CHAPTER III
Methodology
This chapter discusses the research approach, data gathering method, data base of the study, validity of the data, research and originality of the data in the study.
Approach
In studying the process of news making or journalism, the challenges that set ahead as seen and described by various media professionals throughout the world is the fact that the subject and references are very extensive in nature. Thus, the researcher uses a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. It is especially useful when conducting a study wherein the data are immeasurable, such as feelings, beliefs, thoughts, and others ( 2000). Furthermore, the study will be descriptive as it will focus on the conditions set and the nature that surrounds the data and does not focus on the correlation with other collected facts. The qualitative methodology that was employed in this research is appropriate since it seeks to interpret or illuminate the actions and/or objective and subjective experiences of the media professionals, particularly journalists regarding their experiences in the field.
So, the goals of qualitative research are primarily to advance new theory, interpret the significance of individual events and giving voice to particular groups. In contrast quantitative research is primarily about testing theory, identifying broad patterns and making predictions. Quantitative researchers are interested in how variables co-vary across cases. Therefore, they seek a limited amount of information about many cases. Qualitative research, on the other hand, seeks a lot of information about a limited number of cases. In this case, the choice of research strategy depends at least in which part and what the researcher wants to achieve.
There are problems associated with qualitative research. One is the fact that people often find it very difficult to explain their behavior or their motivations. Another problem is that many people are reluctant to tell a researcher what makes them do what they do. Sometimes interviewees will try to guess the answers the interviewer is looking for and answer and on other occasions respondents may give answers that they believe are true but are simple versions of the true reasons.
Hand-in and postal surveys are a cheap method of gathering information, which is why almost a quarter of all surveys carried out are done by this method. As much as possible, the researcher will use personal survey because postal surveys sometimes carry a very low response rate. Often, less than 10% of questionnaires sent out are returned. The usual reason is because people simply put them in the bin along with all the other mail that they consider to be ‘junk’. In order to improve response rates, researchers and research firms often include incentives (e.g. a free pen or a promise that all respondents will be eligible for a prize draw). It is possible to ask a large number of questions as respondents can answer at their own convenience, and it is a good way of asking personal questions as no personal contact takes place.
On the other hand, hand-in interview is time and cost efficient and at the same time provide fairly straight-forward response. The researcher can immediately get the filled-up survey form and proceed immediately to tabulation.
The problem of language is very important with surveys. For instance, in the postal survey, since there is no working idea of the literacy level of the person who receives the letter, it is essential to keep the language as simple as possible. Researcher should also bear in mind that this type of survey necessarily excludes illiterate people and those who cannot read English, so it may not always give you a representative response.
Meanwhile, interview is an effective means to accumulate some information that are based from authorized individuals and experiential knowledge. Aside from personal interview, interviews conducted over the telephone are increasingly popular as they are so convenient for both interviewer and respondent. The interviewer can conduct the interview either without leaving the office or from home and the respondent similarly can reply from an armchair. There is a ready supply of respondents to contact – researchers only need to look in a telephone directory. It is also possible to sample wide geographical areas, even abroad, very easily, and it is sometimes easier to ask and respond to sensitive questions when you do not have to look at the other person.
Although, there are limitations to telephone interviewing. A researcher automatically restricts the sample to those people who own telephones. Admittedly, this is the majority of people today, but the exclusion includes certain types of person, such as the people with physical infirmities, those who are ex-directory, and full-time students away from home. Equally, it is not possible to show the respondent prompts, and it can be difficult to build up a rapport between the interviewer and respondent. The other main problem with telephone interviewing is that so many companies are engaged in it and people become tired of being called at home and asked questions. The number of people who refuse to take part is on the increase.
Many organizations now use computers to assist telephone surveys and/or interviews, and the interviewer will input responses directly into a computer. This technique is known as computer assisted telephone interviewing, or CATI. Inputting directly to computer can make the analysis of quantitative data very rapid and the program can be designed so that it will display only questions that are relevant to particular respondents. But this method will not be utilized for some considerable reasons.
The qualified respondents for this study will be the practitioners, particularly journalists from various media (broadcast and print) establishments that are knowledgeable with the processes of new media journalism or how the system works in general. The respondents were selected as regardless of socio-economic status, religious affiliation, gender, and marital status as long as they are linked and credibly working in any of the media organization. In the survey method, 30 respondents are required to answer set questions in the questionnaire form by checking the box that correspond their choice. In the interview, five media experts are the main respondents. Every one of them will be interviewed in the same manner and the data will all be collected in the same way. The timing of when the interviews will take place will also be within one timeframe – e.g. within a span of two weeks. The reason for this is because discrepancies in time could significantly affect the data collected.
The Respondents
The researcher, in choosing subjects or respondents for the topic at hand, is usually thought of to have the power over who the respondents of the study will be. Such a task would have been easier, except a researcher cannot simply choose out of whim; the subjects must be selected carefully with the intention of having subjects who each posses characteristics that, when put together, will represent a community. It is not only themselves, whom these subjects will represent, but the bigger whole or the whole population. The characteristics which the researcher has chosen them for will determine which part of the community they belong and what part of the community they are representing. Thus, the choosing of the subjects must be based on their characteristics.
For this study, the respondents are people who possess extensive background in relation to the study. They may be regular employees or freelance journalist or media practitioner to a certain organization or media outfit. In the survey method, 30 respondents are asked to answer the predetermined questions while five authorized individuals are involved in the interview method.
