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Chapter Three: Research Methods
Introduction
The quantitative and qualitative method will be used in this research. This will help bring insights from the two approaches thereby maximumising benefit from the qualities inherent in both methods. At the same time using the two approaches will help identify as well as address weaknesses within these methods. The quantitative method is very useful as statistics may be gathered during the field investigation of the research. The qualitative method will be used to investigate the studies that have already been published and unpublished data that the research comes across.
Few working definitions of the terms are offered. Cresswell (1944:2) as quoted by Leedy (1997:104-105) defines a quantitative study as “an inquiry into a social or human problem, based on testing a theory composed of variables, measured with numbers and analysed with statistical procedures in order to determine whether predictive generalisation of the theory hold true”. In contrast he defines qualitative study as “ an inquiry process of understanding a social or human problem based on building a complex, holistic picture formed with words, reporting detailed views of informants and conducted in natural setting” Leedy (1997:105).
Quantitative method
Quantitative method seeks to find answers to a research question by applying scientific procedures. The method relies on the development of scientific procedures to gather information that can be relied upon without being biased. According to Davies (2007:50) “The term ‘quantitative research’ conceals the fact that, within it there are two methodologically related but very different approaches, survey research and experimental research”. This concealment is possibly premeditated by the fact that these two methods rely on similar requirements which Davies (ibid) noted that “both survey research and experimental research depend on careful planning, standing of the sampling techniques, disciplined data-gathering and skilled data interpretation”.
An empirical study relies mostly on probability sampling which will be discussed later in this chapter. However the difference between the two method are based on the fact that the survey method can take any form with varying scales which may target the whole population say in a national census to brief interviews that may rely on a sample of say 80 people. The experimental method relies on “some treatment applied in the experimental group and does not do the same to the control group” Davies (ibid). Mathematical calculations to ensure that statistics for the two groups varies are used whilst at the same time the groups must be homogenous.
On the part of the quantitative methodology the survey approach has been used marrying it with other strong factors of the qualitative method. According to Terre Blanche and Durrhem (1999:128) as quoted by Mutasa (2003:15) “triangulation helps the researcher to ‘home in’ on a correct understanding of a phenomsenon by approaching it from several different angles’. This approach “encompasses multiple sources of data collection in a single research project to increase the reliability of the results and to compensate for the limitation of each method” Mutasa (2003:15).
In the study under discussion therefore the experimental part of the quantitative method would have made the research difficult as there are set rules such as the one that Davies (2007:68) advances such as that “you must have a probability sample – one that ensures equivalence between the two groups. Without that there is little point in proceeding”. This is contrary to the purpose of survey method which Masuku (1999:8) contends that “survey are designed to determine the existing state of affairs in a given society or community. As such, the same questions are asked of the selected population” and “because the same questions are asked, findings from that sample should be representative of the whole population” (Masuku ibid).
Qualitative method
These approaches have similar characteristics but they are distinctly different on how they analyse data to produce results. A quantitative method seeks to confirm or disconfirm hypotheses whereas qualitative methods provide their findings with descriptions that are meant to accurately reflect the case under study. The two approaches are complementary in nature as noted by Leedy (1997:105) who states that “a quantitative study usually ends with confirmation or disconfirmation of the hypotheses that were tested. A qualitative study may conclude with tentative answers or hypothesis about what was observed. These tentative hypotheses may then form the basis of future qualitative studies designed to test proposed hypotheses. In this way, qualitative and quantitative approaches represent complementary components of the research processes”.
The two approaches have also been known by various other names that are based on their characteristics.
Another definition that is of interest and that helps to justify why the two approaches have been chosen is proffered by Denzin and Lincoln (1994:17), who noted that “qualitative research is multi-method in its focus involving an interpretive, naturalistic method to its subject matter”.
This means that qualitative researches study things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of, or interpret phenomsena in terms of the meaning people bring to them. The study will benefit from the qualities of the two methods that enjoy the studying of the human behaviour in both their natural setting and away from artificial contexts. The deductive and interpretive characteristics of the two methods will further enhance the study.
Muranda (2004:53-54) listed three fundamental characteristics of qualitative research as:
It uses unstructured questioning or observation technique,
It involves small samples and
It uses indirect methods of investigating feelings and perceptions, attitudes and beliefs.
These characteristics will help the study to go deeper into analysing the qualities in the samples on the subject under research. At the same time Muranda has also listed three (3) fundamental characteristics of the quantitative method as:
It tends to use structured and direct questioning.
It uses large sample; and
It uses very specific data meant to provide conclusions.
Whilst Muranda (2004:) has listed three fundamental characteristics of a quantitative method he did not go deeper in explaining that a quantitative method mainly rely on statistical data that is used to quantify the out come of the research. Using quantifiable random variable numeric responses can be obtained and a seemingly fixed position can be attained. This position can be reached especially if the research uses the ratio-scaled data. In this study the research will endeavour to use the eclectic method where some positive attributes of both the quantitative and the qualitative methods will be used. Wegner (1993: 10) explained the ratio-scale data as “data associated mainly with quantitative random variables, (where) if the full range of arithmetic operations can be meaningfully performed on the observations of a random variable, the data associated with that random variable is termed ratio-scaled”. Its strongest characteristic is using numbers to measure the variables or the samples or population. Since this study is honed on quantitative data analysis, numbers and statistics are of significance when attempting to extrapolate patterns of meaning in the views of people who voiced their ideas on the creation and implementation of language policy from the perspective of the ordinary people. Coupled with good sampling techniques these methods will help the researcher to produce a generalised research.
