Research Methods RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

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CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

In this chapter, the researcher explains every part of the methodology including what research method was used, how the research was conducted, what research instruments were applied in the research,how many research participants were taken for the research, what appropriate sampling was used, where the research took place, how the experiment was implemented, how the data were gathered during the research, and how the data were analyzed.

A. Research Methods

This research employed mixed method as both quantitative and qualitative research designs were used. Creswell 2003 states that mixed research designs comprise collecting and analyzing two types of data qualitative and quantitative in a single study. A mixed method is one in which the researcher tends to base knowledge claims on pragmatic grounds e.g., consequence- oriented, problem- centered, and pluralistic. It employs strategies of inquiry that involve collecting data either simultaneously or sequentially to best understand research problems. The data collection also involves gathering both numeric information e.g., on instruments as well as text information e.g., on interviews so that the final database represents both quantitative and qualitative information. Creswell, 2003: 18 Similarly, Sieber 1973 as cited in Crewell 2003 explains that a mixed research design is a combination of field methods such as observations and interviews qualitative data and traditional surveys quantitative data. Based on Sieber and Crewell’s definition, this research involved numerical data numeric information obtained from surveys questionnaires, and text information from interviews. In addition, the numerical data quantitative data 47 were also gathered from the students’ speaking pre-test and post-test as the main data resulted from the experiment done by the researcher. An experiment is an inquiry strategy belonging to a quantitative research design. As cited in Creswell 2003: 13, “strategies for inquiry in quantitative research include the true experiments and the less rigorous experiments called quasi-experiments and correlationalstudies Campbell Stanley, 1963, and specific single-subject experiments Cooper, Heron, Heward, 1987; Neuman McCorrnick, 1995. In this study, the quantitative data, such as the students’ speaking pre-test and post-test scores and questionnaires, became the primary data. They signified the effectiveness of the use of video-recordings to facilitate students speaking accuracy and fluency and showed what aspects of video recordings contribute to its effectiveness. The qualitative data, collected through open-ended interviews, were considered as secondary data of this research. The text information functioned to support and verify the main data. For the quantitative research method of this study, the researcher carried out an experiment and a survey to answer whether the use of video-recordings could facilitate the students’ speaking accuracy and fluency and to present what aspects of video-recordings contributed to the improvement of students’ speaking accuracy and fluency. First, this study implemented an experimental research. Experimental research is a research in which the researcher manipulates one of the variables and tries to determine how the manipulation influences other variables Bluman, 2012. Ary 2002: 24 mentions that “to have a “true” experiment, the subjects must be randomly assigned to the experimental treatments. However, if the experimenter cannot randomly assign subjects to experimental treatments, 48 resulting in using already-assembled groups such as classes, the research is called quasi-experimental.” In this study, the researcher could not randomly assign subjects to experimental treatments. Instead, the researcher used classes which were already set by an administrator. Therefore, this study was called quasi- experimental. Experimental research is associated with treatment, independent variable, and dependent variable. Treatment equals to the manipulation done by the researcher to a certain group called experimental group EG, while the other group is called control group CG which does not receive any treatments. These groups are equated as nearly as possible. Later, observations are needed to see the possible differences or changes in the experimental group as contrasted with the control group. Other elements that should exist in an experimental research are independent and dependent variables. Simply defined by Ary 2002 that independent variable is the one manipulated, whereas the dependent variable is the one that is observed and measured. Best 1977 remarks that in educational research, the independent variables can be specific teaching methods, teaching materials, or a period of exposure to a certain condition, while dependent variables can be test scores, the numbers of errors, or measured speed in performing task. In line with Best’s examples of independent and dependent variables, the researcher determined the use of video-recording in teaching speaking as the independent variable for during the experiment, the students were exposed to a certain condition with a particular teaching method, namely the use of video-recordings. The researcher determined speaking accuracy and fluency as 49 the observed and measured variables called the dependent variables. The speaking accuracy and fluency were indicated by the students’ speaking tests. The second quantitative research method in this study was doing surveys whose purpose was to discover what aspect of video recordings contributed to the improvement of the students’ speaking accuracy and fluency. Best 1970 as cited in Cohen 2007 mentions that since surveys are descriptive, they may describe points of views, attitudes, and effects that are being felt. In line with Best, Weisberg et al. 1996 as cited in Cohen 2007: 207 add that “surveys are useful for gathering factual information, data on attitudes and preferences, beliefs and predictions, behavior and experiences – both past and present. In this study, the researcher would like to gather information from the students, particularly their opinion and past experience in using video-recording in learning speaking, to figure out some aspects of video-recordings that contributed to the improvement of the students’ speaking accuracy and fluency. The researcher did the survey by means of questionnaires. Cohen 2007 mentions that surveys in education often use test results, self-completion questionnaires and attitude scales.

B. Data Gathering Techniques