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CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHOD
A. Research Design
This study is a qualitative research. Strauss and Cobin in Snape and Spencer, 2003: 3 argue that qualitative research produces non statistical findings.
Vanderstoep and Johnston 2005:7 also state that “qualitative research produces narrative or textual descriptions
of phenomena under study.” The aim of qualitative research is to provide an in-depth and interpreted
understanding of the experiences, perspectives, and histories of the research participants Snape and Spencer, 2003: 3. The same argument is also stated by
Vanderstoep and Johnston 2009: 167 that “the goal is to understand, in depth, the viewpoint of a research participant.” Vanderstoep and Johnston explain further
that this kind of research cannot be generalized since different participants will result in different interpretations. Based on this realization, the data of this
research should be performed in more descriptive way rather than predictive one. The technique of qualitative research used in this study was textual analysis.
According to Vanderstoep and Johnston 2009: 211, the textual analysis focuses on meaning of the text that
is analyzed from the perspective of the speaker’s intent, the audience’s reaction, and the historical or cultural context. This
technique can be applied to any kinds of texts that carry symbolic meaning.
B. Data and Data Sources
Given 2008: 185 states that data is “a collection of information.” The collected of information which is meant by Given can be in the form of numbers,
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words, pictures, videos, audios or concepts. She explains further that the data in the qualitative research are nonnumeric. Therefore, the data that was analyzed in
this research are in the form of words, phrases, and sentences. The main sources of this research were John Donne’s two love poems. They
were “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” and “The Sun Rising.” “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” was a metaphysical poem that was composed
in thirty- six lines and “The Sun Rising”, also a metaphysical poem, was composed
in thirty lines. These poems were chosen because they represented the speakers’
deep love through the employment of figurative language. To analyze the poems, the researcher used
objective theory on M.H. Abrams’ Orientation of Critical Theory in his book entitled The Mirror and the Lamp
1971. His other book, A Glossary of Literary Terms 1999, Tyson’s Critical
Theory Today: A User-Friendly Guide 2006 , Altenbernd and Lewis’ A
Handbook for the Study of Poetry 1966 also supported the understanding of the theory.
C. Research Instrument