human and the social world and interprets her findings. Snape in Ritchie 2003:7 also stated that the researcher should put the focus on the importance between the
interpretations and finding from the case that is examined. In conducting a qualitative research, qualitative methods are employed as the
bridge to reach the understanding of the phenomena being studied. These methods deal with methodological discussions that can acquire two objectives of this research,
which are 1 t o examine the kinds of children’s independence when they find
problems and the ways out and 2 to descri be adults’ roles in giving responds toward
children’s problems. According to Snape in Ritchie 2003:3, there are five key aspects in a qualitative research including:
The overall research perspective and the importance of the participants frames of reference; the flexible nature of research design; the volume and
richness of qualitative data; the distinctive approaches to analysis and interpretation; and the kind of outputs that derive from qualitative research.
These aspects are important to apply in a qualitative research. These points help the researcher conduct the research using qualitative methods. There are
procedures and techniques that were used by the researcher to complete the methods in this study. Each of the procedure and technique are discussed in sub-points below.
B. The Data Sources
There are two kinds of sources in this research, which are the primary and secondary source. The primary sources used in the research are three Enid Blyton’s
novels entitled The Six Bad Boys, The Naughtiest Girl Again, and Naughty Amelia
Jane. These novels provide main data used by the researcher. The main data might be in the forms of actions and expressions shown by the characters being studied. The
data shows evidences that support the objectives of the research. The secondary sources appear in the forms of theoretical support. The main
theories used in the research were taken from Perry Nodelman’s book entitled The Hidden Adult: Defining Children’s Literature published by The John Hopkins
University Press in 2 008 and Laura E. Berk’s Child Development published by
Pearson in 2013. There were also used supporting readings taken from journals, essays, and articles. The sources can be in the forms of printed and electronic ones.
C. The Research Instrument
This study involves the researcher in the entire processes. There are some roles of the researcher in here, such as the designer of the research topic, the collector
of the research data, the analyst of the collected data, the data interpreter, and the reporter of the findings from the study. Thus, the researcher becomes the main
instrument of this study. Her interpretation, as the weapon in a qualitative research, is required to create understanding upon the collected data and analyze them. According
to Robert K. Yin 2011:131, a qualitative researcher has a chance to use additional mechanical instruments. However, he also stated that in general qualitative research
does not include any mechanical or fixed instruments because the researcher herselfhimself is still the main instrument.
D. The Technique of Data Collection
In order to collect complete data that are needed for this study, the researcher took some steps as follows:
1. A close reading activity was conducted from three novels used in this
study. Rereading the novels is needed so the researcher can perform a more comprehensive reading activity. It aims to get better understanding
upon the content of the novels in accordance with the research focus. 2.
Composing simple notes was done based on the research topic after marking lines or pages that are necessary to use. These notes were in the
forms of actions and speech taken from the novels. 3.
The data were identified and selected based on the research questions. They were grouped noted in transcripts.
The data of the research were categorized into three thematic discussions in accordance with the kinds of children’s independence, adults’ roles, and children’s
independence reflected in characterization. They were collected from Enid Blyton’s The Six Bad Boys, The Naughtiest Girl Again, and Naughty Amelia Jane. These data
were interpreted and grouped in data sheets or tables. The sheets were used as the data record found from the novels after the researcher read them. These data sheets
provide some features, such as Number, Category, Sub-category, Novel Title, Page, Quotation, and Explanation. The forms of the data sheets are shown below.
Table 1:
The Kinds of Children’s Independence
No. Category
Sub- category
Novel Title
Page Quotation
Explanation
Table 2: Adults ’ Roles
No. Category
Sub- category
Novel Title
Page Quotation
Explanation
Table 3:
Children’s Independence Reflected in Characterization
No. Category
Novel Title
Page Quotation
Explanation
E. The Data Analysis
