CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

This chapter gives an outline of research methods that were followed in the

study. It provides information on the participants, that is, the criteria for inclusion in the

study, who the participants are and how they will be sampled. The researcher describes

the research design that was chosen for the purpose of this study and the reasons for

this choice. The instrument that will be used for data collection is also described and the

procedures that will be followed in carrying out this study are included. The researcher

also discusses the methods that will be used to analyze the data that will be gathered.

Research Design

The researchers will use the qualitative interview methodology as the study is

attempting to know the different perceptions of the grade 11 STEM students of LNHS on

the cleanliness and maintenance of the comfort rooms. Specifically, a semi-structured

interview will be conducted so that the researchers can ask additional questions during

the interviews if clarifications and further explanations will be needed. The respondents'

subjective and objective perceptions are expected to form the core data of the study,

hence it needed the method that would deal with the topic in a narrative and descriptive

nature.

According to Oakley, qualitative interview is a type of framework in which the

practices and standards be not only recorded, but also achieved, challenged and as

well as reinforced. Interviews are particularly useful for getting the story behind a
participant’s experiences. The interviewer can pursue in-depth information around the

topic.

An interview guide will be administered to the respondents prior to the interview

proper which will include the questions that they will be asked during the interview.

Leedy (1993) explains that qualitative research is based on the belief that first

hand experience provides the most meaningful data. It is also believed that qualitative

data gives large volumes of quality data from a limited number of people. It is aimed at

understanding the world of participants from their frame of reference (Walker, 1985).

Research Locale

The study will be conducted in Leyte National High School, a public institution

located at Archbishop Lino R. Gonzaga Avenue, Tacloban City since the study’s main

aim is to determine the perceptions of the grade 11 STEM students regarding the

cleanliness and maintenance of the comfort rooms of the said institution.

Research Participants

The participants of the study will be consisted of ten (10) grade 11 STEM

students of Leyte National High School. At present, LNHS has a large population, thus,

the researchers have decided to select only the said number of students from the STEM

strand randomly.

The researchers believe that these participants would be enough to provide

sufficient and essential information to answer the questions raised in this study.
Data Collection Procedure

After randomly selecting the respondents to be interviewed, a consent form will

be given to each of them before the interview and will serve as a document proving that

they have given their permission for them to be interviewed by the researchers. A brief

description of the study is printed in the consent form which also include the

confidentiality and disclosure of the respondents' name during and after the completion

of the study. After the consent form have been signed by the respondents, the

interviewer will inform them when the interview proper starts and so as the recording.

When all the respondents have already been interviewed, the recorded answers

will be transcribed into texts for analyzation.

Since this study is descriptive in nature, the use of a semi-structured interview

will allow the researchers some flexibility in the way they worded the questions for each

individual respondent. It will also give the researchers the opportunity to probe for more

information and clarification when necessary. The researchers need to have a skill to

match the interview questions to an appropriate technique (Neuman, 2000).

Data Analysis Procedure

When the answers of the respondents have already been transcribed into texts,

which was referred by Mthembu (2000) as raw data that need to be converted into

refined data for better analysis by the researcher, these would be translated into English

as part of data refinement. The refined data will be analyzed using thematic analysis.

Braun and Clarke (2006) state that thematic analysis is a foundational method of

analysis that needed to be defined and described to solidify its place in qualitative
research. It is a method for identifying, analyzing, organizing, describing, and reporting

themes found within a data set (Braun & Clarke, 2006).

The respondents' answers to each questions will be evaluated into codes and

these codes will be simplified into categories, and from the categories, the researchers

will generate a theme which will represent the answer that prevailed for each questions

raised in this study.

REFERENCES

(Additional)

Braun, V., Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative

Research in Psychology, 3, 77–101. doi:10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Leedy,P.1993. Practical Research: Fifth edition. Macmillan Publishing Company,

NewYork.

Neuman, W.L. (2000). Social research methods qualitative and quantitative

approaches. 4th Edition, Allyn & Bacon, Needham Heights.

Walker, R. (1985). Applied qualitative research. Gower.