Research design
This refers to the plan, structure and format of any scientific or statistical work. It serves the purpose of guiding the researcher in his study and will set out the framework to be used. Research design will basically cover the data collection process, tools of collecting such data, how the tools will be used to collect data and how to analyze the collected data into a useful form (Gosling, 2014). A problem will be raised by researcher in which he will carry out his course study to draw an answer through collecting data (Meyer, et al, 2012).
A research design is an essential component while planning to carry out a research on a particular subject or population. The characteristics of the subject determine the methods of data collection to be used in the research. Furthermore the instruments and the means of their deployment are determined during the research design. In this paper, we delve into the research methods in an educational institution. The research will take place at a local high school to determine the student’s preferences in accordance to meals offered by the school.
Characteristics of the Organization
This research will cover the Edgewood Senior High School, Ashtabula in Ohio. This is a very prominent school that excels in many activities that are offered in the school curriculum. The school was started in the early 1960’s to cater for the growing need for better education in the locality. Athletics make the backbone of the sporting calendar to the school. Therefore this research will take into consideration the effect of the meals given to the students on their performance mainly in the field. There has been a problem in the high school such that more than 40% of the students do not take their lunch portions. This makes a lot of food to go to waste thereby draining the resources offered by the federal government. The research is primarily aimed at finding and amicable solution to the problem and if not possible develops better ways of feeding the students at the school.
The research organization being an educational institution also ensures that there will be a wide range of data that can be used for analysis. This therefore dictates the use of methods that will cover the school efficiently while at the same time using the fewest resources as possible.
Research Design Process
The research process is as follows: Statement of problem is identified; making a plan how to start actual research is determined; determining research type to use and stating methods to use. Below are some of the most significant research design methods to be used
Observational Design
This type of research design draws a conclusion by comparing subjects against a control group, in cases where the researcher has no control over the experiment. Here a control group can be selected to be another high school within the locality. The high school should have a big number of the students taking their meals at the cafeteria. There are two general types of observational designs. In direct observations, people know that you are watching them. Unobtrusive measures involve any method for studying behavior where individuals do not know they are being observed. An observational study allows a useful insight into a phenomenon and avoids the ethical and practical difficulties of setting up a large and cumbersome research project (Jaksić, F. 1981).
Philosophical Design
This is empathized as more as a wide approach to studying a research problem than a methodological design, philosophic analytical review and argument is aimed to dispute deeply rooted, frequently unmanaged, assumptions laying an area of study (Jaksić, F. 1981).
Sequential Design
This is research done that is deliberate in action, arranged approach. It is serial in nature. The stages follow each other in succession. After completion of one, the other will start. The former stage (output) will be the input of the new stage. This will take place until data extracted is enough for basing judgments on the theory. In this study, sample size is not determined. Researcher will analyze each sample and may accept the null hypothesis or accept the alternative hypothesis. He may also decide to select other pool of subjects and start carrying out the study again. Researcher can use a countless number of subjects before deciding whether to accept the alternative or null hypothesis. Using a quantitative model, a sequential study will utilize sampling and stratified techniques to collect data and apply statistical techniques to analyze collected data. Using a qualitative framework, sequential studies will utilize samples of group’s individuals [age brackets] and use qualitative techniques such as interviewing or observing, to collect information from each and every sample
Other main factors to consider
Exploiting all avenues of research environment (Exploratory study)
This is a vital role in any research problem (Lawson, A. E. 2000). The researcher will define the study taking place. This is common in research studies where no other researcher has conducted any study on and it the environment of study is not known to research (Campana, P., & Varese, F. 2012). Such kind of study will lack any formal plan used in project study and is only meant to get a writer familiarized.
Description in Study- This study seeks to provide an in depth answer to the problem posed in the form of question to the researcher. Such a study will give more information as compared to an exploratory study conducted (Robinson, 2004). The study is better compared to other research methods since the writer is able to give all details relating to the world and how it is. This is through study of possible trends and patterns followed by a certain variable and if there is any linkage to that effect. An example of descriptive question asked can be:
"How often?", “What percentage", “What amount"," what proportion", "what is", “what are”. The following is a list of questions where descriptive study is brought out clearly; Question: What percentage of students takes lunch?
