AUCM311: COMMUNICATION RESEARCH METHODS

LEVEL 300

EVENING SESSION

AUUG09210115

AUUG09210157

AUUG09210119

AUUG01180118

SUBMISSION DATE: 30TH NOVEMBER, 2023.

Answers
1. “Analysing Sanitation in The Accra Technical University Old Hostel and Its
Environs”

2. The background of a research article gives a brief introduction to the topic under
study, highlighting its importance. The background should also highlight any relevant
statistics or previous research findings related to the topic starting from the global
level, down, to the continental and then to the local level. It should provide an
overview of the current state of affairs within the area where the research will be
conducted.

A. Strengths

II. It briefly explained the importance of sanitation and hygiene in the commendable
introduction.

III. The background highlighted some relevant statistics from previous research findings
on the dangers of sanitation from the global perspective to Sub-Saharan Africa and narrowed
it down to Ghana and the study area of Accra.

IV. It also provided an overview of the current state of sanitation within Ghana and the
study area of the research.

B. Weaknesses

V. Even though the background has given a brief explanation of the importance of the
subject matter, highlighted some relevant statistics, and provided an overview of the current
state of affairs within the catchment area of the research, the organisation of some of the
thoughts was not well coordinated. For example, the explanation or definition of sanitation
should have come in the introductory paragraph together with the importance of sanitation
before highlighting relevant statistics from the global perspective to Sub-Saharan Africa
down to Ghana and narrowing it to the study area which is Accra, where the Accra Technical
University Old Hostel, is situated. In a nutshell, it lacked cohesion.
VI. Scholastic dishonesty is observed through the quoting of an article referenced as ‘[9]
Warren, 1993, Chan, 1994. Democratic transition in Asia: Role of the international
community. ISBN 7881-1364-X” In reading the quoted article, no line or paragraph reflected
the referenced lines.

VII. Another referenced article “[7] Szanto K, Rabinowicz H., (2012) Am J Psychiatry,
Factors contributing to therapists' distress after the suicide of a patient, Aug; 161(8):1442-6.”
does not correlate with the article in the discussion. Lines quoted as references were non-
existent in said article.

VIII. A third article referenced “[13] Jones, R., 2012. Balancing commercial and
environmental needs: licensing as a means of managing whale shark tourism on Ningaloo
reef, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, California, USA” was wrongly cited as no part of it was
cited in this research.

IX. A fourth referenced article titled “[10] Hamburg, 1987. Advance energy technology
proceeding of the biennial congress, British library cataloguing in publication, Germany” was
in the index of references but was not cited at all in the article.

3. A.
problem statement is written at the beginning of the research process before any
analysis or collection of data is done. It generates interest as it is one of the first things
a reader or potential sponsor would read and is a quick explainer of what the problem
to be researched is, the need for the research, and how it adds to previous knowledge
with the gap it may have identified and its significance. Also, it serves as a guide on
the research design and methodology to be employed.
Particularly, the opening paragraph talks of the fact that every hostel management
desires to provide a safe, hygienic environment for students to ensure their good
health and to promote effective academic work. However, the problem statement
failed to highlight similar or the same findings from other jurisdictions on the same
subject matter and its effects on people to make their case and why this particular
research was necessary. The foundation of the problem statement has not been laid
 properly. The researchers have not explained the significance of addressing the
problem.
The problem statement should include a scenario of an ideal situation in which things
were rightly done and the results that would be achieved. The statement in the article
achieves this by stating the aim of every hostel and how by performing its assigned
duties, work efficiency, and good academic results can be achieved.
After the ideal situation stage, it should discuss the change in that situation and how
that problem prevents the achievement of good results for the individual, society, or
nation at large. The statement fails to state whether this problem is making the
achievements highlighted in the ideal situation, a problem or not. It states no negative
consequences that are being faced.
Two problems must be identified;
 A practical problem
 An academic problem
To identify the practical problem, the researcher should cite some similar studies done
on the same subject matter from across the globe and their focus. This was not done.
The academic problem should state how different this research was going to be from
other, similar works through what it will identify as the literary gap it seeks to fill.

