CHAPTER 3:RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

• This chapter is on methods and procedures used to carry out the study.

• The chapter has direct influence on the findings of the study.

• The methods and procedures used should be very clear so that another researcher

can follow the procedures used to reach similar conclusions without difficulty.

• Justify your methodology.

 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY CONT.
 The methodology chapter should include the following subsections:
•Introduction

•Research Design
•Location of the study
•Target Population
•Sample Size and Sampling Procedure
•Research Instruments(Questionnaire, Pilot testing, Validity, Reliability)
•Data Collection Procedures
•Data Analysis Techniques
•Ethical Consideration
 INTRODUCTION

 The chapter should start with a brief introduction highlighting the general

methodology and organization or structure of the chapter.

 A link-up of the study.

 This is where you bring out the philosophy of the methodology chosen.
 RESEARCH DESIGN/ PLAN

The research design is determined by the following:-

• What is the study about?
• Why is the study being made?
• Where will the study be carried out?
• Where can the required data be found?
• Time period of the study?
• Techniques of collecting data?
• The analysis of the data?
• Style of report to be prepared?
 RESEARCH DESIGN/ PLAN CONT.

• Overall strategy used in the study.

• Systematic and logical – determine the type of questionnaire/ question.

• Should contribute to accurate and fair interpretation of results.

• Should clearly help to indentify the respondents.

• Should help to contribute to deeper insights and better understanding of the research topic.

• Researcher should justify his/ her design/strategy.

TYPES OF RESEARCH DESIGNS
Doctrinal

(Library Research)
Non Doctrinal(Social-Legal

Research)
DOCTRINAL(LIBRARY RESEARCH)
 Traditional legal research method
 Ignores the social, economic and political

environment.
 The focus is on the Law only.
 Popularly known as desktop research
 Fairly narrow in scope.
NON-DOCTRINAL (SOCIAL-LEGAL RESEARCH)
 Focus is beyond the law.
 Social, economic and political aspects are

taken into account.

 The researcher also brings in other disciplines.
 Mixed research methods with primary and

secondary data.
 Goes beyond the philosophy of law.
 Other Classification

• Descriptive design – Describes the state of affairs as it exists.

• Qualitative research design

• Diagnostic research design – Why something occurs the way it does.

• Exploratory study design – Discovery of ideas and insights.

• Experimental design - control groups.

• Case study design – Brings out deeper understanding of the problem.

• Investigative design – Detectives/ legal.

• Mixed research design – Combination.

 PITFALLS IN SELECTION OF A RESEARCH DESIGN
While selecting a research design, a researcher should be on the lookout for the following
pitfalls and avoid them:
 Choosing a design that cannot assist in meeting the research objectives.
 Choosing a design that is too complex for research at the level of the researcher.
 Choosing a design that requires extensive study and a lot of time while the time assigned to
the research is limited.
 Lack of clarity about the design.
 A research design that lacks flexibility.
 LOCATION OF THE STUDY

 Where is the study going to be undertaken and why?

 Determined by many factors like, nature of the study, available resources.

 Purpose of the study will also determine location.

 Time allocation e.t.c.

 TARGET POPULATION

 This refers to the universe (total population) e.g. 40 million Kenyans (census)
 The researcher should identify and describe the characteristics of the population
involved in the study.
 Population refers to the entire group of people, events, or things of interest that
the researcher wishes to investigate.
 Population forms a basis from which the sample or subjects for the study is
drawn.
 SAMPLE SIZE AND SAMPLING PROCEDURE
 In this section, detailed description of sampling frame, sampling technique and the actual
sample size should be provided
 Sampling methods or techniques may include probability and non-probability techniques.
 In non-probability sampling designs, the elements in the population do not have any
probabilities attached to their being chosen as sample subjects.
 Typical examples of non-probability sampling techniques include convenience sampling,
and purposive sampling.
 SAMPLE SIZE AND SAMPLING PROCEDURE CONT.

 To ensure fair representation and generalization of finding to the general population,

probability sampling technique should be used.

 Typical examples of probability sampling include simple random sampling, systematic

sampling, stratified random sampling and cluster sampling.

 The sample size should, therefore, be representative of the general population.

 SAMPLE SIZE FORMULA(HYPER-GEOMETRIC POPULATION
calculating sample size for a hyper-geometric population is as follows:1
n = NZ2 pq
E2 (N-1) + Z2 pq
Where n = Required sample size
p and q = Population proportions which are set at 0.5 each
N = Population size
Z = Level of confidence
Typically the level of confidence for surveys is 95% in which case Z is set to 1.96.
E = Sets the margin of error of the sample proportion. This was set
at 5% or 0.05.
 RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
1. Structured or Closed-ended questions -These are questions which are accompanied
by a list of all possible alternatives from which respondents select the answer that best
describes the situation.
2. Structured or Open-ended Questions-These questions which give the respondent
complete freedom of response. These permit an individual to respond in his or her
own models.
3. Interview schedules, tape recorders and videos, cameras.
 TESTING OF RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS

a) Pilot testing- This is a start phase in data gathering of the research process. Pilot test is

conducted to detect weakness in design and instrumentation and to provide alternative

data for selection of a probability sample.

b) Reliability Test-one can use test like Cronbach Alfa, test-retest methods, Pearson

correlation coefficient, triangulation among others.

 VALIDITY TEST

Types of Validity Test

1. Face validity-measurement is accepted as being logical by those
concerned on the face value(expert validity)
2. Content Validity-do the items included in the measure adequately
represent the universe of questions that could have been asked?
3. Construct Validity-is the measure consistent with theoretical concepts
being measured?
 DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES
 A detailed description of the steps taken to conduct the research should be provided for the
purposes of replicability.

 The researcher should provide a complete account of the research process including the
design and development of the instruments, pilot testing, administration of interviews or
questionnaires in terms of scheduling of the subjects or participants, distribution and
collection of the instruments and the running of the experiments.
 Procedures may also include timing of interviews or questionnaires and instructions given
to subjects
 DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES
 The researcher should identify and describe appropriate data analysis methods for the study.

 Quantitative approaches in terms of descriptive statistics or inferential statistics should be

described.

 Descriptive statistics include frequencies, measures of central tendencies (mean, medium or

mode) and measures of dispersion (standard deviation, range or variance).

 Inferential statistics involve measurement of relationships and differences between or among

the variables.
 DATA ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES CONT.

 Inferential statistics include correlation, regression and analysis of variance among

others

 Data analysis tools in terms of computer application packages (Excel, SPSS or SAS)
should also be described.

 Data presentation methods in terms of tables, graphs or charts should also be described
in this section.

 Qualitative data should be summarized and categorized according to common themes

and presented in frequency distribution tables.
 ETHICAL CONSIDERATION

1. Informed consent

2. Beneficence- do not harm

3. Respect for anonymity and confidentiality

 CHAPTER SUMMARY

 A kind of an abstract to the chapter.

 An overview of the methodology chapter.

NOTE: In a defense there will always be a question from the panel on your

methodology