Question: Which meals are the most popular among the students? Variable: Calories. Group: Students. In each of the descriptive questions we are quantifying the specific variables we require to ask (Sanchez Martin, et al., 2000). In our case above the descriptive questions seek to determine the frequency or the number. You may use descriptive questions to ask about percentage and counts involved.
Analytical study
As the name suggests the study carried out is explanatory in nature. Analytical studies will link the study of the cause to actual causes. The study usually will lead to an action. Analytical research is structured in form unlike exploration study. Exploratory study is used to provide qualitative data in research process (Xing, Q., Hulin, W., & Rui, H. 2013).A researcher will have to use his knowledge to determine how exploratory research should be and should not be used in his course work (Sartor, Maureen A., et Al).Exploratory research will involve the researcher asking people questions and taking note of the responds made during the study (Data analysis techniques). The researcher will ask questions will guide respondent but will be semi-structured and not formal in nature.
Exploratory Techniques to be used
Focus group interviews
This is a small group of individuals usually six to a maximum of fifteen people and will include a moderator who will guide the group in discussing the agenda of the meeting (Singer, F. 2007).Researchers will ask the group specific questions related to what is being researched. Focus groups are selected randomly by the researcher and will be done so to achieve convenience of the researcher and respondents Brace, I. (2008). Focus groups will have a variety of advantages and disadvantages depending on the scenario at hand. This method provides an impromptu scenario where the data that is to be collected will be rarely influenced by anything. It also offers the researchers an opportunity to take information that is tailored specifically to the subject at hand. In this research the student groups will provide varied information on their preferences and even give reasons to why some don’t take their meals (Jaksić, F. 1981).
Focus groups will be in different forms namely (Types of focus groups).Two-Way Focus Group, Moderating focus groups, moderator focus groups, Dueled moderating focus groups, Client focus participation group, Respondent driven moderator group, Small focus groups also known as mini groups, Teleconferenced focus groups and Online driven focus groups (Brace, I. 2008).
Expert undertaken surveys: A researcher may decide to rely on expert survey information instead of undertaking a survey which he is not sure of. In expert surveys, a list of question is prepared by the researcher which is open ended structure. This will ensure that experts have a greater extent of freedom to place on answering questions asked (Tam, V. Y., Shen, L. Y., & Ochoa, J. 2013d). The expert will use their acquired skills and expertise to give detailed answers useful in the research process. In relation to this organization, Looking at previous instances can give the researchers an opportunity to have beforehand information regarding the subject matter. Looking at previous studies in other schools at the locality will enable the researchers to gather more data that can be used in critically analyzing the data collected in the research. This is a very significant component because it prepares the researchers for the obstacles that may be encountered in the research. Such obstacles may include non cooperation, inconclusive data and unreliable data (Jaksić, F. 1981). These surveys also need to have a specific subject to ensure that the jargon and other unwanted information are done away with. It will eventually save a lot of time and resources to be used in conducting the research.
Conducting interviews: Here depth interview will be conducted. Depth interviews are somehow more or less the same to focus groups, but have a deeper need of acquiring information about feelings of customers and the general public about anything e.g. Product( Kluga, et al., 2012). For this study, this is the most effective method to carry out the research. The personal interviews should be carried out systematically and should be able to carry all the required information. The interviews should be divided to cover those who take the meals and those who don’t. For those who depend on the school for meals, the quality of the meals should be the most important area to concentrate on (Jaksić, F. 1981). The questions should also be formulated in such a way that the students easily understand them. Some of the questions may include, “Are the meals sufficient?”, “Is the quality of the food good?”” how many times in a week do you take the meals at the school?”
For the students that do take meals, the questions should be more engaging than the above group. Furthermore, these interviews should be deeper since the students may have more concrete reasons to avoid taking meals at the school dining facility (Lawson, 2000). This group of students can provide a more detailed data set towards knowing what influence their choices. Some of the questions to ask this group include, “Why do you miss the meals at the dining hall?”, “Is the food offered at the institution up to standard?”
