Research Methods
Paul J Dejillas
Professor
Applied Cosmic Anthropology
2011
Research Methodology
1. Scope and Limitation
2. Target Respondents: Sampling or Total
Population
3. Type of Data
4. Data Collection
5. Data Measurement
6. Data Organization
7. Data Analysis
1. Scope and Limitation
1. Inclusive Years?
2. Area limitation?
3. Urban or rural?
4. What particular occupation? Ambulant or
mobile vendors? Sidewalk traders? Etc.
5. Or, all informal-sector participants within a
given confine or area? E.g. barangay
2. Target Respondents
1. Any sex restrictions?
2. Any age restrictions?
3. Employment status?
4. Educational attainment?
5. Income class bracket?
6. Etc.
Population or Sample?
1. Total population? Or, only a sample?
2. Your sampling method and formula?
• Random sampling: simple, systematic,
stratified, cluster, multistage
• Non-random sampling: purposive,
convenience, volunteer.
Sample Size
Minimum Sample Size
30 for correlational studies
15 per group for experimental/causal
studies
100 per major group for survey
research
20 per minor group for survey research
Type of Data
1. Primary? Secondary? Or, both? Who
or what are your sources? Will they
be sufficient to establish a reliable
pattern reflecting the behavior of your
target respondents?
2. Qualitative? Quantitative? Or, both?
Who or what are your sources?
Data Collection Methods
1. Interviews
2. Participant observation
3. Focus group discussions
4. Etc.
Only one data-collection method or a combination
of methods.
Data Collector
1. Who will gather the data?
2. What are their credentials or qualifications?
3. Will they be trained?
4. How many will be involved?
5. How will they be managed? Supervisor
Time Consideration
1. When will the data be collected?
Inclusive dates of the entire data-
collection period?
2. For primary data, how much time will
it administer one questionnaire?
3. How will irregularities be handled?
Data Gathering Instruments
1. Type: questionnaire, interview
schedule, FGD guide, survey guide,
tape-recording machine, digital cam,
video cam, etc.
2. Will they be pre-tested?
Data Measurement/Rating Scales
1. Simple Category Scale
2. Multiple Choice - Single Response Scale
3. Multiple Choice - Multiple Response Scale
4. Likert Scale
5. Semantic Differential Scale
6. Numerical Scale
7. Multiple Rating Scale
8. Fixed Sum Scale
9. Stapel Scale
10. Graphic Rating Scale
Analyzing Qualitative Data
A. Tools:
1. Content analysis
2. Document analysis
3. Phenomenological analysis
4. Observation:
• Participant observation
• Direct observation
B. Methods:
1. Successive approximation
2. Illustrative method
3. Analytic comparison
4. Domain analysis
5. Ideal types
Basic Statistical Tools and Techniques for
Quantitative Analysis
1. Summary Statistics
Measures of Location: mean, median, mode,
Measures of Dispersion: range, mean deviations, standard deviations, relative
dispersion (coefficient of variation), minimum, maximum, percentile,
skewness, kurtosis,
2. Sampling
Simple random sampling
Sampling for proportions and percentages
Stratified random sampling
Systematic sampling
Type of sampling unit
3. Correlation Analysis
Chi-square, contingency coefficients, Phi and Cramer's V, uncertainty
coefficients, eta.
Correlations (bivariate or partial): gamma, Somers' d, Kendall's tau-b,
Kendall's tau-c, Pearson, Spearman's rho, etc.
Tests of hypothesis concerning correlation coefficients
4. Multiple Linear Regression
Estimating the beta coefficients, confidence intervals, co-variances, model fit,
r-squared change, collinearity diagnostics, Durbin-Watson, etc.
F-test, ANOVA, etc.