Counting the Questions which Employed Six Levels of Thinking Skills

35 1959 argue , “Triangulation is a powerful way of demonstrating concurrent validity, particularly in qualitative research” as cited in Cohen, Manion, and Morrison, 2011, p. 195. Moreover, this research applied three types of triangulation in order to measure the reliability and validity of the collected data. First is time triangulation. Cohen, Manion, and Morrison 2011, p. 196 state , “This type attempts to take into consideration the factors of change and process by utilizing cross- sectional and longitudinal designs.” Therefore, the process which allowed the researcher to make revisions ensured the researcher’s ways of thinking so that it made the collected data valid. Second is theoretical triangulation. Cohen, Manion, and Morrison 2011, p. 196 state, “This type draws upon alternative or competing theories in preference to utilizing one viewpoint only.” The researcher used theories about testing by Brown 2004 and about levels of thinking skill by Anderson and Krathwohl 2001 to shape her point of view. That was why these theories made the consistency and correctness of the data collecting process. Last is investigator triangulation. Silverman 1993 states that researchers can measure the research reliability and validity by engaging more than one observer as cited in Cohen, Manion, and Morrison, 2011, p. 196. Therefore, the researcher engaged experts’ judgments to measure the reliability and validity of the collected data. Those experts were the research supervisor and the examiners who examined this research on the thesis defense. 36

7. Analyzing the Data

The researcher used counting technique in analyzing the data. It was supported by Fraenkel and Wallen 2006, p. 490 that counting is a characteristic of some content analysis methods. Moreover, the researcher counted the frequency of several aspects which would support the topic she investigated. The researcher counted the frequency in the form of a percentage as well.

8. Reporting the Research Results

Since this research constituted a qualitative research, the researcher reported the research results in terms of descriptions. It was supported by Merriam 2009 that qualitative research focuses on the meaning so it would be dealing with interpretation. Additionally, the researcher used numbers in reporting the data since this research used a content analysis method. As Fraenkel and Wallen 2006, p. 490 state, the end product of the coding process must be numbers. Thus, the researcher used both description and numbers in reporting the research results.