RESEARCH
METHODOLOG
Y
ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS OF THE RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY
1. Research Design – It is a very important aspects of research methodology which
describes the research mode-whether it is a qualitative research or quantitative
research, or if the researcher will use a specific researcher type such as description,
survey, historical, case or experimental.
2. Respondents of the Study – This describes the target population and the sample
frame.
3. Instrument of the Study – It describes the specific type of research instrument
that will be used such as questionnaire, checklist, questionnaire-checklist, and
interview
4. Establishing validity and reliability - The instrument must pass validity and
reliability tests before it is utilized.
5. Statistical Treatment - One of the many ways of establishing the objectivity of
research findings is by subjecting the data to different but appropriate statistical
formulas and processes.
THREATS TO INTERNAL
1. Selection bias - VALIDITY
This results when the subjects or respondents of the study are not
randomly selected. In this case, the requirements of objectivity are not met since there is
subjectivity in the selection of subjects.
2. Maturation. This happens when the experiment is conducted beyond a longer period of
time during which most of the subjects undergo physical, emotional, and/or psychological
changes. Maturation is to be avoided if such changes are not desired.
3. History - This refers to a threat to internal validity which happens during the conduct of
the study when an unusual event affects the result of an experiment.
4. Instrumentation change - The instrument used in gathering the data must not be
changed or replaced during the conduct of the study. The instrument must also be applied to
all respondents or subjects.
5. Mortality - There is a threat to validity when one or more subjects die, drop out, or
transfer as in the case of a student who has not completed his or her participation in the
experiment.
6. Tesing - The testing threat may occur in a study when a pretest is given to subjcts who
have knowledge of baseline data.
TYPES OF EXPERIRMENTAL RESEARH
1. True DESIGNS
experimental design. A design is considered a true experiment
when the following criteria are present: the researcher manipulates the
experimental variables, that is, the researcher has control over the
independent variables, as well as the treatment and the subjects; there must
be one experimental group and one comparison or control group; and the
subjects are randomly assigned either to the comparison or experimental
group.
a. Pretest-posttest controlled group design
1. Subjects are randomly assigned to groups.
2. a pretest is given to both groups.
3. The eperimental group receives the trreatment while the control group does
not.
4. A posttest is given to both groups.
b. Posttest-only controlled group design
1. Subjects are randomly assigned to groups.
2. The experimental group receives the treatment while the control group does
not receive treatment
3. A posttest is given to both groups.
c. Solomon four-group design.
It is considered as the most reliable and suitable experimental design. It
minimizes threats to both internal and external validity.
1. Subjects are randomly assigned to four groups.
2. Two of the groups (experimental group 1 and control group 1) are pretested.
3. The other two groups (experimental group 2 and control group 2) receive
the routine treatment or no treatment.
4. A posttest is given to all four groups.
2. Quasi-experimental design. A design in which either there is no
control group or the subjects are not randomly assigned to groups
a. Non-equivalent controlled group design. This design is similar to
the pretest-posttest control group design except there is no random
assignment of subjects to the experimental and control groups.
b. Time-series design. The researcher periodically observe or measures
the subjects.
3. Pre-experimental design. This experimental design is considered
very week because the researcher has little control over the research.
a. One-shot case study. A single group is exposed to an experiment
treatment and observed after the treatment.
b. One-group pretest-posttest design. It provides a comparative
description of a group of subjects before and after the treatment.
NON-EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH
DESIGNS: SURVEY STUDIES
Non-experimental research designs include survey studies. In this type of research
design. investigations are conducted through self-report. Surveys generally ask
respondents to report on their attitudes, opinions, perceptions, or behaviors.
Surveys can be categorized according to:
1. whom the data is collected from 3. Time orientation
a. Sample - a representative of the total population a. Retrospective
b. Group - can be smaller than a mass b. Cross-sectional
c. Longitudinal
c. Mass - larger than a group
4. Purpose or objectives
2. methods used to collect the data
a. Descriptive
a. telephone b. Comparative
b. text messages c. Correlational
c. snail mail d. Evaluative
d. e-mail or other social media modalities
e. face-to-face interaction