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Data Collection

This chapter outlines the research methodology used in the study. It will employ a naturalistic observation research design to observe how JKUAT students behave when using social media. Both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods like questionnaires, interviews, and observation will be used to understand the impact of social media on students' interpersonal relationships and social lives. The target population is JKUAT students who regularly use social media. The sample size will be determined and ethical considerations will be followed to ensure the research is conducted properly.

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Joram Mutwiri
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42 views4 pages

Data Collection

This chapter outlines the research methodology used in the study. It will employ a naturalistic observation research design to observe how JKUAT students behave when using social media. Both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods like questionnaires, interviews, and observation will be used to understand the impact of social media on students' interpersonal relationships and social lives. The target population is JKUAT students who regularly use social media. The sample size will be determined and ethical considerations will be followed to ensure the research is conducted properly.

Uploaded by

Joram Mutwiri
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CHAPTER 3

RESEACRH METHODOLOGY

3.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter examines the specific methods or approaches applied to the collection, evaluation,
processing, and analysis of data about the impact of social media on students' interpersonal
interactions and social lives.

3.2 RESEARCH DESIGN

Research design entails the methods used to conduct the research. We will employ the
Naturalistic observation research design, in which we carefully monitor and document the
behavior of JKUAT students who actively use social media sites. Using the qualitative research
technique of naturalistic observation, we will observe how our study subjects behave in actual
life situations. A naturalistic observation is one in which you don't change or affect any of the
factors. This way while conducting a research on the students of JKUAT the findings will be
unbiased thus more accurate.

The observation data collection approach demonstrates to be extremely effective because it


provides immediate access to study phenomena, high levels of application flexibility, and the
creation of a permanent record of phenomena to be referred to in the future.

3.3 POPULATION

A population entails a collection of items to be investigated, Mugenda (2005). The population


segment that consumes and uses social media in their daily life is the focus of this study. The
purpose of the study is to determine how people's use of social media has changed their life in
terms of their interpersonal and social interactions, as opposed to how these aspects of their
lives were before to the invention of social media.
3.3.1 TARGET POPULATION

Target population refers to the entire set of units for which the survey data are to be used to
make inferences. Thus, target population defines those units for which the findings of the
survey are meant to generalize. Best and Bell (1972) describe the target group of the study as
any group of individuals who have one or more characteristics in common that are of interest
for a researcher in his/her research.

Our goal is to focus the research on university students who regularly use social media
platforms to learn how this has impacted their lives among this community of social media
users. We want to learn how their interpersonal relationships and social lives are impacted by
this.

Since most university students are frequent social media users, they offer environments that
are suitable for conducting a research study. On top of that, institutions like JKUAT have a
diverse student body from around Kenya, ensuring that the entire population is accurately and
impartially represented.

3.4 SAMPLE AND SAMPLING TECHNIQUE

3.4.1 SAMPLE SIZE

The Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology has a population of 20,000 –
24,000 students according to UNirank (2022). The research will aim to get an accurate sample
size from the Institution and the relevant authorities involved.

3.4.2 SAMPLING PROCEDURE

The research classified the study into three parts: the number of social media users in JKUAT,
the effects of social media on students’ interpersonal relationships and the effects of social
media on students’ social relationships.

3.5 DATA COLLECTION

The relevant data for this research will be collected through primary means and secondary
means. Primary data refers to the data collected for a specific research problem at hand, using
procedures that fit the research problem at best. Secondary data refers to data that has been
collected before hand and is available for the researcher to use.

3.6.1 QUALITATIVE AND QUANTITATIVE METHODS

The study will employ both qualitative and quantitative methods, where quantitative methods
use more emphasis on quantification compared to qualitative methods which put more stress
on information generated. Quantitative methods of data collection will be used for the majority
of respondents will be units of analysis for the study. Qualitative methods will allow the
researcher to collect rich and in-depth data from the sample to facilitate the construction of
their view point. Qualitative research methods focus on the quality of data.

3.6.2 SECONDARY SOURCES

The researchers will use secondary sources of data as methods of data collection for this study.
These will include published and unpublished materials, journals, newspaper articles and
reviews of Social Media. Secondary data allowed the researcher to detect popular Social media
applications and websites that students frequent, and how various social media affect the lives
of the students.

3.7 DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURE

The researcher will employ three different research tools in the data collection process. All the
devices have elements of qualitative and quantitative approaches in order to strengthen data
collection for the study. The three different tools for data collection include Online
Questionnaires, Interviews and Observation, which will be applied to the same problem in
order to complement each other.

3.7.1 QUESTIONNAIRE

The study will employ a structured online questionnaire to gather information from the
Population. The preference for using Questionnaires on the population is based on the fact that
respondents can complete a questionnaire without help and also anonymously. The method is
also cheaper and quicker while also reaching out to a broader sample.

3.8 DATA ANALYSIS

Mugenda (2005) defined data analysis as the process of bringing order and meaning to
information that has been collected. Primary data and secondary data will be collected, coded
and tabulated. The data will be analyzed using graphs and tables.

3.9 ETHICAL CONSINDERATION

Ethical considerations in research can be defined as ensuring that the researcher conforms to
the standards of conduct of the authorities in the area of research. To ensure that the research
was conducted ethically according to the expectations of all jurisdictions, a letter from the
university will be acquired.

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