Projective Techniques: This is the use of opinions, beliefs and attitudes of respondents to obtain research data (Lawson, 2000). This method is deployed to mine what is hidden by the interviewees. It enables the researchers to relate what the interviewees say and the information that the researchers may presume is being withheld. Regarding this research, the students who skip meals may deliberately holdback important information regarding the quality of food. It may be due to the fear of being in bad books with the schools administration. This technique can be useful in covering the students with diverse ethnic and cultural origins. Students with Asian backgrounds may find it hard to voice their opinions because of the model of the family that they are raised in. Their culture is bent on respecting the authorities above anyone else (Campana, P., & Varese, F. 2012).
In order for this technique to be successful, the research group will have to source for some professionals who can explain certain behaviors during the interviews.
Using open ended questions: This is similar to expert surveys in a way. It gives researcher’s ability to get views, comments, complaints, feelings, and attitude and ensure respondents have a forum to air their view of things (Guthery, F. 2007). The students will have a good opportunity to relay their feelings on the subject matter. It will enable them to give a much more detailed account on the quality of the food in the dining halls. Furthermore, it gives them a chance to feel free during the interview and thereby will provide much more relevant information to the researchers (Robinson, A. 2004).
Below are some examples;-
Research Design will take 2 forms mainly which includes, Generating of data from various sources: This includes using data collection methods to generate data. This can be through the use of questionnaires, doing of experiments, course studies undertaken and carrying out ethnographic studies (Robinson, A. 2004).. Analysis of existing and generated data testing of data will be in two main forms which are;
Using numerical data analysis where the modeling of statistical data takes place and secondary data analysis. Using textual data to analyze which includes: discourse analysis, content analysis among other methods (Singer, F. 2007).
How the research will be conducted
Planning for the research is very essential. This will determine the quality of the data collected and the overall reliability of the answers given by the interviewees. The research will be divided into different portions to cover the whole school and capture the different perspectives pertaining the subject matter. (Campana, P., & Varese, F. 2012).
Survey on the Students
This is the most important segment of the research. They are directly involved in the matter and are the ones that consume the food provided by the institution. It is therefore paramount that the methods of interview are not threatening since many may give false information. Furthermore the questions will have one backbone and will essential aim at getting the reasons behind why some don’t consume the food at the dining hall. In this group, employing both qualitative and quantitative methods will help get a good set of data. Some of the research methods must involve direct communication with the students. The other ones will need observation especially on the ones who rarely take their food at the dining hall (Robinson, A. 2004).
Survey on the Catering staff
These researches will provide complementary data to the one gained from the students. The staff can provide more data on the amount of food that is received by the school and whether it is of acceptable quality. Furthermore, the staff at the dining hall may have greater information and may offer more conclusive data about the students’ feeding habits (Singer, F. 2007).
The researchers are also supposed to take an impromptu visit to the cooking area. This should however be preplanned with the school administration. The researchers should be provided with passes to be able to access the kitchen. Once in the kitchen, observation and taking of notes should be done immediately to prevent the staff from changing the environment to suit their words (Campana, P., & Varese, F. 2012).
Survey on the school administration
The school administration is supposed to cater for all the students in the school. However, failure of some of the students to consume the food provided may point to a disconnect within the school policy. The department involved should be assessed. School records can provide enough data about the amount spent and the type of food bought by the administration. Furthermore, it should be noted that there may be some obstacles in this section. Some of the staff involved may deliberately hide some information if they have a hand in the problem. To counter this, the research should also look at the documents of surrounding schools to get a general scenario. After that, the information gained should tally with others because the institution is government funded (Brace, I. 2008)
.
Conclusion
The research design methods should be tailored to a specific subject. The characteristics of the subject matter should be studied extensively first. This will ensure that the type of questions formulated fit into the program. Furthermore, the methods and designs need to be determined before the research takes place.
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