Research Design and Methodology

Introduction

This chapter will explain in brief, of the design of this research and the method to be carried
out to answer the research question as stated in chapter 1 of this study. On this chapter also will
explain why the researcher chooses this method in details and precisely during conducting the
research. This chapter will outline the population and sample also the instrumentation of it, the
data collection and data analysis and the procedures to be followed later in the next chapter.
Research Methodology

Methodology is a method or a process employed by a researcher to achieve the objectives of the

research project. An efficient methodology will lead to a satisfactory result and also enhance the
quality of the project. The methods section of a quantitative study should describe each objective
that will achieved by the researcher. In this provide enough detail to enable that the reader can
make an informed assessment of the method being used to obtain results associated with the
research problem.

Study population and sampling - where did the data come from example (the data about
level of awareness among the secondary school students towards seafaring career, how
many students are participated in answering the questionnaire).

Data collection describe the tools and methods used to collect information and identify
the variables being measured. It also describe the methods used to obtain the data.
Example (where the researcher get the data about this research)

Data analysis The researcher will describe the procedures for processing and analyzing
the data. If appropriate, describe the specific instruments of analysis used to study each
research objective.

Research Design
Descriptive research seeks to describe the current status of an identified variable or
phenomenon.When you think of quantitative methods, you will probably have specific things in
mind. You will probably be thinking of statistics, numbers, and many of you may be feeling
somewhat apprehensive because you think quantitative methods are difficult. Apart from the last
one, all these thoughts capture some of the essence of quantitative methods. The following
definition, taken from Aliaga and Gunderson (2000), describes what we mean by quantitative
research methods very well: Quantitative research is Explaining phenomena by collecting
numerical
data that are analyzed using mathematically based methods (in particular statistics).
The researcher does not usually begin with an hypothesis, but is likely to develop one after
collecting data. Analysis and synthesis of the data provide the test of the hypothesis. Systematic
collection of information requires careful selection of the units studied and measurement of each
variable in order to demonstrate validity.
Examples of quantitative research:

A description of the tobacco use habits of teenagers

A description of how parents feel about the twelve-month school year

A description of the attitudes of scientists regarding global warming

The method of research for this study is using the descriptive research because the
researcher using a large population whereby the number of form 5 students as the respondents.
The main characteristic researcher using a descriptive research:

The data is usually gathered using structured research instruments.

The results are based on larger sample sizes that are representative of the population.

The research study can usually be replicated or repeated, given its high reliability.

Researcher has a clearly defined research question to which objective answers are sought.

All aspects of the study are carefully designed before data is collected.

Data are in the form of numbers and statistics.

Project can be used to generalize concepts more widely, predict future results, or
investigate causal relationships.

Researcher uses tools, such as questionnaires or computer software, to collect numerical

data.

The researcher founds that the easier way to collect the data by using this method they can
distributes the questionnaire and collecting the data after it. This method is used to show the fact
of the situation. It discovers the criteria that affect the subjects, especially secondary school
students, in choosing their career. The outcome of this study will become the actual results. In the
hope that the objective in this research can be gained by the researcher.

Population and sample

A Population can be defined as a group of individuals that have the same characteristic in
doing the research. While for a sampling it can be defined as a subgroup of the target population
that the researcher plans to study for the purpose of making generalization about the target
population.
Example from the Wikipedia:
Parahoo (1997:218) defines population as the total number of units from which data can
be collected, such as individuals, artifacts, events or organisations. Burns and Grove
(2003:213) describe population as all the elements that meet the criteria for inclusion in a
study.
Burns and Grove (2003: 234) define eligibility criteria as a list of characteristics that are
required for the membership in the target population.
Sampling Procedures can be divided into two which is probability and non-probability sampling.
Probability sampling is the selection of individuals from the population so that they are
representative of the population.
Non-probability sampling is the selection of participants because they are available,
convenient, or represent some characteristic the investigator wants to study.
In this case the researcher using probability sampling which each and every member in the
population has an equal and same chance being selected means that the researcher will going to
that particular secondary school in Melaka that had already choosen and started to distribute the
questionnaire. By doing this all participants which is among the form 5 students will answering

the same questionnaire doesnt matter they are boys or girls.The difference between the sample
estimate and true population is the sampling error. Researcher decided to choose the teenagers
among secondary school students for the sample. The reason that this research chooses them is,
as they are our future leaders and also they are the nearest generation that are still free from any
career field restriction. After a brief discussion, researcher decided to choose students from the
respectful secondary school in Melaka as the subject in this research. So , their criteria in
choosing career will answer to the research question. The researcher chooses sample from a
multiracial school which they can conduct a survey and gets the findings from almost all races in
Malaysia which will represent an overview of the Malaysia teenagers. In the term of gender, this
survey is conducted to boys and girls.

