Medium Methodology - Research Paper Example

Chapter Three: Methodology Section This methodology part will outline the overall research process or plan. It describes the information and data, how the research is done, how samples were chosen, the instruments employed and the quantitative analysis of the collected data. Moreover, this chapter highlights the methodology that will be employed, and this consists of the research design, tools, population, procedures and models which are used to gather and collect data in order to get complete, reliable and relevant information which is related to the study of interest. The main focus of this chapter therefore is on the population of interest, research design, data collection methods, and data analysis as well as sample design. Research design (Research setting) A quantitative approach was adopted for this study. It was vital to impose primary demands on the data collection. This is in order to study and know how the British national newspapers have constructed ‘binge drinking’ as a social problem. The research study is primarily and mainly dealing with how have the British national newspapers constructed ‘binge drinking’ as a social problem and not generalized approaches (Iwere, 2010). Additionally, the relationships between the variables will be analyzed in great detail by the research. The analysis will include testing the variation effect within factors which influence the British national newspapers to construct ‘binge drinking’ as a social problem. The approach (quantitative) was the most suitable approach for the study since the research question required needed a statistical answer and solution. Critcher, (pg. 154) stated that a quantitative study approach is often characterized by statistical measurements and figures whereas a qualitative approach is best suited for research questions which require a descriptive solution and answer. The research focused on finding the coverage of a small sample of British newspapers on binge drinking. Consequently, a quantitative paradigm was used to collect data for the research because it is more relevant and suitable. This was made up of newspaper articles which were meant and aimed to illustrate the findings of the study from the perspective of the research participant. To satisfy the demands of depth, the need for detailed information or data about binge drinking and the British media necessitated the use of more newspaper articles. Also, the use of many articles enabled the study to come up with reliable results and information. It is vital to focus not only on the treatment of binge drinking by the British media, but also on the type of data collection employed in this significant research project. The undertaking of this research involved major coordination of the study participants, each and every one with different and varying preferences and motivations. This report adopted a quantitative analysis majorly because content analysis is often illustrated by the quantitative description of media content (Nicholls, Pg. 210). Additionally, the study will use a comparison design between 2 newspapers selected in order to do the analysis. This will act as samples. Content analysis is often used to illustrate and describe both qualitative and quantitative approaches to analyzing content (Berelson, Pg. 67). Content which is to be analyzed can be linked to any multimedia material or text. However, in this research, content analysis is used to describe or illustrate a quantitative approach. Continent analysis was used in the study to minimize and reduce the big amount of unstructured data to what is manageable and relevant in the context of the research question. Additionally, continent analysis was employed to examine and determine the relationships and trends in the multimedia and text used to give an insight into it. Selection of the sample and media Sample selection is a vital segment of the report. For this study, the Sunday mirror and the sun newspapers were chosen as the samples. There was a criteria employed to pick and choose this two newspapers from the other multitude British newspapers. The two newspapers have a wide presence and readership audience in the United Kingdom. Additionally, they (the sun and the Sunday times) have major roles to play in the British news organizations in addition to having a very long history. The Sunday times is the major “quality” newspaper in Britain while the sun is the major tabloid paper. As such, the two newspapers chosen re both useful and reliable. Also, the two newspapers take differing stands from differing or different angles in reporting an issue. Therefore, their data can be compared. Selection of the time period The period selected for the newspaper articles to be analyzed was between 18 august and 18 November. This was time duration of three months. Binge drinking doesn’t have a special date or day on the calendar; however, a lot of newspapers have given adequate details and data to aid in interpreting this phenomenon. The research study can comprehend the up to date context about binge drinking and deduce a good and reliable conclusion within the three month period by analyzing articles of the sun and the Sunday times. Definition of variables and values Region (none/UK/others-nations outside Britain); Age (16-24- teenagers/ 25-45- middle aged/none; Gender (none/ female/ male/ both); Section (feature/ news/ editorial/ letters/ others Focus policy/ health/ damage/ comparison/ others Length (number of words for the news articles: large-400 and above / medium- 100 words and above, snipping- under 100); Date (weekdays/ weekends). The variables and values above are defined as follows: 1. Region: this is a specific part or area of the world. The values under region consist of Britain, others and none. In the sun, others is composed of brazil and Ireland while Ireland and France represent the others in the mirror. None should be explained that it stands or represents no region in an article. 2. Age: the period of time that an individual has existed. There are two age groups: 16-24 and 25-45. None depicts the absence of age in the articles. 3. Gender: is a state of being either female or male: both illustrates that the female and male are all mentioned din the article while none means that gender is not mentioned. 4. Section: part of the newspaper. The selected sections are features, editorial, letters and news. Others illustrate the business sections or sports areas. 5. Focus: central or main part of an article. The newspaper articles concentrate mainly on four areas. Influence of binge drinking on health, policies made by the government, damage to society, comparison between the situation in Britain and other countries. Others refer to articles only mentioning binge drinking with no connection with the topics. 6. Length: number of words in the article. Importance of an article is directly proportional to the number of words. 7. Date: a calendar day. Dates are out into two groups: (weekdays and weekends). The values and variables above are picked from the 53 articles which are significant for this study’s analysis. To enable a clearer analysis understanding, nine graphs will be used based on this statistics. These graphs are vital since they enable easy understanding of the content analysis. Works Cited Iwere, N. "The Sun newspaper." Retrieved April 12 (2010): 2010. Print. Critcher, Chas. "Moral panics and newspaper coverage of binge drinking." Pulling Newspapers Apart: Analysing Print Journalism (2008): 154. Print. Nicholls, James. UK news reporting of alcohol: an analysis of television and newspaper coverage. Drugs: education, prevention and policy 18.3 (2011): 200-206. Print. Berelson, Bernard. Content analysis in communication research (1952). Print. Read More