YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

New media has transformed the way we interact in the global community nowadays.
According Wisegeek, 2011 new media technology is a type of application meant to transfer
information via digital techniques, computerized systems or data networks. Most the forms of
this technology are interactive and contain compressed data designed to be accessed in a variety
of markets. The most effective examples of new media technologies include Internet-based
concepts like websites or digital mediums such as CD-ROMs and DVDs.
Social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube connect people and ideas
instantaneously across big distances is one of the example of this new media. Cell phone
cameras, video hosting sites, and blogs allow people on the front lines of conflict to share the
realities of their struggle with the outside world. New media has put a greatest impact on
community which is through the television, radio, internet, newspapers, magazines, and books.
The internet has become much more important than the television because it offers a range of
facts on different areas of interest (Norris, 2000). It has been one of the important means to reach
out to the masses and influence their thinking and decision making, only to the positive media
cannot attract attention of the masses, and to gain viewer ship, negative media has to be
incorporated to balance out and attract the masses, but a line has to be drawn between the
positive and the negative media in the interest of the community (Lovett,2010).
Several studies have been done regarding social networking and grades. Whittemore
School of Business and Economics recently conducted a survey of over 1,000 students. They
asked questions regarding which social network sites were used, how much time they spent on a
site, what their grade point average (GPA) was, and what they were going to school for. It was
concluded that there is no correlation between how much time is spent on a social networking
site and grades. (Martin, 2009)

YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

One of the sites that attract community in terms of social media sites is YouTube.
YouTube is a video sharing site but it is also considered as a social networking site because it is
well known as the most popular video-sharing site. Visitors can search and find any virtual media
or any type of video on this comprehensive video library site (Rudolph,2009). Its content is
entirely user-generated, so it's important to be attentive to each video's source. Parents will want
to monitor their kids because any inappropriate content can be searched. Videos here run from
commercial to educational to music videos to homemade clips, but for those seeking educational
or instructional content, there's plenty to peruse and some helpful information to use. We can also
easily access YouTube videos through Google search, YouTube video search, or the
recommendation sections of the YouTube homepage. It has become an essential component of
the Internet and even peoples daily life (Arrington, M,2009). With the emerging of social
networks and smart mobile devices, the popularity and impact of YouTube will be boosted
signicantly. Thanks to the embedded links, YouTube video can be found almost everywhere,
such as Facebook, blog, and other major websites (Cheng,2010).

YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

Social media, like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook has changed the way people interact
with each other during past decades. Because people is human, their interactions online always
show social activities, forming different groups according to their preferences, hobbies,
education levels. Over the last two decades technology has grown at a tremendously fast rate and
continues to progress rapidly. Today's children are presented with technology at a young age.
They essentially do not know a world that is not electronically connected or without digital
gadgets..
While technology has offered many benefits to society, it is hard to deny that there have
been some negative consequences as well. Teenagers have been affected by the technologies as it
is likely hard for them to through a day without having cell phones, iPods, iPads, cable TV,
Internet, video game consoles or any other 'on-demand' technology. For example, they have no
limitation to access any kind of information from the internet. Therefore, the result of internet
abusive often reflects the teenagers nowadays. It is important for parents to monitor their
children in terms.
According to Dr. Larry Rosen ( 2011), daily overuse of media and technology has a
negative effect on the health of all children, preteens and teenagers by making them more prone
to anxiety, depression, and other psychological disorders, as well as by making them more
susceptible to future health problems of accessing the internet especially YouTube.
YouTube offers information or knowledge with an image that gives a movement to
understand or so called video. An example of a certain information are easily understand with
any kind of movement or action rather than letting the imagination replace the understanding
situation in terms of receiving the information. The young mind is easy to be influence and
shaped due to their exposure and external factors.

YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTION

RQ 1 What are the factor that attract students to use YouTube as an alternative learning
method?
RQ 2 What are the type of content in the video that most prefer to use by students as an
alternative learning method?
RQ 3 What are the impact of YouTube as an alternative learning method towards student
understanding?

