CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.0 Introduction
The research methodology deals with the stages or phrases involved in achieving
the stated research objectives. Methodology and Research approaches comprise
strategies and methods for research that extend the decisions from general
assumptions to thorough methods of data gathering and reasoning (Creswell,
2014). Methodology is the systematic way to solve the research problems (Kothari
2004)
Building a research on and relating it to existing knowledge is the building block
of all academic research activities, regardless of discipline. Therefore, to do so
accurately should be a priority for all academics. An effective and well conducted
review as a research method creates a firm foundation for advancing knowledge
and facilitating theory development (Webster & Watson, 2002). By integrating
findings and perspectives from many empirical findings, a literature review can
address research questions with a power that no single study has.
It can also help to provide an overview of areas in which the research is disparate
and interdisciplinary. In addition, Research Methodology is an excellent way of
synthesizing research findings to show evidence on a meta-level and to uncover
areas in which more research is needed, which is a critical component of creating
theoretical frameworks and building conceptual models. This results in a lack of
knowledge of what the collection of studies is actually saying or to what it is
pointing at. As a result, there is a great chance that authors build their research on
flawed assumptions. When researchers are selective of the evidence on which to
build their research, ignoring research that points the other way, serious problems
can be faced. In addition, even when the methodology of the reviews is valid, there
are often issues with what constitutes a good contribution
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3.1 Methods of Data Collection
Interviews were carried out with officers of various crime fighting related
offices like Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related
Offences Commission (ICPC) all in Enugu state and also extended to people which
some few of them were victims of online defraud. It was an interesting method of
data collection because it was interactive. Different people gave their views on the
current system thus the betterment for the research needed.
Observation was the secondary method involved in gathering the necessary data
for this project. Observation was an excellent way to learn how people feel about
incidence of crime in the society, the problems they face and the constructive ideas
to implement solutions to the problem show to improve the system they were
using. Tasks were given to capture the necessary information.
3.2 Analysis of Existing System
The existing system is a traditional system which involves a physical method of
reporting crime using paper work, it requires that one has to go to Police Station or
Crime Fighters office to report a crime before investigation will take place. The
defect in the existing system among other reasons serves as requirements which the
new system must tackle. Also Cyber Crime reporting can be done from anywhere
through the aid of mobile application for cybercrime reporting using phones and
laptops, it can be done from either a public or private transport.
3.3 Weakness of Existing System
In Nigeria individuals are usually reluctant to give a protest in police headquarters
since they are loaded up with a spurious fear about the police division. The
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existing system, which is managed manually, faces many
problems, such as
Difficulty in data storage and retrieval
Data inconsistency,
Lack of security of data,
Risk of data loss,
No direct role for the higher officials,
Wastage of time in maintaining paper work and many more.
3.4 Analysis of the Proposed System
The proposed system is an electronic crime fighting requirement to facilitate
cybercrime and other related crime reporting in Nigeria. The system allows
citizens and Policing to interact and successfully complete the requirement process
for crime reporting and investigation. The system provides a well-defined interface
with all the required functionalities. The proposed crime reporting system provides
a 24*7 access to the database. Also, the proposed system provides a standardized
platform for Policing and Crime Fighters. To overcome the problems of
existing system we proposed to develop a new system. It is
going to be developed in PYTHON and KIVY Python Framework.
Following are the advantages of proposed System:
(1) Online Crime Reporting Facility
(2) Information of Most Wanted Criminals
(3) Information of Missing Persons of their Area and City
(4) Address and Contact Details of Police Station of their
City
(5) Latest Crime Related News and Updates
(6) Feedback to Police Stations
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3.5 Features of the Proposed System
• Product and component based
• Creating and Changing Issues at ease
• Query Issue list to any depth
• Reporting and charting in more comprehensive way
• User accounts to control the access and maintain security
• Simple Status and Resolutions
• Multilevel Priorities and Severities
• Accuracy in Work
• Easy and fast retrieval of information
• Well-designed reports
3.6 Dataflow Diagram of the Proposed System
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3.7 Benefits of the Proposed System
Crime Fighters: This study is going to be important to the crime fighters
especially the Security Agencies because it will help to provide data to them about
crime which will be easy for them to track and monitor crime committed and the
location of the incidence using the information provided within the system.
Crime Management: This system is going to be of helpful to Cyber crime
management because going to provide useful information from the society about
cyber related crimes which will enable them have advanced cyber defense
programs and mechanisms in place for protecting and safeguarding important
information from corruption, compromise or loss.
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Police: Reporting a crime is important for accurate crime stats. This gives SAPS
more leverage to request extra police officers, vehicles etc. Police do not
automatically investigate a crime. They can only investigate if the crime has been
reported and a statement made.
Individual: This system will be important to individual for personal safety.
Propose a system that caters for reporting all kinds of cybercrimes, gives feedback
and sustain the process of crime investigation and correction. Make the mobile
application available to people and which will be easy for citizens in anywhere to
be able to report any crime happening in such vicinity.
Society: This system will be important to the society in many ways because it will
provide an avenue for people to easily report a cyber crime. This mobile
application would enable cyber crime reporting to be very efficient and fast the
process of reporting and investigating crimes in the society has been mainly
manual; giving accurate and reliable criminal reporting results. If this system is
implemented is going reduce cyber crime and criminology in the society.
3.8 Input Specification
A traditional "input" specification will set out in detail the exact services to be
performed by the contractor in a prescriptive fashion. These are the objectives and
objectified contents that crime reporters put in while reporting a crime for
investigation and possible punishments. It captures the data from user or it is
the process of accepting data or information, by using input the computer can do
any process materials.
3.9 Output Specification
Output specification is information produced by the mobile cybercrime reporting
platform after a certain input has been inserted into it. The process of producing
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output is important because the purpose of the system that has been developed is to
produce a useful output for the citizens and crime fighters. The outputs are fully
depending on the inputs that have been inserted. Users would be required to use
their passwords to gain access to the system.
3.10 Functional Requirements
A functional requirement defines a system or its component in software
engineering. It describes the functions to be performed by software. A function is
nothing more than inputs, behavior, and outputs. It can be a calculation,
manipulation of data, business process, user interaction, or any other specific
functionality that define what a system is likely to perform.
Functional requirements for software help you capture the system's intended
behavior. This behavior can be expressed as functions, services or tasks, or
which system needs to be performed.
A Functional Condition is a condition that allows the user to perform operation
when it is met.
For example: "The customer should place an order within two minutes of
registration" For the most part, when people talk about business requirements,
they refer to functional requirements that are generally referred to as
"functional requirements have the following characteristics that use simple
language that is not vague.
The official definition of a functional requirement specifies what the system
should do "A requirement specifies a function that a system or component
must be able to perform." Functional requirements specify specific behaviors
or functions, such as: "User login, Creating New User, Reporting Crime,
View FIR Status, Update FIR, View Criminal, Withdraw Complaint, Admin
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login, Creating New Station, Add Criminal details, Creating New Review
Panel, Review Panel login, Station login, Generate Report”.
3.11 Non-Functional Requirements
The quality attributes of a software system are defined by a non-functional
requirement. They are a set of standards used to judge a system's specific
operation.
To ensure the usability and effectiveness of the entire software system, anon-
functional requirement is essential. Failure to meet non-functional requirements
may lead to systems failing to meet user requirements. Non-functional
requirements enable you to impose restrictions or restrictions on system design
across the different agile backlogs.