Methodology Of Research Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.1 INTRODUCTION
Research is an organized and systematic way of finding results to the problems. Research is, thus, an original contribution to the existing stock of knowledge making for its advancement. It is the pursuit of fact with the help of study, observation, comparison and experiment. In short, the search for knowledge throughout objective and systematic method of finding solution to a problem is research. The systematic approach concerning overview and the formulation of a theory is also research (Kothari, 2004).
Therefore, the objective in this chapter is to indicate how the data would be collected and analysed. The process and methodology of research used to collect the data for this dissertation will be explained in detail in this chapter.

3.2 TYPES OF RESEARCH
Research is a process for collecting, analysing and interpreting information to answer the questions. According to Muaz (2013), there are many ways to classify research designs, but sometimes the distinction is simulated and other times different designs are combined. Some classify based on the type of research question being addressed (exploratory, descriptive etc.), others focus on the data collection tools (survey, quantitative, qualitative); Stern et al (2012) classified using the basis for fundamental inference to categorise different design methods.
This dissertation is classified as descriptive research. Descriptive research is used to illustrate characteristics of a population or phenomenon being studied. There are three main types of descriptive methods which are observational methods, case-study methods and survey methods. For this research of sick building syndrome is apt to the survey method.

3.3 RESEARCH APPROA...

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... scales present individuals with positively or negatively stated propositions and solicit respondents' opinions about the statements through a set of response keys.
Punch (2003) cited there are many ways responses to questions can be scaled which way is most appropriate would depend mainly on the way the question or item is worded. Table 3.1 shows the type of scale responses according to guideline stated that have been used in this dissertation.

The variance has to be reliable and meaningful. The respondents have to choose one option that best aligns with their view. The number represents quantities and the variable is being scaled as the number increase, so does the frequency of occurrence of the behaviour described in the items. Hence, the scales are used to gather the answer to the questions based on the respondents’ experiences and opinion to that phenomenon.