Data Gathering Method
After making the questions, the researchers will first follow the following steps prior to actual data gathering: 1) The research proposal and a sample of the survey questionnaire as well as interview guide questions will be presented to a higher ethics committee for approval; 2) A letter of communication will be sent to other appropriate media organizations regarding the study; 3) The researcher will introduce himself/herself and give adequate explanation of the main objectives of the research proposal: 4) Advises will be solicited from the higher media institutions if comprehensible enough by the actual respondents; 5) Revisions will then be made on the questionnaire; 6) The researcher will select all qualified respondents through random sampling.
Then, the researcher will do the actual data collection following these steps: 1) Formal letters will be sent to the randomly selected respondents asking for informed consent and informing them of the study – the purpose of the study will be explained in general terms and the respondents can then reply with their informed consent and their choice to whether do the interview by questionnaire or by phone; 2) Assurance will be given on anonymity upon the actual data collection; 3) During the data collection, the respondents will be asked to answer a set of questions about how news are made using the new media and the challenges that lie ahead – as previously stated, this could be done either through hand-in and mail survey or by personal and telephone interview, whichever is comfortable for the respondent; 4) After the collection of data, the researchers will express their gratitude for the respondents’ answers.
The researcher will use close-ended questionnaires in obtaining the information relevant to this study in order to elicit substantial amount of information yet limited in number. In administering the tool, respondents gathered self-reported information through self-administration of questions in a paper-pencil format. This method is useful in collecting data for the following reasons: (1) subjects were asked to respond to the same set of questions, in the same order, (2) they had the same set of options for their responses, (3) it is economical. In a questionnaire using closed-ended questions, the researcher will offer a list of answers that will be checked or chosen by the respondent. Close-ended questionnaires are not limited two alternative replies of true or false from which the subjects choose the one that matched the appropriate answer. The same set of questions will be used for the telephone interview; the only difference is some modifications and also time, since the questions will be asked orally over the phone to the respondents.
It is important however, to state that some research questions are not answerable in the survey questionnaire form. Instead, they are addressed in the interview method conducted. Among the questions that are not included in the survey method are research questions numbers 3 and 4. Only the research question numbers 1 and 2 are answerable in the survey method. However, the interview method also addressed some aspects of the said items. Further, some factors of news making particularly in relation to research question number 1 are evident. The features and characteristics that research question number 2 is pertaining to are also addressed by the interviewees.
Data analysis employed in the study will be carried out in steps. Every data form will be carefully read in order to have an idea of the whole results concept. The text will then be read again and divided into meaningful units as the researcher see fit. Data will be condensed and formed into syntheses which will be integrated to form the address the research questions. Once the data has been collected and collated, the final task is to interpret the results. It is important to exercise caution when interpreting results and drawing conclusions from data, since it relates only to a sample. The more carefully the sample size and make-up has been selected, the more value the final data will have. However, the results can only ever be a guide and will never predict totally accurately. There will be a certain amount of statistical error in any results and the conclusions drawn from those results.
Data Base of the Study
The research will not be conducted in one research setting but will be at the convenience of the respondents. However, data that will be collected and gathered will be analyzed in the researcher’s house. It will also be in here that the researcher will be calling from and to interview the respondents. The respondents by postal mail will also be advised to send their questionnaires to this place. Here, all the data will be gathered and analyzed into a meaningful whole.
Validity of the Data
In terms of validity, research utilizing qualitative methods can be considered valid. On the broadest sense validity addresses issues about the quality of the data and appropriateness of the methods used in carrying the research. Although reliability and validity issues apply mostly to research results and conclusions, one must consider those issues at the time of the design of the research, i.e. at the earliest stages of the research process, because if you consider them only at the end, it will be too late to gather data on a research question that is of any relevance and quality at all.
The method to be used in this study is the most appropriate one. Data has to be gathered from respondents to support the research’s goal of determining how news is done using new media. Personal or telephone interviews (and even written interviews) can help save costs of going to another place to interview the respondents. Another way of increasing the validity of research consists of showing the research subjects excerpts of interpretation of the interviews. The idea behind this way of increasing validity is that research subjects are in a position to corroborate or disapprove of interpretations. However if the researcher chose to follow a covert, non-participant observation method, he/she cannot ask those you observed, or those he/she “chatted” with to corroborate anything, because they were not even aware that they were being the subject of an investigation.
In the quantitative approach, the background of the respondents, particularly their age, educational attainment and length of service are considered to be the elements of validity. Further, the frequency of responses recorded will help in the overall process.
PROVISIONAL TIMETABLE
TASKS TO BE DONE
MONTH
(June – August 2006)
June
July
August
Selection of topic
Undertake preliminary literature search
Define research questions
Write-up aims and objectives
Select appropriate methodology and locate sources of information
Confirmation of access
Write-up Dissertation Plan
Undertake and write-up draft critical literature review
Secondary and Primary Data Detailed
Sources
Consulted
Methodology written-up
(including limitations and constraints)
Interviews and Data Gathering
Research Findings:
Analyzed
Evaluated
Written-up
Discussion:
Research findings evaluated and discussed in relation to the literature review
Main body of the report written-up and checked for logical structure
Conclusions drawn
Recommendations made
Final format and indexing
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