B)
The authors' emphatic statement that not enough studies have been done on sanitation
and hygiene practices at Accra Technical University, and therefore identified a gap on
that basis was not convincing. Certainly, every research must identify a gap that it
seeks to fill, but the gap must be properly defined in clear terms which was lacking in
this article. If the authors are saying enough has not been done on the subject matter,
the little that has been done, what was the nature of the work, and what has been
missing from the others that their research seeks to explore? The problem statement
has not been clearly defined and they have also failed to describe the implications of
the problem on the students, teachers, and the residents around and the need for this
particular work to be conducted.
4. A.
The Author's choice of a “purely” quantitative approach and a case study as a design
was wrong. It is an indication that there is a lack of understanding of the types of
research approaches that there are and their respective designs. Case studies are for
the qualitative research approach and not the quantitative research approach.
Quantitative methods involve the processes of collecting, analyzing, interpreting and
writing the results of a study (Cresswell, 4 th ed.) and the design that usually goes with
research designs are surveys which provide a numeric description of trends, attitudes
or opinions, by studying a sample of a population (Fowler, 2008) as shown in this
research. Case studies are used , sometimes, in quantitative research. However, this is
rare. This article should have sought to use a mixed methods approach as that would
justify the application of a case study design.

B.
Pragmatist Paradigm. The pragmatist paradigm applies the mixed methods approach.
Mixed-methods research acknowledges that all methods have inherent biases and
weaknesses; and that using a mixed-method approach increases the likelihood that the
data collected will be richer, more meaningful, and ultimately more useful in
answering the research questions. Mixed methods approach allows the application of
both quantitative and qualitative research procedures where the strengths of one can
complement the weaknesses of the other. This gives the researcher the opportunity to
dig deeper into the phenomenon under review and discover the most suitable
solutions for the issue.

5.
The Authors claimed they sampled 100 students and 10 members of management.
They stated to have used the, Simple Random and Strategic, Convenient and
Judgmental sampling techniques. The combination of simple random, strategic or
stratified and convenience sampling techniques in selecting the students is confusing
and wrong. The use of judgmental sampling in selecting the management staff is
justified. A sample size must reflect the population of interest which in this case, is the
occupants of the Accra Technical University Old Hostel. The total population was not
 known. Therefore, we cannot determine whether the 100 was representative of the
total population. It must follow a particular procedure. Taherdoost (2016) states that a
sample is a subgroup of the target population that the researcher plans to study for the
purpose of generalization on the target population. Mugenda & Mugenda (2013)
states that a sample of 10% - 50% of the total population is adequate for a study. To
get the sample size, the researcher must use Yamane’s(1967) formula to calculate it.
The researchers did not follow this procedure.

6. A.
The main objective of this study is to investigate, examine the practiced of sanitation
and hygiene practices and to assess the implications on the productivity and academic
results of students and occupants of the Accra Technical University Old Hostel and its
environs and to discover solutions by March, 2017.

B.
Research Objectives
1. To investigate the sanitation and hygiene practices adhered by students and occupants
of the Accra City Old Hostel and its environs.
2. To assess the implications of poor sanitation and hygiene practices on the health and
academics of students at Accra Technical University Old Hostel.

Research Questions
1. What kind of sanitation and hygiene practices are observed by occupants of the Accra
Technical University Old Hostel?
2. What are the implications of poor sanitation and hygiene practices on the health of
students at Accra Technical University Old Hostel?
References
 Creswell, J.W. (2014). A Concise Introduction to Mixed methods research. SAGE
publications.
 Mugenda, O. M and Mugenda, A. G (2013). Research Methods, Quantitative &
Qualitative Approaches. Nairobi. Acts Press.
 Taherdoost, H. (2016). Sampling Methods in Research Methodology; How to Choose
a Sampling Technique for Research. International Journal of Academic Research in
Management Volume 5, Issue 2, 18-27.
 Creswell, J.W. (2014). Research Design, Qualitative, Quantitative, and Mixed
Methods Approaches, SAGE publications, ISBN 978-1-4522-260-9

 Jones, R., 2012. Balancing commercial and environmental needs: licensing as a

means of managing whale shark tourism on Ningaloo reef, Journal of Sustainable
Tourism, California, USA.
 Warren, 1993, Chan, 1994. Democratic transition in Asia: Role of the international
community. ISBN 7881-1364-X.
 Szanto K, Rabinowicz H., (2012) Am J Psychiatry, Factors contributing to therapists'
distress after the suicide of a patient, Aug; 161(8):1442-6.
 Dawson, C. (2009), Introduction To Research Methods, Fourth Edition, How To
Content, ISBN 978-1-84803-342-9
 https://www.questionpro.com/blog/survey-research/
 https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/case-study/