1

The Learning Goals 2

Knowing Your Destination. Informing the Journey

choose appropriate quantitative research

design
describe sampling procedure and the
sample
construct an instrument and establish its
validity and reliability

plan data collection procedure

plan data analysis using statistics and

hypothesis testing (if appropriate);
 Chapter 3 3

METHODOLOGY
Research Design

The Sample

The Instrument

Intervention

Data Collection
Procedure

Plan for Data Analysis

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Research Instrument,
V a l i d i t y a n d
Reliability
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What is Research Instruments?

are basic tools researchers used to gather data for specific

research problems. Common instruments are performance
tests, questionnaires, interviews, and observation checklist. The
first two instruments are usually used in quantitative research,
while the last two instruments are often in qualitative
research. However, interviews and observation checklists can
still be used in quantitative research once the information
gathered is translated into numerical data.
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Characteristics of a Good Research

Instrument
1. Concise. Have you tried answering a very long test, and because of its
length, you just pick the answer without even reading it? A good research
instrument is concise in length yet can elicit the needed data.

2. Sequential. Questions or items must be arranged well. It is recommended to

arrange it from simplest to the most complex. In this way, the instrument will
be more favorable to the respondents to answer.

3. Valid and reliable. The instrument should pass the tests of validity and
reliability to get more appropriate and accurate information.

4. Easily tabulated. Since you will be constructing an instrument for

quantitative research, this factor should be considered. Hence, before crafting
the instruments, the researcher makes sure that the variable and research
questions are established. These will be an important basis for making items in
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Common Scales Used in Quantitative Research

Likert Scale. This is the most common scale used in quantitative research.
Respondents were asked to rate or rank statements according to the scale
provided.

Example: A Likert scale that measures the attitude of students towards

distance learning.
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Semantic Differential. In this scale, a series of bipolar adjectives will be

rated by the respondents. This scale seems to be more advantageous
since it is more flexible and easier to construct.

Example: On a description of an active student in school activities.

Pleasant 5 4 3 2 1
Unpleasant
Enthusiastic 5 4 3 2 1 Not Enthusiastic
Competent 5 4 3 2 1 Incompetent
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What is Cronbach’s Alpha?

Cronbach’s alpha coefficient measures the internal

consistency, or reliability, of a set of survey items. Use this
statistic to help determine whether a collection of items
consistently measures the same characteristic. Cronbach’s
alpha quantifies the level of agreement on a standardized 0
to 1 scale. Higher values indicate higher agreement between
items.
High Cronbach’s alpha values indicate that response values
for each participant across a set of questions are consistent.
For example, when participants give a high response for one
of the items, they are also likely to provide high responses for
the other items. This consistency indicates the measurements
are reliable and the items might measure the same
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Cronbach’s Alpha is a way to measure the internal

consistency of a survey or questionnaire.

Cronbach’s Alpha ranges between 0 and 1, with

higher values indicating that the survey or
questionnaire is more reliable.

To calculate Cronbach’s Alpha for a given survey or

questionnaire, simply enter the responses for up to
five questions into the boxes below, then press the
“Calculate” button.
 The Instrument
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The Key to Finding the Answers

A survey questionnaire is a commonly

1 This refers to the questionnaire
or data gathering tool to be
used type of instrument in research
that lists questions about a topic with
constructed, validated and spaces for responses.
administered.

2 If researcher-made, it must be Yes/No Coding

Do you consider I use my phone during
tested for validity and research to be class.
reliability. important? ___ 4 Always
Recognition
3
___ 3 Often
If adopted, the student should Which of the following ___ 2 Seldom
indicate its description as to do you consider in ___ 1 Never
buying a phone?
its items, scoring and ___ brand name Subjective
qualification.
4
___ price How do you feel when
The researcher must explain ___ specs you leave your phone
its parts, and how the ___ others, please
specify
at home accidentally.

instrument will be validated. Completion

The instrument to be used When I hear my phone
should be appended. ring, I
_____________________
 The Instrument
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The Key to Finding the Answers

Instrument Design
A good questionnaire must
Name (Optional)
1 Contain different types of
questions: personal, attitudinal
____________________________
Age _________ Sex __ M __ F
or behavioral; sensitive Grade ___
questions (if applicable).
2 Use strategies for good
construction: uses clear
I am enthusiastic about being a
student
Validity is the ability of an instrument
language, makes sure that
___ SA ____ what
to measure A ____DA ____SD
it intends to
answer options do not overlap;
posing questions that are measure.
applicable to participants.
3 Valid and reliable. Underwent
pilot testing to a small
Reliability refers to the consistency of
results.
number of individuals.
 Please repeat the question.
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Evaluating questions
Do you like cellphones?
Unclear, vague question Whenever the teacher is discussing in
Do you believe that students must be front of the class and a phone rings
allowed to use cellphones during class? right in the middle of it, it can be
distracting. Do you find the ringing of
Do you believe cellphones and laptops a phone distracting enough to take
must be allowed for use inside the you out of your focus?
classroom? Too long
A combination of two questions Do you find ringing sounds of a phone
Do you believe that laptops must be distracting while in class?
allowed for use inside the classroom?
Agree or disagree: The school should
Do you consider a quadcore processor not discontinue its ban of cellular
to be an important feature of a phones in class.
cellphone? Double negatives
Contains jargon Do you agree that the school should
Is the speed of response of the continue banning phones in class?
 The Instrument
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Writing this section