1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

RO 1 To determine what are the factor that attract students to use YouTube as an alternative
learning method
RO 2 To identify the type of content in the video that most preferred to use by students as an
alternative learning method
RO 3 To find out what are the impact of YouTube as an alternative learning method towards
student understanding

YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

RATIONALE AND SCOPE OF STUDY

The rationale of this study is to make readers and society realizes that Youtube is now are
the medium that can easy to access by the society. This study is about the effectiveness of using
Youtube as an alternative learning method. We must seen that knowledge is not only important to
the student, but also to every each people in society that tend to get information that can lead
them to become more educated. They are many viewer that watch Youtube channel to get an
information, they attract more to put they eyes on the video their watch because of the content
that can give advantages to themselves.
In terms of education nowadays, in university or school for example are using video from
Youtube in teaching or lectured so it can be easy to understanding by the students. Its a real life
education to brainstorm the idea and shared opinion with each other. People will become more
creative in learning, because everything that seen as something that can give knowledge is an
education. When we are learn, we are being in a process of learning and educated.
People and technology of new media (Youtube) need to collaborate with each other,
(visual and people ) to get better idea and solution in learning. For example, we can discuss
about global issue in class and develop the idea to increase the success of student in the future.
Perhaps it will become a topic that asking in their examination
The target audience for this research are students of UiTM Shah Alam who are using the
YouTube as an alternative learning method. So this research will determine how the student
response to the YouTube and accept this new media especially YouTube as an alternative
learning method towards student understanding.

YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Policy
The study may contribute to the body of knowledge in several ways. Firstly, it can be
used as one of the very limited numbers of study that focused on the new media communication.
This study will help The Ministry of Education Malaysia (MOE), that establish on 1956 will gain
benefit in increasing student that has creative idea to develop malaysian education. (MOE) also
can enhance the subject of communication as a important subject that must be taken for studies.
For example, information technology. While Ministry of Higher Education (MOHE) on 2004
will gain benefit to turn Malaysia into a center of excellence for higher education too.
Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC), will also gain information with this research to help
them in promoting new media as virtual technology that sharing information online as a routine
part of their professional and personal lives. (MSC) can develop more high technology tool that
spread Youtube as one of medium education.
YouTube's Asia Pacific, also gain benefit from this research as it can become a platform
to provide the content that fill in the video for the society. Youtube is one of the most important
alternative medium for disseminating information in a video. Basically they can get an income
by put an advertisement in their video. For example, Youtube Malaysia now launching in The
Zebra Square, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on March 2012.

YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

Practice

This study will also helps in gaining knowledge especially public such as university and
school students who always watching Youtube to get an information of what their needs. Besides
that, there is much information which can be a benefit to people in many ways. They can learn
many educational channel in Youtube for example, Oh My English Tv, AstroTVIQ, National
Geographic Channel etc.
Academician such as teacher and lecturer can gain new information from this report since
this topic can be use as a medium to put Youtube as a learning method in their silibus while
teaching in class. Therefore they also can upload video that they record through Youtube so it
will become more easier for student to learn what they talking about. As they can see that tool
( people ) and technology need to collaborate with each other.
YouTube Partner Program user can mostly benefit this research. They can implement the
information from this report finding in their video making such as editing and content which
related to the video blogging activities. This way, they can be more creative in video blogging to
attract the society to learning.
Malaysian users can uses this finding for better understanding on the current issues
involving Youtube in terms of education activities that has become a trend in the recent years. . It
can make us more positive thinking of the technology that has been given to ease our life in
education. The society will get better in improve their skills, build larger audiences, and earn
more money. Its a effectiveness global community that includes ranging member easy and quick.

YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

CHAPTER 2
LITERATURE REVIEW

Introduction
The use of the Internet to access learning materials; to interact with the content,
instructor, and other learners; and to obtain support during the learning process, in order to
acquire knowledge, to construct personal meaning, and to grow from the learning experience.
(Ally, 2004)
One of the fastest growing uses of technology is for online education. Student
enrollment in online university degree programs has increased in recent years, but more
interesting is the increase in kindergarten to grade 12 (K-12) students who are foregoing recess
and pep rallies to study in virtual classrooms. K-12 is the largest provider of accredited online
learning for grades K-12. It offers tuition-free and private supplemental learning, blended online
and offline programs, and full-time online programs in the United States and internationally. K12
allows students to learn at their own level and has a strong social community with regularly
sponsored events. (www.readwritered.com, 2009)
A key finding of the report is that students doing partial or all course work online
rank, on average, in the 59th percentile, meaning better than 59% of all those who were scored,
whereas students in traditional classrooms ranked in the 50th percentile. No doubt, we will see
online schools for K-12 pop up everywhere. (www.readwritered.com, 2009)

YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

Meanwhile, a systematic search of the research literature from 1996 through July 2008
identified more than a thousand empirical studies of online learning. Analysts screened the
studies to find those that, contrasted an online to a face-to-face condition, measured studentlearning outcomes, used a rigorous research design, and provided adequate information to
calculate an effect size. As a result of this screening, 51 independent effects were identified that
could be subjected to meta-analysis. The meta-analysis found that, in average, students in
online learning conditions performed better than those receiving face-to-face instruction.
(Garvey, 2009)

The incredible number of published web articles, institutional investments in elearning and uptake of Web-based education tools in both corporate and education sectors in the
past decade testifies that e-Learning practice has achieved an enormous momentum and will
make a tremendous impact positive or negative on future education. As highlighted by analyst
universities and other post-secondary institutions are far from being characterized by the
idealistic notion of operating outside the daily financial grind of revenues, expenses and
budgets. With this in mind, many educators have turned to online e-Learning in hopes of
incorporating a more cost-effective means of education. (Kara, 2005)

YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

2.2 YOUTUBE BECOMES LEARNING TOOLS

The effectiveness of youtube because known as a teaching metaphors and economics

strategies in education. Basically , Youtuber using the simple and interesting words when their
talk in video. The words have a same meaning but the way they communicate with the other are
attractively like a abstract out of box thinking. Youtube learning is economical because we dont
need to waste many cost to buy education material. All you need to do is an option by making
videos and upload it. If Youtube become a purpose of studies, one day it will definately give a
potential in education system. (Rachel Thomas, 2011)

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YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

2.3 YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING TOOL

YouTube are being use for studies requirement since it has content that help to building
self-confidence. The advantages of YouTube that can connect to the real world, not just a fish-ina-bowl experience but also for the students to learn what is inside their class and applying it to
the outside world. People not only necessary need to read a print media such as book, magazine,
newspaper to guide them in studies. They also can share idea and opinion in real technology, a
two communication. People will become open-minded and think out of box to manage their
education. Therefore, people will get feedback easily and it will begin the learning time by
asking with each other. It is an easy access media tool that using by students regularly. (Ewana
Yusop, 2009)

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YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

2.4 A COMMENT OF LEARNING : MEDIA LITERACY PRACTISES IN YOUTUBE

Youtube is literacy practices in significant ways in changing the way of learning

education terms. Its a information technology that can interept from a video into a text content. It
is focuses on more information seeking. ( Chung & Neumann, 2007)
Young generation make decision about the information ( how they select or reject
resources by their understanding of the video. They using video their watch with their own
intepretative to understanding. In addition, they is video definition of youtube has become a
literacy effectiveness education. Its not only become an information sources but more on the
way the using Youtube is the context of effectiveness. (Buckingham, 2006)

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YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

2.5 SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS AS A LEARNING RESOURCES

Our student has been labeled as Digital Natives by Mark Presky ( 2001), student spent
their entire lives by using computer. For example, Youtube are one of digital tool of new media.
People easily bond with this technology because they used it everyday in their daily life. Before
it is using as educational purpose, at main point its already become a recreational tool such as
communication, an online space of express feeling and entertainment. (Crook, 2008)
This phenomena has become a purpose of education, because nowadays student use this
new media wisely, and it will become literacy item in teaching. Everything that share as opinion,
idea and hobby will become a learning sources to the others as long as its useful (knowleagable ).
Youtube is the one of fast emerging social media tool that give an advantage of learning
activities, for school faculty and many more. Youtube it is a great resourc es for education
because it has many content but no cost. Indeed it effectiveness to cutting the cost in education.
As it is fast, the knowledge will spread easily to many people or viewer. They is a way that
people collect great educational
( Arrington, 2009).

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that being uploaded by college and universities student

YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

2.6 YOUTUBE AS A TEACHING TOOL

Youtube is now important learning tool that has become entire no. 1 webs video site. The
university nowadays make full

lectured available on YouTube, because they are many

knowledge video that related with the silibus of their studies. For example, the topics of study
found on YouTube included chemistry, physics, biology and even a lecture on search-engine
technology are most viewed content in Youtube. YouTube will become a public effectiveness
education sources into university life, academics, events and athletics, which will build on our
rich tradition and transform it for open educational content in the larger community. Its a free
learning with the brilliant skill of teaching. (Rick William, 2007 ).