Data Collection Methods
Sampling
Data will be collected through the use of a variety of sampling methods such as the probability sampling method. Wegner (1993:171) argues that “Probability sampling includes all selection methods where the observations to be included in a sample have been selected on a purely random basis from the population.” This method proffers a strong position that “sampling errors can be measured and using probability theory, be able to establish the representative nature of the sample drawn.” In so doing statistical inferences can be validly arrived at as the sampling error can be statistically measured. In this research this will be one of the preferred methods together with the nomsinal-scaled data. Nomsinal-scaled data is explained by Wegner (1993:8) as “such data associated mainly with qualitative random variables, where data of a qualitative random variable is assigned to one of the number of categories of equal importance.” In this study the random variable, used are of equal importance as they enable the researcher to identify the gaps that exist in the language policies and implementation in Zimbabwe. This research is not relying on the few methods indicated above but will also involve the purposive sampling which will enable the researcher to carry out an initial sampling of experts from the selected domains of life that are under scrutiny. As purposive sampling consists of convenience, judgment and quota sampling it will help the researcher to focus on particular areas within the selected domains, for instance in the domain of culture. A focus on popular culture or media may give indication to how new words can be developed, adopted and used to further the interest of the speakers.
In this research experiences of language development, standardisation and modernisation will be explored and highlighted.
These will be drawn from:-
The experiences such as those of the works of Doke (1931) The Unification of the Shona Dialects and George Fortune’s (1967) Works on the Shona Grammar and the implications of implementing a language policy in an officially designated language policy framework and after the de-regulation approach such as the case with languages in Zimbabwe.
The language situation during the colonial period and in particular the Zimbabwe-Rhodesian era in which English was designated the official language by the constitution as stated in the Zimbabwe-Rhodesia Constitutional Amendment Number 12 of 1979 Chapter 12 which was later repealed on attainment of the country’s independence in 1980.
The current position and current works by interest groups such as National Language Policy Advisory Panel, various associations for minority languages, African Language Research Institute and Curriculum Development Unit.
The judiciary system, political, religious, health and the economic system will also be examined vis-à-vis the use of language in communication, naming and interpretation of statutes in a situation where the language policy is haze.
In a quantitative research method the use of probability samples rely on the use of “random samples and cluster samples gathered using randomness principles, using established statistical procedures” Davis (2007:61) this enables the researcher to come up with a more scientific result or outcome of the research. Since this research is relying on the survey method two sampling procedures suit the study in conjunction with the qualitative method. The purposive sample as it has focused on the institutions of higher learning and book publishers then forms a typical population in relation to the topic under investigation. In this targeted population respondents have been randomly selected. In other words the sampling has been a non-probability sample that sought to make use of characteristics of other sampling methods resulting in an electric sample that is considered representative of the targeted population.
According to Leedy (1997:204) in non probability sampling, the researcher has no way of forecasting, estimating, or guaranteeing that each element the population will be represented in the sample” but this method has been in use to determine theories or hypothesis in most researches and the survey method of research has relied upon it. This method of sampling together with survey method can be credited for its ability to formulate results that produces theories which can be further investigated using now the experimental method which is deductive.
Having discussed the sampling method, the bias in research design has to be briefly highlighted so as to allow the researcher to guard against such bias. Leedy (1979:218) believes data in descriptive survey research are particularly susceptible to distortion through the introduction of bias into the research design. Whilst “bias is of course, inherent in all research, descriptive survey is more easily injected” therefore a researcher must take particular attention when sampling to reduce the extent of the bias. For instance if the researcher chooses to use institutions as the sources of population the researcher must take note of institutions that are gender balanced to avoid soliciting information from say females or males only. Particular attention should also be given to the age differences. Whilst bias cannot be totally eliminated it can be reduced.
Chapter 1
1.0 introduction
1.1 Preamble
1.2 Aims of the study
1.3 Objectives
1.4 Research Questions
1.5 Justification
1.6 Literature Review
1.7 Theoretical Framework
1.8 Research Methods
1.9 Hypothesis
1.10 Scope of the Study
1.11 Conclusion
Chapter 2 Literature Review
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Extra linguistic factors that affect the status of the language
2.3 Language planning as an extra-linguistic factor
2.4.0 Language and institutions
2.5 Language and politics
2.6 Language and statutes
2.7 Language as a social extra-linguistics factor
2.8 Culture and Language
2.9 Corpus planning
2.10 Economic
2.11 Conclusion
Chapter 3 Research methods
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Quantitative method
3.3 Qualitative method
3.4 Data collection methods
3.5 Conclusion
Chapter 4 Research findings and data presentation
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Presentation of findings
4.3 Remarks
4.4 Conclusion
Chapter 5 Discussion of the findings in relation to the domains of culture, economics and politics
5.1 Language and culture
5.2 Introduction
5.3 The language of naming as a culture
5.4 The language of naming: corpus and status
5.5 The syntactic structure of language in music
5.6 Popular music, rituals and cultural performances
5.7 Language socialisation and culture
5.8 Language and economy
5.9 The language status and corpus as a means of production
5.10 Indigenous languages: technical and scientific debate in Africa
5.11 Language and advertisement
5.12 Advantages of using indigenous languages in advertising
5.13 Popular music as a protest language of economy
5.14 Language and politics
5.15 Language politics and the politics of language
5.16 Political language
5.17 Political language discourses
5.18 Popular music as political language
5.19 Propaganda
5.20 Conclusion
Chapter 6 Towards officialising indigenous languages in Zimbabwe
6.1 Conclusion
6.2 Research findings and conclusion
6.3 Recommendations
Bibliography.
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