Research Method RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

23

CHAPTER III RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents detailed information about the methodology in accomplishing the research. The methodology is meant to answer the research problem. The problem was to find out the morphological processes of the affixed verbs in The Jakarta Post editorials. The discussion in this chapter is presented in five parts, namely research method, research object, instrument and data gathering technique, data analysis technique, and research procedure.

A. Research Method

This research is categorised as qualitative research. Borg and Galls 2007 defines qualitative research as “a research which presents facts in a narration with words.” One of the characteristics of qualitative research is the use of descriptive data. Ary, Jacobs, and Razavieh 2002 state that managing the large volume of descriptive data generated from interviews, observations, and the collection of documents is an important consideration in qualitative research. Using the editorials of The Jakarta Post in September 2011, this research analysed the morphological processes found within the formation of the affixed verbs. The researcher used content analysis in analysing the data found in this research. According to Neuman 2000, content analysis is “a technique for gathering and analysing the content of text ”. He later adds that the term content refers to “words, meanings, pictures, symbols, ideas, themes or any message that 24 can be communicated. ” Meanwhile, the text is “anything written, visual, or spoken that serves as a medium for communication ” p.292. It is further defined as nonreactive since “the process of placing words, messages, or symbols in a text to communicate to a reader or receiver occurs without influence from the researcher who analyses its content ” p.293. The study conducted by the researcher was applied based on the definitions above. The content in this research were words which were specified into verbs and the text were the editorials of The Jakarta Post. This research is also nonreactive since the researcher did not make any intervention to the object of the study. The researcher analysed the verbs which already existed before the researcher conducted the study. From the already existing data, the verbs were analysed through relevant theories, in this case theories of affixation and morphological processes.

B. Research Objects