Chapter 2

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This section highlights how the study will be conducted. It includes research design,

settings, respondents/participants, instruments, data gathering procedure, ethical considerations,

and data analysis.

Design

This quantitative study will employ a descriptive research design to determine the

influence of family, peer, and self-factors on college students' career decision-making. According

to Miksza and Elpus (2018), the aim of a descriptive research design is to collect data that

thoroughly describes the various aspects of the research topic. This method seeks to address

questions pertaining to the "what," "when," "where," and "how" of the research problem, rather

than delving into the "why." The descriptive research method encompasses a range of research

techniques, predominantly focusing on the use of quantitative data, while occasionally

incorporating qualitative data for descriptive purposes.

Furthermore, as noted by Scott (2017), a descriptive survey study is concerned with

understanding the current status of an event or issue. In this case, the research's objective is to

comprehend the current dynamics of how family, peers, and self exert influence on the career

decision-making process of college students. This research method is aptly selected, as it allows

the researcher to explore the causes and factors contributing to the career decision-making

process, shedding light on the "what" and "how" aspects of research questions. Hence, the

descriptive survey design aligns with the study's objectives, which aim to unveil the prevailing

influences on college students' career choices.

The study will be conducted in selected university in Misamis Occidental this school

year, 2022-2023. The omission of specific names and identifying details complies with ethical

standards. It ensures that the privacy and confidentiality of all individuals and entities involved

in the research are safeguarded. This practice protects the rights and identities of the participants

while still allowing for the study to describe the academic context in which it is conducted.

Although specific names of persons, schools, or organizations are not disclosed in accordance

with ethical standards to protect the privacy and confidentiality of all involved, it is important to

provide a detailed contextual understanding of the academic environment in which the study

takes place.

Specifically, the research setting is the College of Arts and Science within the designated

educational institution. The College of Arts and Science offers a variety of courses in fields like

liberal arts, social sciences, and natural sciences. Students here attend classes, research, and

decide their academic and career paths. The setting includes physical facilities such as lecture

halls, classrooms, libraries, and labs. It also acknowledges the importance of online platforms in

today's education, providing additional channels for learning and decision-making. This setting is

crucial for the present study because it allows the researcher to focus on the unique academic

context where students shape their futures. It's a practical location for data collection, and it helps

the study gain insights into how influences affect students' decisions in their career choices.

Respondents/Participants
 Two hundred seventeen (217) respondents within the target locale will be gathered to

participate in the study. The questionnaire will be distributed manually by the researcher in their

respective institution. In recruiting the respondents, a simple random sampling will be utilized.

This sample is chosen so that every possible group of people from the general population has an

equal chance of being selected (West, 2016). The respondents will be randomly selected to

participate in the survey as long as they are fitted or eligible to participate. The respondents must

be: [1] Filipino, [2] enrolled in the target selected college, [3] college students enrolled in the

academic year 2023-2024, and [4] willing to participate. Outside of the inclusion criteria will be

excluded. That was the only inclusion criteria for the respondents. Outside the criteria will be

excluded. Informed consent will be given to them before the survey, and if they do not sign it,

they will be excluded from the study.

Additionally, the Raosoft formula was used to determine the appropriate sample size for

the study, and it is necessary to attain for data gathering. Computation was done that the margin

of error was set to 50% with a confidence level of 95% and response distribution as 50% and

with the predetermined population of students. The population size of students from the College

of Arts and Science was determined to be 496 based on information provided by the Secretary of

the Department (personal communication, 2023). This was computed with Raosoft and yielded

217 target samples. The sample size was calculated to be a larger sample because the researcher

followed the rule of thumb of sampling, which indicates that a larger sample size increases the

statistical power of the investigation of the study (Biau et al., 2008).

Instruments
 In the conduct of this study, a survey questionnaire will be the main instrument of the

study to gather pertinent data based on the main focus of the researcher. This standardized

questionnaire is specifically designed to address the problems identified in the statement of the

problem. The questionnaire has two parts: Part 1 will measure the respondents' family, peers, and

self-choice influences; Part 2 will measure the respondents' career decision-making self-efficacy.

The first questionnaire was adopted from the study of Tortor et al. (2020), which contains

15 items in total. 5 items for each dimension of family, peer, and self-choice influence.

Respondents will rate such influence by using the Likert scale: 1 – Strongly Disagree, 2-

Disagree, 3- Agree, and 4- Strongly Agree. Notably, this questionnaire exhibits strong reliability,

typically ranging between 0.80 and 0.90. The responses to the 15 items are summed to calculate

an individual's overall score. Scores can range from: 1-1.75 = Strongly Disagree, 1.76-2.5 =

Disagree, 2.51-3.25 = Agree, 3.26-4 = Strongly Agree.

