that have to be removed, as well as to identify words that were regarded as difficult by the respondents.
References
Anderson, G. (1998). Fundamentals of educational research.
London: Falmer.
Birmingham, P. & Wilkinson, D. (2003). Using Research
Instruments: A guide for researchers. New York:
RoutledgeFalmer.
Gliner, J.A. & Morgan, G.A. (2000). Research methods in
applied settings: An integrated approach to design and
analysis. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Saunders, M., Lewis, P. and Thornhill, A. (2003). Research
methods for business students, 3rd Ed. London:
Prentice Hall Financial Times.
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