What instruments will you

SHS Students’ Social Media Use and Their Attention Span 0 use to gather data to answer
in Class 1 your research questions?
Describe the instruments.
Specifically, this study shall seek answers to the following
questions: 0 Why did you choose these
1. What is the level of social media usage of Grade 12
students of De La Salle Araneta University (DLSAU) in
2 instruments?
terms of: What are the major parts of
a. forms of social media? 0 your instruments including
b. frequency of social media use?
c. mode of social media use?
3 the major variables and sub-
variables to be measured?
2. What is the attention span in class of Grade 12
students of DLSAU? 0
What rating scale will you use?
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 The Instrument
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Writing this section

This study shall make use of two research instruments to

What instruments will you
provide data on the variables being studied. A validated 0 use to gather data to answer
1
questionnaire will be used to determine the respondents’ level
of social media use. To measure the respondents’ attention your research questions?
span in class, the researchers intend to use a mobile application. Describe the instruments.
These instruments are further described in the succeeding
paragraphs.
0 Why did you choose these
2 instruments?
Social Media Use Questionnaire. The purpose of this
What are the major parts of
questionnaire is to assess the respondents’ level of social media
use in terms of three factors: form of social media use,
0 your instruments including
frequency of use, and mode of use. It was developed and tested 3 the major variables and sub-
for validity and reliability by Cruz (2012) for his research on the variables to be measured?
impact of social media usage on the academic performance of
Grade 10 students in the Philippines. Aside from being recent,
0
What rating scale will you use?
the researchers have decided to use the instruments because it 4
has been constructed with the context of Filipino students in
mind.
 The Instrument
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Writing this section

A cover letter addressed to the researchers is attached to

What instruments will you
the questionnaire explaining the research, its rationale and 0 use to gather data to answer
purpose, and the general instructions on how to fill out the
form. The questionnaire is composed of four parts. Part 1 your research questions?
one seeks to gather data regarding the demographic profile Describe the instruments.
of the respondents which includes their sex, age, and SHS
strand. Part two of the questionnaire lists down all
0 Why did you choose these
available forms of social media and instructs the 2 instruments?
respondent to check those which they use, as many as
What are the major parts of
applies. Part three seeks to determine how frequent the
respondents use social media by asking them to rate their 0 your instruments including
level of frequency to 10 statements. Possible responses are 3 the major variables and sub-
limited to a five-point Likert scale: (5) Always, (4) Often; (3) variables to be measured?
Sometimes; (2) Seldom; (1) Never.
0
What rating scale will you use?
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 The Intervention
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What treatment?

How many groups are there? Describe

1 the group(s). If there are two, state the
similarities and differences.
Clearly and completely
describe how the 2 What will happen to each group in the
experiment that you intend to do?
intervention will be Discuss the procedure step-by-step.
implemented, such that the
reader can replicate the 3 Explain what each participant will do
in each step. Also, describe how long
intervention. each of these steps will take.
Describe what happens in
comparison group.
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Research Intervention
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 Data Collection Procedure
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Let others know step-by-step

The process for gathering the needed data in the study is

Describe whose permission described in the following steps.
will be sought and what
1
1. The researcher shall seek the permission of the
authors of the instruments that will be adapted in
arrangements need to be this study.
made to administer 2. The researchers will secure permission of the
instruments.
After all permissions have university to obtain a list of SHS students from which
the samples will be selected. Also, a permission to
been granted, discuss how conduct data collection will be sought from the
2 the samples will be
contacted and explain the
concerned officials of the school.
3. The questionnaires shall be distributed to the
process of administering the selected samples during one of their classes with a
permission from the facilitating professor and the
questionnaires.
note of approval of the university.
4. Questionnaires shall be retrieved the same day as
3 State how the
questionnaires will be
they were given to ensure a higher return percentage
of questionnaires.
retrieved.
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 Plan for Data Analysis
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Putting Puzzle Pieces Together

This section indicates how the data
will be analyzed and reported; it To answer the questions presented under the Statement of
should specify the qualitative and/or the Problem, the following statistical tools will be employed:
quantitative methods that will be used 1. Percentages will be used to present and analyze data
in analyzing the data gathered for the regarding the demographic profile of the respondents.
2. Weighted mean will be computed to represent the
Describeresearch.
analysis to be done
1
responses of each respondent to the questionnaire and
for each research question, their attention span score while standard deviation will be
following sequence in used to determine the degree of variability in these values.
Statement of Problem. This mean shall be interpreted as follows:
2
State if tests of hypotheses will 3. The Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient will
be done and for what purpose. be used to determine the degree of relationship between
social media use and attention span. The correlation

3 Add scoring system for coefficient will be interpreted as follows (Dela Cruz, 2005)
instruments.

4 Avoid giving formulas or

standard procedures for
statistical tools.
 Plan for Data Analysis
36

Putting Puzzle Pieces Together

This section indicates how the data
will be analyzed and reported; it
should specify the qualitative and/or
quantitative methods that will be used
in analyzing the data gathered for the
Describeresearch.
analysis to be done
1 for each research question,
following sequence in
Statement of Problem.
2
State if tests of hypotheses will
be done and for what purpose.

3 Add scoring system for

instruments.

4 Avoid giving formulas or

standard procedures for
statistical tools.
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