Chapter 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter narrates how the researchers gathered information and necessary data that will
be used in the entire study. The research design, the participants as well as the research materials,
will be tackled; including the analysis of data, data gathering and the solution for the chosen
problem.

Research Design

Knowing that the focus of this study is about understanding the students that has
experienced or still experiencing to be a part of a broken family; emotional state and well-being is
a must to be aware of the upcoming actions and help the students to overcome the hurdles they are
facing being a part of that kind situation which is an example of phenomena.

‘Phenomenology is an approach to qualitative research that focuses on the commonality of

a lived experience within a particular group. The fundamental goal of the approach is to arrive at
a description of the nature of the particular phenomenon’ (Creswell, 2013). ‘A phenomenological
study is one that focused on descriptions of what people experience and how it is that they
experience. One can employ a general phenomenological perspective to elucidate the importance
of using methods that capture people’s experience of the world without conducting a
phenomenological study that focuses on the essence of shared experience.’ (Patton, 1990).
Wherein it focused less on the understanding of the researcher and more on the experiences of the
participants. The researcher will follow the procedures in identifying a phenomenon to study,
bracketing ones experience, and gathering data or information to the several persons who
experiencing or experienced the phenomenon. Moreover, the researcher analyzed by making the
broad information into specific information and combining them into themes. Then, formulated a
textural description of the student’s experiences and thoughts of being in a broken family.

Sources of Data

Through audio taped and in-depth interview, guided by the interview protocol, composing
of ten (10) Senior high school students of Congressional Integrated High school that has
experienced or still experiencing being a part of a broken family, the researcher was able to gather
primary sources from them. The participants are allowed to talk about their experiences in a way
they are comfortable of. For more sources of relevant information and data, the researcher used
online journals for secondary sources.

Participants of the study

The researcher used purposive sampling to select 10 senior high school students from
Congressional Integrated High School, seven (7) from grade 11 students and three (3) from grade
12 students. In the purposive sampling, the researchers were guided with the following criteria:
are senior high school students, those who have experienced or are still experiencing being part of
a broken family.

Instrumentation and Validation

The researchers carried out the interview by using the interview protocol, which was
created containing two major questions, and all being general and open - minded, considering the
guidelines of Morse and Field (1995) as reintroduced by Woodgate (2008).With the consultations
from authorities or expert, the questionnaires that the researchers made was validated. An in -
depth and long interview is needed to be able to describe the phenomena in the study. The
researchers was also able to take notes during the interview, and also by the aid of an audio
recording, the researchers was able to note about the responses of the participants. Also, it helped
the researchers to better organize thoughts about the headings, and other information about the
interview.

Data gathering procedure

The researches have allotted sufficient span of time, exerting utmost effort and
cooperation in enlarging the questionnaire to serve its intended participants. The questionnaire
was made using appropriate questions reconstructed from the connected issues and its subtopics
which was formed individually by the researchers then was combined to form a requisite query.
The questionnaire is comprised of two (2) main parts separated into its subpart; where in its
subpart has something to do with the participant’s discernment towards the given questionnaire.
Through audio taped and in-depth interview, guided by the interview protocol, the participant
has the will to answer the questions freely.

Ethical Consideration

Ethical standards were evident throughout the entire study by the thorough attention to the
following: The start of the study requires an informed consent. Before conducting the interview, a
participant must be given a consent which would inform them about the nature and aims of the
study. Also, stated in the form, is the voluntary nature of the study, and it shall not affect the
interviewee's current position. Also, they have the right to withdraw from the study without
consequences at any time. Furthermore, they are requested to sign a consent allowing the
researchers to be audio taped. The researchers also took in consideration the potential risks and
benefits it may bring to the participants. If the participant gets distress, they can go for a break, or
decide to end the interview, as this was on a voluntary basis. Another fundamental ethical principle
of qualitative research is protecting the participant’s privacy, confidentiality, and animosity of the
gathered data from them. Aliases and pseudonyms were given for any subsequent publication of
the research results.

Treatment and analysis of data