The study will utilize qualitative method to further understand why college students

from Far Eastern University Manila still chooses to smoke despite the increase in price
of cigarettes. Qualitative method will be used to understand how participants derive
meaning from their surroundings, and how their meaning influences their smoking
behavior. The research design that will be used in this inquiry project is Interrelationship
case study; The design will help the researchers utilize each information that will be
gathered from participants and investigate a phenomenon within the real-life context of
the participants relating to their smoking behavior. It is an in-depth method that involves
careful and complete analysis. The researchers used this design to determine, describe,
and analyze the smoking behavior of Far Eastern University Students.
In choosing the respondents, the researchers will utilize the use of purposive
sampling.  Ritchie et al., (2003) defines this sampling approach as a strategy where
“members of a sample are chosen with a purpose to represent a location or type in
relation to the criterion” (p. 77). The criteria to be qualified as a respondent are as
follows: (a) must be a bona fide student of Far Eastern University - Manila (b) smoking
within the vicinity of FEU such as Lerma St., Recto Ave., and Nicanor Reyes St. (c)
must consume at least 5 sticks of cigarettes a day (d) must be identified by the vendors
as “suki” or regular customer (e) must be talkative and willing to share his/her stories,
and (f) those who are willing to be recorded for this project will requires a video
documentary output. For the Data Gathering, the researchers will conduct a one-hour
interview on the 16th of November 2019 for each chosen participant which will be held at
the Far Eastern University- Manila campus upon the time availability of the respondents.
Upon conducting an interview, the researchers will use a semistructured interview. Each
participant will be asked on the same order of questions. It is to ensure that the answers
of the participants can be compared among the others.
Since the study uses qualitative method and the data that will be gathered is from
the participant’s lived experiences, the researchers will utilize phenomenological
analysis in order to arrive at a description of the nature of the phenomenon that is
studied. Transcription of the interview will be done followed by data cleaning to sort out
unnecessary information. A synthesis will be performed at the later part of the analysis
to make sense of the data gathered. Taking into consideration the significance of ethics
in conducting a study, several ethical considerations will be followed to ensure that the
study will be done it proper manner. To observe ethical procedures in data gathering, all
participants will be given consent form for them to be signed before proceeding to
interview. The procedures of the interview will be explained first, and if the participant
wish to withdraw at any point during the interview, he or she will be free to do so, this is
to ensure that the participant will be receiving minimal to no risk, and that the procedure
will be done at zero harm if possible. Permission to record the interview will be asked
before starting the procedure. Confidentiality will also be explained to the participants to
ensure that all data that will be gathered will be properly kept at all times, and none of
the data will be used after the study including the names of the participants.