The study will utilize the career decision self-efficacy scale short-form questionnaire

adopted from a study by Xing (2016). It encompasses 3 items, and respondents will be asked to

answer them through the Likert scale: 1- No Confidence at All, 2 - Very Little Confidence, 3-

Moderate Confidence, 4- Much Confidence, and 5- Complete Confidence. The responses to the 3

items are summed to calculate an individual's overall score. Scores can range from: 1-1.75 = No

Confidence at All, 1.76-2.5 = Very Little Confidence, 2.51-3.25 = Moderate Confidence, 3.26-4

= Much Confidence, and 4.25-5.00 = Complete Confidence. Notably, this questionnaire exhibits

a strong reliability, typically ranging between 0.70 and 0.90.

Data Gathering Procedure

proposal, along with the research instruments, to the thesis adviser and a panel of experts for

their approval. This step is crucial to ensure that the research instruments are valid and

appropriate. Once the instruments are given the green light, formal requests will be sent to the

selected schools to get their permission to conduct the study.

After these initial steps, the researcher will personally visit the chosen state colleges and

universities to politely request permission to carry out the survey on their grounds. When

permission is granted, the researcher will hand out the questionnaires to participants in person,

assuring them that their data will be kept confidential. Ethical considerations will be a top

priority throughout the research data collection. This means that the researcher will strictly

follow principles like keeping participants' information confidential, making sure their identities

are protected, respecting their privacy, getting their informed consent, and ensuring their safety

during the study.

The paper surveys will be handed out and collected manually without setting strict time

limits for participants. However, participants will be encouraged to complete the survey within a

reasonable timeframe, which is usually about 15 minutes. Afterward, all the collected data will

be carefully gathered, securely stored, and organized. The data will be entered and analyzed

using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software. Thus, a qualified statistician

from the College will handle the necessary statistical analysis. The research findings will be used

to draw conclusions and make recommendations for an intervention program and considerations

for future research projects.

Ethical Considerations
 The researcher intends to obtain authorization from the dean of the chosen state

universities and colleges to conduct the study. Before administering the survey, it is imperative

to assess the validity and reliability of the instruments to mitigate potential risks or harm that

may arise from respondents' participation. Hence, this study will adhere to the ethical guidelines

established by general research ethics.

In addition to this, the researcher will strictly adhere to the provisions of the Data Privacy

Act, Republic Act No. 10173. The ethical principles guiding this research are underpinned by a

steadfast commitment to safeguarding the rights, dignity, and overall well-being of the research

participants. Every effort will be made to ensure that the respondent's autonomy is respected,

acknowledging their capacity to make self-directed decisions. It is crucial to underline that

participation in this research is entirely voluntary, with no form of coercion or forced consensus

that might pose a threat to the participants' welfare.

The researchers will respect them regardless of their choice, without taking into account

their gender, age, or ethnicity. The prioritization of the respondents in this survey will be given

utmost consideration. To safeguard the confidentiality and privacy of the participants, informed

consent will be obtained. Participants will receive detailed information regarding the study's

objectives and any procedures included in the research. The data will be presented

understandably to the target audience, ensuring participants' consent. Participants will also

be notified that they can discontinue their involvement in the study without facing any negative

repercussions, sanctions, or even if they have previously consented to participate.

The researcher is committed to ensuring that the acquired data will be exclusively utilized

for research purposes and handled with the utmost confidentiality until the completion of this

study. Participants can be assured that their involvement in this study will not result in any
adverse effects or harm. The research procedure shall be conducted strictly following ethical

norms in all aspects. The research shall diligently refrain from engaging in any form of deception

or exaggeration regarding its aims and objectives. All affiliations, sources of financing, and any

conflicts of interest will be openly disclosed. Furthermore, this study will strictly

avoid misleading information or biased depiction of primary data findings. Moreover, given the

unequivocal prohibition of plagiarism, this research is expected to maintain its uniqueness and

authenticity.

Data Analysis

For the data treatment, descriptive and inferential statistics will be used to address the

research questions of the study. Specifically for descriptive statistics are mean and standard

deviation. While for inferential statistics is One-way ANOVA.

A. Weighted mean

The researchers will employ weighted mean as a measure of average for each indicator

item or that some data points contribute more weight than others. This will address SOP 1 and

2 of the study. Mean represents the central tendency of the data, while standard deviation

provides information about the data's dispersion or variability

The formula for the weighted mean ( ) is,

where,
 = weight in each observation

= frequency

B. One-way Anova

The researcher will use one-way ANOVA to address SOP 3 of the study. Numerically,

one-way ANOVA is a generalization of the two-sample t-test. The F statistic compares the

variability between the groups to the variability within the groups, as shown in the formula

below.

SURVEY QUESTIONNAIRE