Dissertation Methodology Sample Chapter 3
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Type of Academic Paper – Dissertation Chapter
Academic Subject – Waste Management
Word Count – 2948 words
Background
The current chapter reviews the study’s research method strategy in terms of research design, data collection methods, and approaches used to manipulate and analyse obtained data. The chapter sets forth the approach used in the research that will allow the derivation of meaningful results.
Research Strategy
A research strategy is basically an approach to accurately answering the research question and meeting the research objectives. The qualitative research can be based on a fixed design strategy or flexible design strategy. Fixed design can either be experimental or non-experimental type. Unlike experimental research, the non-experimental research strategy does not try to bring about any change in particular. Other characteristics are almost the same, including that the samples for the study are collected from known populations, and measurements are based on the minimum number of variables while other variables are controlled. However, non-experimental research may or may not include hypothesis testing (Cole, 2015). The current research study does not use or include hypothesis testing.
Flexible design strategy can be of three major types: case study, ethnographic study and ground theory study (Khaliq, 2014). The current research falls in the category of a case study based on developing an in-depth analysis of a single case of Tripoli city. The data collection involves more than one method, e.g. interviews, documents, and observations. A set of data collection methods are used to collect the primary data for this research. These instruments include a questionnaire survey and semi-structured interviews. That helps obtain a variety of views and opinions to provide good findings and results for this study.
Research Design
The research design refers to the overall design ranging from data collection methods, type of data and analysis techniques used to research. Data is an important part of the research to do the analysis. Primary and secondary data have both been of equal importance for the study. Primary data is gathered through conducting questionnaires and interviews.
A vast majority of research uses separately or in combination two known main design approaches which are;
- Quantitative Approach
- Qualitative Approach
From the above two, qualitative research is exploratory research that deals with defining ideas and dealing with the underlying opinions. It deals with unstructured techniques such as group discussions, interviews, and personal observations etc. The sample size is generally kept small because of its objective nature. Simultaneously, quantitative research is an experimental and structured based research that quantifies the problem through numerical data and solves it through a strong statistical methodology. This research type helps draw a definite conclusion about a large group of data based on a small and reliable sample.
Content removed…Therefore, the current study employs mixed-method research for conducting this research to provide quality comprehension of the research issue and provide better findings and discussion.
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Data Collection Methods
Data acquisition and analysis is a vital part of the project as the statistics and estimated calculations are derived based on collected data by the people of Tripoli. To acquire the qualitative type of primary data, a survey questionnaire and semi-structured interview methods are used which are provided in appendix A and B respectively.
Survey Questionnaire
A questionnaire is defined as a set of written/designed questions, the purpose of the questionnaire is to obtain data and information from a large number population, as an example, to identify points of view of some respondents regarding a phenomenon or a particular issue or interest (Mathers et al., 2007).
As this research is attempting to investigate the application of the anaerobic digestion technology for food waste management and energy generation in Tripoli, to establish interpretative frameworks to assess the potential to adopt such technology, this questionnaire is to be used as a method to collect information and data from the people in Tripoli.
The proposed survey questionnaire is prepared and kept online for 20 days to gather as much data as possible to make accurate estimations and derive statistics about food waste amount and type of food waste and identify views of people regarding AD technology. After the questionnaire is designed and the final version is to be approved. The medium of distribution chosen for the questionnaire was through the internet and targeted through an online survey platform, Survey Monkey. The questionnaire consists of 26 questions, and it should have an estimated time of 10 minutes or less to complete.
The questionnaires for Tripoli community is intended to investigate the attitudes and role of Tripoli residents (Appendix 2) Content removed…
In this research, to ensure the reliability and validity of the questionnaire survey, some measures are taken, that includes;
- Taking great care in designing and writing up the questionnaire to link/connect the questionnaire questions with the objectives of the
- Reviewing a draft of the questionnaire with some university students at the University of South Wales (including Libyan students) who are conducting similar researches and see what advice is available for improving the question
- Carrying out changes and corrections in the questionnaire to improve the questionnaire quality and make the questionnaire more appropriate to the study’s conditions.