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YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

2.7 NEW MEDIA

New media term has been use since the 1970s by researchers who are conducting
social, psychological, economic, political, and cultural studies of information and
communication technologies. (Lievrouw, 2002)
Interactive forms of communication that use the Internet, podcasts, RSS feeds, social
networks, text messaging, blogs, wikis, virtual worlds and more are called new media. New
media allowed us or anyone creates, modify and share any content with others with inexpensive
charges. New media tools allowed you to connect with people, to collaborate with people and
create new content and service. Communities and channels of communication help you deliver
information and services. (www.aids.gov.my, 2012)
Meanwhile, writers try to define new media with simple lists of technologies, such as,
CD-ROM, HTML, streaming media, DV editing, web applications and DVD-video. The problem
with this is that its specificity requires the definition to change constantly, as it would have in
1993, then again in 1995, 1998, 2000 and 2002. (www.iastate.edu.com, 2012)
Therefore, the concept for new media technology starts in 1960s. With a modern
computer technology, the idea of information has been exchange to become a powerful
application. Artist and designers bring new concept such as digital based artwork and video
games. These technologies became prevalent in 1980s, and it comes with a new media, which is
online publication. (www.wisegeek.com, 2012)

2.8 ONLINE LEARNING

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YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

The word, online learning is a form of flexible learning, sometimes referred to in UK

as open and distance learning or education. Flexible learning are continues to be, developed to
meet the changing needs of learners enabling them to have greater access to learning
opportunities. Classified distance education as having three generations, first come
correspondence teaching 1840, then in the 1970s came the second generation of broadcast and
multimedia followed in the mid eighties by computer mediated. (Nipper, 1989)
E-learning means electronic learning it refers to a wide range of applications and
processes designed to deliver instruction through electronic means. Usually this means over the
Web, however it also can include CD-ROM or video-conferencing through satellite transmission.
The definition of E-learning is broader than, but includes, online learning, web based training,
and computer-based training. (Cognitivedesignsolution.com, 2005)
Meanwhile, like any learning process, e-learning depends on effective communication
of human knowledge, whether this occurs in a face-to-face classroom or across the Internet.
Electronic technologies cannot guarantee effective communication than they can transform. The
effectiveness of e-learning also depends on establishing two-way communication between
teachers and learners, and among learners themselves. Unfortunately, when e-learning was first
popularized, it was widely promoted as a means of minimizing costs by delivering pre-packaged
content to large populations of learners by means of electronic networks or CD-ROMs.
(Mup.com.au, 2012)

On the other hand, the major sectors that use e-learning academic institutions,
government, the corporate sector and the community and general consumer sector approach it
with different types of end use in mind. The approach to e-learning in corporate contexts is very
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YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

different from that in formal educational institutions. Historically, learning in educational settings
has been organized around self contained subjects or course units. In contrast, many proponents
of e-learning in corporate settings envisage systems based on much smaller units of content,
known as learning objects. (Mup.com.au, 2012)

2.9 COMMUNICATION THEORY

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YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning

This theory examines about how people being attracted to learn using new media.
According to Cognitive Learning Multimedia Theory, our mind are more easily been absorb and
understand on moving object, colorful image, music that are not require us to think very hard.
The principle known as the multimedia principle states that people learn more
deeply from words and pictures than from words alone. However, simply adding words to
pictures is not an effective way to achieve multimedia learning. The goal is to instructional
media in the light of how human mind works. (Mayer, 1998)
We are using

two of the principle from

five principles for reducing extraneous

processing. First is patial contiguity principle which is people learn better when corresponding
words and picture are presented near rather than far from each other on the page or screen.
Seconds is people learn better when corresponding narration and animation are presented
simultaneously rather successively for example the words are spoken at the same time they are
illustrated in the animation. (Roxana Moreno, 2010)
Mayers cognitive theory of multimedia learning presents the idea that the brain does
not interpret a multimedia presentation of words, pictures, and auditory information in a
mutually exclusive fashion. These elements are selected and organized dynamically to produce
logical mental constructs. Furthermore, Mayer underscores the importance of learning based
upon the testing of content and demonstrating the successful transfer of knowledge when new
information are integrated with prior knowledge. Design principles including providing coherent
verbal, pictorial information, guiding the learners to select relevant words and images, and
reducing the load for a single processing channel can be entailed from this theory. (Mayer, 1998).

