Estrella Lissette Rodríguez Martínez.
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY OR RESEARCH PROCESS
Estrella Lissette Rodríguez Martínez.
3.1 Development of the research process
Compilation of data started on April 22th and finished on May 3rd. During this time,
the instruments were modified and applied and data were collected. The research
process of this study happened at Universidad Autónoma del Carmen (UNACAR).
The data were collected by means of application of two instruments. Such
instruments were applied to fifteen translation area students of eighth semester.
The first instrument consisted of 10 pictures. In each picture, there was an object
and an object with respect to which the first object moves (motion event). Every
picture had four types of sentences: a manner verb + a preposition, a directed
verb + a preposition + -ing , a directed verb + a preposition + by –ing and a manner
verb and a directed verb + a prepositions ,so then the students had to choose the
sentence that sounds more natural in English as a description of the picture shown.
The classroom Q -102 was the place where the first instrument was applied and
the participants had 10 minutes to complete the quiz.
The main point of this first instrument was to know if the participants recognize
directional reading of English manner-of– motion verbs. The second instrument
consisted of ten sentences which had manner-of-motion verbs with the directional
and locational prepositions which the students had to translate into Spanish. The
main goal of this second instrument was to know if they really translate the correct
meaning of each one of the sentences into Spanish. The classroom Q -102 was
used in order to apply this instrument and they had 10 minutes to complete it.
Estrella Lissette Rodríguez Martínez.
3.2 Research type
Research, as a systematic process, consists of collecting and analyzing
information in order to improve the comprehension of the phenomenon studied.
During this process, the role of the researcher is very important since he has to
communicate what was learnt to other people. In research, there are six types:
qualitative, quantitative, exploratory, descriptive, correlational and explicative. The
first one is qualitative which in accordance with Denzi (2004), it is the study of
things in its natural settings to interpret phenomena based on the meanings
brought on them. This type of research explores and tries to understand the beliefs
of people, experiences, attitudes, etc; and non numerical data are possible.
The second type of research is quantitative which Burns & Grove (2005; 23),
describe as '’… a formal, objective, systematic process in which numerical data are
used to obtain information about the world’’. Qualitative research has as main
objectives to generalize results, quantify data, describe variables, examine
relations among variables and determine cause-effect interactions among
variables. The third one is explorative. It is considered as an investigation of a
problem or a situation which gives the researcher insights by means of using
interviews, group discussions, etc; in order to obtain information. The fourth one is
descriptive and consists of exploring existing special phenomena. It has as a main
objective the description of data and characteristics what is being analyzed.
The fifth one is correlational and can be defined as the study and measurement of
variables with the purpose of knowing the relation among them. In this type of
Estrella Lissette Rodríguez Martínez.
research, data are obtained from different variables and correlational statistical
techniques are applied to such data. That is why correlational research is more
complicated than descriptive one as after variables are identified, the relationships
among them are investigated. And the sixth one is explicative which in accordance
with Gil (2000;42) is "A research is said to be explicative when its central point is
to identify the factors that determine or contribute for a given phenomenon to
happen. This is the sort of research that deepens the knowledge about reality, for it
aims to explain the reason why of things."
Now, based on explanation of each one of the six types of research mentioned
above, this research study can be considered as qualitative, descriptive and
explicative. Firstly, It is qualitative because numerical data are needed for this work
in order to gain, quantify, analyze and describe information about phenomenon
studied. Secondly, it is descriptive because it explores the phenomenon happened
by means of data and characteristics description of the phenomenon. And finally, it
is explicative as it focuses on identifying the factors that cause the phenomenon to
occur (the main goal of this research).
3.3 The subjects
The participants were 15 students of eighth semester who are studying at
UNACAR at present. They were part of the group of subjects who was applied the
two instruments of this research. Such group consisted of two men and twelve
women who own the following characteristics: same cultural background, Native
Spanish speakers, they study English as a second language, and all of them are in
Estrella Lissette Rodríguez Martínez.
translation area and in the eighth semester. Although the group of eighth semester
is made up twenty students, the instruments were applied to 15 of them because
the 5 students missing did not attend the day I applied them.
3.4 The object of analysis
Firstly, the students were given a quiz in which there were 10 items and each one
of them had a picture and four sentences that described the picture. The student
was asked for choosing what sentence was the best one to describe it. Secondly, a
translation with ten sentences which had manner of motion verbs and directional
preposition into and locational preposition in was given.
None of fifteen students who were applied the two instrument had all correct
answers. The result of two instruments was expected. Five of fifteen students got
the higher grade adding correct answers of both instruments which was 11 of 20,
and it represents a quarter of students. Eight of fifteen students got 9 of 20. And
two of fifteen students got the worst grade which was 7 of 20.
As seen in results showed above, in spite of the higher grade was 11 gotten by five
students , it is not a good grade taking into account the level of English expected
for eighth semester students. In the case of eight students that got 9 of 20, they did
not approach the higher grade which is alarming since they represent the majority
of students. In the case of two students that got 7 of 20 (the worst grade), they did
not even get the half of correct answers.
Estrella Lissette Rodríguez Martínez.
3.5 The instruments
The instruments allow the researcher to measure, evaluate and analyze results
gained by applying them. The first instrument used was bibliographical cards,
which were very useful to organize and have information about the literal review at
hand. The second instrument was quizzes. The first one was used to know if the
participants recognize directional reading of English manner-of– motion verbs. And
the second one used to prove if they really translate the correct meaning of each
one of the sentences with English manner of motion verbs with directional
preposition into and locational prepositions in into Spanish.
Estrella Lissette Rodríguez Martínez.