The online survey link is sent to the two biggest universities in Tripoli city: the University of Tripoli and the University of Nasser in Tripoli. The online survey link is sent by email to the
Department of Information and Documentation and to the department of Students and Staff Activities in both universities, the survey link is distributed among students, staff and lectures (emails are attached in appendix 4). Moreover, as the researcher was graduated from the Higher Centre/College of the Occupational Safety and Health in Tripoli, the online survey link is sent by a Wechat phone message to the general coordinator at the Information Technology Department in this Centre/College to distribute the link among staff, students and lecturers to allow them to participate in this survey (the message is attached in appendix 4).
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Semi-Structured Interview
A semi-structured interview is a uniform qualitative method of inquiry. The interviewer has a set of a pre-determined set of questions and the opportunity to ask about particular themes and explore responses further. It helps in providing useful information concerning the participant’s experiences. The current study uses semi-structured interview, comprising of 7 questions.
In the current study, the interviews are arranged with the General Authority for Environmental Protection employees in Tripoli-Libya. When preparing to conduct the interviews in this research, the researcher considers the following factors;
- Establishing the structure of interviews based on the research questions and objectives.
- Avoiding those questions which may have dual or multi-concepts. Open questions were specifically drafted so that the participant could elaborate on their opinions.
- Identifying the possible number and character of participants from the given population.
- Seeking permission from those who participate in conducting the interviews.
- Arranging the suitable time for conducting the interviews
When conducting the interviews, adequate preparations are to be made to maximise the chances for successful interviews, these include;
- Sending a letter General Authority for Environmental Protection in Tripoli-Libya explains the overall aim of carrying out this study and requesting interviews with them (The letter is attached in Appendix C).
- Selecting several 5 participants from the chosen organisation.
- Direct contacts are to be made with the chosen participants to arrange a date and time for conducting the interview and get the participants’ full names and contact numbers to confirm the proposed appointments.
- Telephone calls are to be made on the day before the appointment day to remind the participants of the interviews appointment.
A set of seven open questions is employed in the interviews. Content removed…
Secondary Sources
Secondary data is defined as information collected by individuals or organisations that are not based on their personal first-hand experience in participating in actual events or conditions of research (Daas and Arends, 2012).
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The current study’s secondary data used various sources such as official reports, books, guides, websites, journal articles, and websites. The main secondary data source for the current study was anaerobic digestion technology efficiency studies extracted from online peer-reviewed journal articles. It was also essential to consider previous research making it necessary to extract data from academic peer-reviewed journals to compare and standardise variables of the current study.
The current study’s secondary data used various sources such as official reports, books, guides, websites, journal articles, and websites. The main secondary data source for the current study was anaerobic digestion technology efficiency studies extracted from online peer-reviewed journal articles. It was also essential to consider previous research making it necessary to extract data from academic peer-reviewed journals to compare and standardise variables of the current study. The current study’s secondary data used various sources such as official reports, books, guides, websites, journal articles, and websites. The main secondary data source for the current study was anaerobic digestion technology efficiency studies extracted from online peer-reviewed journal articles. It was also essential to consider previous research making it necessary to extract data from academic peer-reviewed journals to compare and standardise variables of the current study. The current study’s secondary data used various sources such as official reports, books, guides, websites, journal articles, and websites. The main secondary data source for the current study was anaerobic digestion technology efficiency studies extracted from online peer-reviewed journal articles. It was also essential to consider previous research making it necessary to extract data from academic peer-reviewed journals to compare and standardise variables of the current study. The current study’s secondary data used various sources such as official reports, books, guides, websites, journal articles, and websites. The main secondary data source for the current study was anaerobic digestion technology efficiency studies extracted from online peer-reviewed journal articles. It was also essential to consider previous research making it necessary to extract data from academic peer-reviewed journals to compare and standardise variables of the current study. The current study’s secondary data used various sources such as official reports, books, guides, websites, journal articles, and websites. The main secondary data source for the current study was anaerobic digestion technology efficiency studies extracted from online peer-reviewed journal articles. It was also essential to consider previous research making it necessary to