Regarding to our research we uses the same approach as this theory. Public are more
often using YouTube as their learning method in a part of their daily life, because of YouTube is

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YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

an online video learning that have a characteristic which are more easily been absorb by our
mind that are not require us to think very hard.
Everything that is done is just to let the information being received by the public. The
effectiveness of using YouTube as learning method can be an alternative for new media learning
content. Through that, people can uses this online access YouTube as their secondary resources,
to learn, cooking, health care, nursery rhymes.

3.0 RESEARCH FRAMEWORK

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YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

YOUTUBE AS AN
ALTERNATIVE
LEARNING METHOD
TOWARDS STUDENT
UNDERSTANDING

To determine what are the

factor that attract students
to use YouTube as an
alternative learning
method

To identify the type of

content in the video that
most preferred to use by
students as an alternative
learning method

CHAPTER 3
20

To find out what are the

impact of YouTube as an
alternative learning
method towards student
understanding

YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The study intends to investigate the effectiveness of using YouTube as an alternative
learning method. This chapter describes the techniques and methods that were used to
accomplish the aims of this research, which include the research design, research unit of
analysis, in-depth interview and data analysis.
3.1 RESEARCH DESIGN
3.1.1 Quantitative research
Quantitative research is described by the terms empiricism (Leach, 1990) and
positivism (Duffy, 1985). It derives from the scientific method used in the physical sciences.
This research approach is an objective, formal systematic process in which numerical data
findings. It describes, tests, and examines cause and effect relationships (Burns & Grove, 1987),
using a deductive process of knowledge attainment. The aim of qualitative research is to describe
certain aspects of a phenomenon, with a view to explaining the subject if study (Cormack, 1991).
According Duff,1985 quantitative research demands random selection of the sample from
the study population and the random assignment of the sample to the various study groups.. The
disadvantage and a weakness of the quantitative approach, is that random selection is timeconsuming, with the result that many studies use more easily obtained opportunistic sample
(Duffy, 1985). In quantitative research, the investigators maintain a detached, objective view in
order to understand the facts.

3.2 DATA COLLECTION

Questionaires
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YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

Statistical survey is a method used to collect in a systematic way, information from a

sample of individuals. A questionnaire is a series of questions asked to individuals to obtain
statistically useful information about a given topic When properly constructed and responsibly
administered, questionnaires become a vital instrument by which statements can be made about
specific groups or people or entire populations. (Definition of Questionnaires)
Questionaires are frequently used in quantitative marketing research and social research.
They are a valuable method of collecting a wide range of information from a large number of
individuals, often referred to as respondents. Adequate questionnaire construction is critical to
the success of a survey. Inappropriate questions, incorrect ordering of questions, incorrect
scaling, or bad questionnaire format can make the survey valueless, as it may not accurately
reflect the views and opinions of the participants. A useful method for checking a questionnaire
and making sure it is accurately capturing the intended information is to pretest among a smaller
subset of target respondents.( Sirken, M.G., 1999)
We will conduct a survey pertaining to the title of our research which is the Youtube as an
alternative towards student understanding. A sample population of 100 students from all faculties
in UiTM Shah Alam will be taken so that the validity of the results will not be compromised.

3.3 DATA ANALYSIS

3.3.1 Thematic Analysis
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YOUTUBE AS AN ALTERNATIVE LEARNING METHOD TOWARDS STUDENT UNDERSTANDING

Thematic Analysis is an approach to dealing with data that involves the creation and
application of codes to data. The data being analyzed might take any number of forms an
interview transcript, field notes, policy documents, photographs, video footage. As I said before,
there is a clear link between thesetypes of analysis and Grounded Theory, as the latter clearly
lays out a framework for carrying out this type of code-related analysis. Similarly, many
CAQDAS (Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis) packages are designed to facilitate
thematic coding. (Will Gibson, 2006)
In thematic analysis the task of the researcher is to identify a limited number of themes
which adequately reflect their textual data. This is not so easy to do well though the identification
of a few superficial themes is generally quite easy but does not reflect the required level of
analysis adequately. (Pearson Education, 2010)

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