Methodology and Methods
Methodology is the theoretical framework that a study is situated in, informing the extent to which the researcher adopts a quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods approach. Methods refer to the specific data collection tools or instruments (Bitchener, 2010). Kinsella and Singleton’s (2014) research is a typical example of mixed methods design, in which quantitative and qualitative approaches are integrated to seek convergence (Creswell, 2003). The selected methods – a regional French accent identification test, a lexical grammatical test, linguistic background questionnaire and semi-structured interview – “gain meaning only from the methodologies that shape and guide their use” (Hesse-Biber, 2010, p.13).
Methodologies and methods are ultimately constructed on the basis of a paradigm. Paradigm is one’s assumptions about the real world (Punch, 2014) and composed …show more content…
Anonymity is to ensure that the research participants remain “nameless and unidentifiable”, while confidentiality is to remove any characterizing information of the participants from the research records (Henn & Weinstein & Foard, 2006, p.85). When reporting the research results, “names of participants are fictitious” (Kinsella & Singleton, 2014, p.448). Whist participants might experience “a sense of a loss of ownership of the data” (Iphofen, 2009, p.100), pseudonyms (fake names) instead of real names are used to protect the privacy of the research subjects (Esterberg, 2002). However, for those three native-like participants (Kenneth; Cassie; Siobhan), personal details concerning their family, profession and culture backgrounds can be identified in the published article. With this biographical and geographical information available, there is a real danger that any determined enquirers could infer the identity of the participants via an elimination process (Iphofen,
Methodology is the theoretical framework that a study is situated in, informing the extent to which the researcher adopts a quantitative, qualitative or mixed methods approach. Methods refer to the specific data collection tools or instruments (Bitchener, 2010). Kinsella and Singleton’s (2014) research is a typical example of mixed methods design, in which quantitative and qualitative approaches are integrated to seek convergence (Creswell, 2003). The selected methods – a regional French accent identification test, a lexical grammatical test, linguistic background questionnaire and semi-structured interview – “gain meaning only from the methodologies that shape and guide their use” (Hesse-Biber, 2010, p.13).
Methodologies and methods are ultimately constructed on the basis of a paradigm. Paradigm is one’s assumptions about the real world (Punch, 2014) and composed …show more content…
Anonymity is to ensure that the research participants remain “nameless and unidentifiable”, while confidentiality is to remove any characterizing information of the participants from the research records (Henn & Weinstein & Foard, 2006, p.85). When reporting the research results, “names of participants are fictitious” (Kinsella & Singleton, 2014, p.448). Whist participants might experience “a sense of a loss of ownership of the data” (Iphofen, 2009, p.100), pseudonyms (fake names) instead of real names are used to protect the privacy of the research subjects (Esterberg, 2002). However, for those three native-like participants (Kenneth; Cassie; Siobhan), personal details concerning their family, profession and culture backgrounds can be identified in the published article. With this biographical and geographical information available, there is a real danger that any determined enquirers could infer the identity of the participants via an elimination process (Iphofen,