Ana Karen Laguna Pérez
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
Ana Karen Laguna Pérez
3. Development of the Research Process
Compilation of data started on April 9th and finished on June 1st. These were
two months of applying and analyzing of the instruments. This process took
place at Universidad Autónoma del Carmen. To carry out the data collection
two instruments were used. The first was a questionnaire and the second an
exercise of translation. The questionnaire, which was made up of 10 questions,
was applied to 18 students of eighth semester of the translation area. This
instrument was done with the purpose of getting data that shows how much
translation students know about some concepts related to the research topic.
This questionnaire has a key questionnaire that was useful for analyzing the
answers obtained of the questionnaires.
The second instrument for gathering the data was the application of two
informative texts named “Sea Bugs” for your dining pleasure and Climate
Summits Just Talk? to be translated. The purpose of this instrument which is a
translation was focused on knowing, if students know to identify those
polysemic words (these with more than one meaning) to see if they give the
correct meaning according to the text. These translations have a key translation
for analyzing the translations made for the students.
Regarding to the analysis of the two instruments, this was done at home of the
researcher (himself). In case of the translations were compared the original
translations with the translations made by the students. As well as a checklist
was used to check grammar, spelling, intention of the original and so on. On the
other hand the questionnaire was qualified through a key questionnaire.
Ana Karen Laguna Pérez
3.1 Research Type
Research is a systematic process, consists of collecting and analyzing
information to increase our understanding of the phenomenon studied. There
are six types of research: 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.
According to Burns and Grove (2005), quantitative research is a systematic
process in which numerical data are used to obtain information about the world.
On the other hand the 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 explorative
research 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 descriptive research consists of
exploring existing special phenomena. It has as a main objective the description
of data and characteristics what is being analyzed.
The correlational research is defined as the study and measurement of
variables with the purpose of knowing the relation among them. In this type of
research, data are obtained from different variables and correlational statistical
techniques are applied to such data. Finally, the explicative research in
accordance with Gil (2000), it is ‘A research is said to be explicative when its
Ana Karen Laguna Pérez
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’.
Before declaring the type of research of this project. It is important to consider
that the main purpose of this study is to verify the hypothesis described in the
plan, which is ‘if translators do not identify the polysemy words in translations,
they will mistranslate of an informative text’. From this purpose can be
concluded that this study is explorative because it deals with the problem of
polysemy which is a semantic problem. As well as it is explanatory since it
seeks to explain why polysemy is a semantic problem in the translation of
informative texts.
3.2 Design of the investigation.
Research design is the step-by-step design of how researcher to plan the
research that is, it is the structure of research and gives direction to this. There
are several types of research designs such as survey research, observational
research, case study and so on. Survey research design describes and explains
several aspects through the use of questionnaires, interviews, etc. while
observational research design is based in the observation of a specific subject
in order to obtaining positive or negative results. And according to Carroll
(1981), case study design is based in a direct observation through the use of
different subjects. For the above mentioned, in this research the research
design used was survey research.
3.3 Research Process
Ana Karen Laguna Pérez
The process of this research is organized in three stages to obtain the desired
results:
Stage 1: In the first stage was established a definition for the topic statement,
topic
description,
background,
research
introduction,
question,
problem
general
justification,
and
specific
hypothesis,
objectives,
operational
definition, study delimitation, etc. in order to have a wide knowledge about the
main purpose of the research.
Stage 2: During the second stage different studies and theories were analyzed
in order to compare opinions and ideas of authors about some concepts and
studies. The first step during this process was looking for reliable articles related
to the topic statement, the next step was read the information in order to have a
wide idea about the research topic, and finally analyze and write the main ideas
related to the topic. This step was supported by different theories and studies of
several authors.
STAGE 3: Finally, in the last stage was related to the research process. During
this stage the data were collected through the use of questionnaires and
translations related to the research topic. The questionnaire and translations
were designed and applied to the students of eight semester of the translation
area. The obtained results were analyzed through the use of graphics and
tables.
3.4 The methods
The research method is directly connected to the problem statement and goal of
the research. The research method can be deductive or inductive. According to
Burney (2008), deductive method has a hill climbing form and it begins with a
Ana Karen Laguna Pérez
theory, hypothesis, observation, and confirmation, that is, within this method,
there is an existent theory from other authors. On the contrary, induction
method begins with observation, then pattern, tentative hypothesis, and at the
end there is a theory.
Therefore, this research has a deductive method
because the beginning is an existent theory followed by hypothesis,
observation, and the getting of confirmation.
3.5 The techniques
One of the main techniques used in this investigation was the elaboration of
bibliographical cards to investigate the topics of literature review section. In
these cards a record was kept of all the websites and books consulted during
this stage in order to have a control of all the information and resources
gathered and that was going to be presented in this work.
The questionnaire and translation exercises were other techniques of great
importance to obtain information regarding the ability and knowledge of the
student. The purpose of the questionnaire was to obtain data that showing how
much translation students know about some concepts related to the research
topic. On the other hand the purpose of the exercise translation was focused on
knowing if students know to identify those polysemic words (these with more
than one meaning) to see if they give the correct meaning according to the text.
3.6 The object of analysis
The objects analyzed in this research were the translations and the
questionnaires made by the students. Questionnaire was analyzed by means of
a key questionnaire. According to answers from the key questionnaire, answers
in students’ questionnaires were ticked.
Ana Karen Laguna Pérez
The translation exercise was analyzed through a key translation and a checklist
which contains sections of grammar, spelling, coherence, cohesion, omission
distortion and so on which are evaluated in the translation exercise.
3.7 The instruments
Among the instruments used in this study is the questionnaire. In this
questionnaire is evaluated the level of knowledge that students have about
some concepts of research topic. It consists of ten questions with 4 multiple
choice answers.
For doing the analysis of the translations keys translation and a checklist were
used. Keys translation were used to see if students did a translation of the text
as faithful as the original. The checklist was used to see if they gave the proper
meaning to a word. The checklist cinsits of 13 important characteristics based
on the seven standars for accurate translations.
Other instruments were the use of bibliographical cards which are small sheet
of paper with sources of information. Also, working cards were used. It is a
small sheet of paper where sentences that help to the researching are written.
They are used for remember the needed information.
Ana Karen Laguna Pérez