Instrumentation
The researcher chooses to use a questionnaire as the instrument for data collection. The
questionnaire will consists of three sections (section A, section B, section C) that focusing on the
main component such as the respondent basic information, the awareness towards seafaring
career, and best methods to introduce seafaring career to the secondary school students.
There are 8 principles that the researcher used as a guidelines:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Ask question in a format that is appropriate to the question purpose and info required.
Make sure questions are relevant, proper and qualities
Clear and consisted aimed at the respondent language level.
Give chance to answer by providing a comprehensive list of relevant, mutually exclusive
response from which to choose.
Ask non based question by using right format and item construction and by presenting all
the important factors in proper sequence.
Get non- based answer by anticipating and accounting for various respondent tendency.
Quantify the response measure where possible.
Provide logical line of inquiry.

Types of questions
Questions can be constructed in several ways such as:

Completion or fill in
Checklist
Scaled items
Ranking
Likert-type item

Section A will focus on the respondents basic information. There are 5 questions in this
section and the respondents are required to choose or select the answer in order to determine
their basic information. This section will give us the respondent personal basic information such
as age, sex, race , stream and also the sources that frequently used to gain information.
Section B will focus on the awareness towards seafaring career . There are 13 questions in
this section that require the respondent to answer based on their level of awareness. The
respondent need to choose either YES or NO to answer the questions. In addition , the
researcher will use the data based on this section to reach the objective of the study in order to
know the level of awareness among the secondary school students towards the seafaring career
and also to reach the second objective that is to know from where and what are the sources they
gain the information about the seafaring career if the students have some knowledge about this
career.
The last section in the questionnaire is section C. This section will focus on the best method
in introducing seafaring career to Malaysian youngest especially secondary school students.
There are 6 questions in this section and the first until last questions, respondent are required to
answer based on their level of agreement according to 1 as strongly disagree up until 5 as
strongly agree. In addition, the data gathered on this section will help the researcher to reach
the objective of this study in order to increase the level of awareness by identifying which source
is best to enhance the level of awareness among the students.

Data Collection
Appropriate methods of collecting data are important to ensure that the relevant information
or data is obtained for the research. In this research, there are two main method uses for
collecting data which is:
1. Primary data collection method.
2. Secondary data collection method.

Primary Data Collection Method

Questionnaire survey

Although there are several method of collecting data such as scorecard, obssrevation and focus
group but for the purpose of this study the questionnaire is used to provide the primary data.
There are several advantages of the questionnaire method are:

100% sample of the respondent can be obtained

It is less costly in terms of expenditure.
Excellent means of validating data.

Conduct questionnaire survey to obtain primary data is categorizing as quantitative method. Raw
data collected from questionnaire survey that can that can be used for statistical analysis. A set of
questionnaire to be prepared and distribute to our respondents . The respondents are categorizing
as the Form 5 students in the school of Melaka area that we are chosen basically located nearby
our institution which is Malaysia Maritime academy . The questionnaire will be handed by
hand and the respondent will answer accordingly as stated in the paper. It will conducted during
class hour of secondary school students and the researcher will be present during that period if
there is any inquiry by the respondent. After finishing the distribution of questionnaire, the data
will be collecting back and futher step will be follow in the next chapter.

Secondary Data Collection

Resource Centres
Method of collecting secondary data will early out by doing research at related resource center
such as library at ALAM. Library is said to be the best place when collecting data and
information. Here most of the data or information are based on text based material such as
journal, maritime transportation magazine, newspaper cutting and thesis. All of these data and
information are very crucial for supporting the research.
Internet service
Apart from the library research , the researcher also conducts some researchers on the internet
website. The advantage of using the internet for finding information are because it will be
provided with the latest information.

Data Analysis
This is the process that will be used for recording, storing and reducing the data, assessing data
quality and the utilization of the statistical analysis in analyzing the data. Since the
instrumentation used in this research is questionnaire method, the data analysis that will be
carried out by specifying the frequency the distribution and the percentage of data from each

section questionnaire .the reason on why frequency is used is because that the frequency will
provide much clearer picture on the perception of the secondary students towards this seafaring
career. The frequency and the percentage overall will be tabulated and a chart or a graph will
represent the data flow in each section.