extract data from academic peer-reviewed journals to compare and standardise variables of the current study. The current study’s secondary data used various sources such as official reports, books, guides, websites, journal articles, and websites. The main secondary data source for the current study was anaerobic digestion technology efficiency studies extracted from online peer-reviewed journal articles. It was also essential to consider previous research making it necessary to extract data from academic peer-reviewed journals to compare and standardise variables of the current study. The current study’s secondary data used various sources such as official reports, books, guides, websites, journal articles, and websites. The main secondary data source for the current study was anaerobic digestion technology efficiency studies extracted from online peer-reviewed journal articles. It was also essential to consider previous research making it necessary to extract data from academic peer-reviewed journals to compare and standardise variables of the current study. The current study’s secondary data used various sources such as official reports, books, guides, websites, journal articles, and websites. The main secondary data source for the current study was anaerobic digestion technology efficiency studies extracted from online peer-reviewed journal articles. It was also essential to consider previous research making it necessary to extract data from academic peer-reviewed journals to compare and standardise variables of the current study. The current study’s secondary data used various sources such as official reports, books, guides, websites, journal articles, and websites. The main secondary data source for the current study was anaerobic digestion technology efficiency studies extracted from online peer-reviewed journal articles. It was also essential to consider previous research making it necessary to extract data from academic peer-reviewed journals to compare and standardise variables of the current study. The current study’s secondary data used various sources such as official reports, books, guides, websites, journal articles, and websites. The main secondary data source for the current study was anaerobic digestion technology efficiency studies extracted from online peer-reviewed journal articles. It was also essential to consider previous research making it necessary to extract data from academic peer-reviewed journals to compare and standardise variables of the current study.
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Sampling Strategy
The current study uses two sets of sampling strategies for obtaining data from the questionnaire survey and interview questions. To begin with, the questionnaire survey called for respondents that are homeowners residing and residents of Tripoli. For this reason, a simple random sampling strategy was used to target respondents to complete the questionnaire survey form. According to (Easton and McColl, 1997), simple random sampling is the most basic sampling technique used where the research selects a group of subjects for a study from a larger group or population. The current study uses two sets of sampling strategies for obtaining data from the questionnaire survey and interview questions. To begin with, the questionnaire survey called for respondents that are homeowners residing and residents of Tripoli. For this reason, a simple random sampling strategy was used to target respondents to complete the questionnaire survey form. According to (Easton and McColl, 1997), simple random sampling is the most basic sampling technique used where the research selects a group of subjects for a study from a larger group or population.
Data Analysis
The analysis method of the collected data relies on instruments used for the collection of data. However, data analysis is a step to output the research results from the raw data collected. The researcher at this stage should be conscious of how to adapt the method of analysis. The raw data gathered before this step does not express the full meaning of the respondents. Thence, all collected data, whether it is qualitative or quantitative, have to be analysed to provide a full meaning and be useful. In this regard, the nature and the quantity of the gathered data to a certain extent determine the techniques of analysis to be adopted (Flowerdew, 2005).
Cost Analysis of Data
A detailed financial analysis is a key component of the current study. Essential calculations include cost-benefit analysis concerning the power generation capacity of the proposed plant. The internal rate of return (IRR) and Net Present Value (NPV) has been taken as the plant’s cost estimation efficiency parameters.
Discount Rate Calculation
Internal rate of return (IRR) and Net Present Value (NPV) calculations are the evaluation criteria to evaluate cost-benefit analysis. Equation 1 is used to calculate the discount rate of 8per cent based on the assumptions.
Where;
- Rt is the cash flow
- i is the Discount rate
- t is the time of cash flow
Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and Net Present Value (NPV) Calculations
The Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of the proposed project is the discount rate at which the Net Present Value of the project (NPV) is equal to zero, which means discounted costs are equal to discounted benefits. While IRR is calculated as
Some of the other investment of the plant is
- Planning and license requirements
- Concrete access roads and handling yard
- Investment cost of land and transportation
Quantitative Data Analysis
A detailed financial analysis is a key component of the current study. Essential calculations include cost-benefit analysis concerning the power generation capacity of the proposed plant. The internal rate of return (IRR) and Net Present Value (NPV) has been taken as the plant’s cost estimation efficiency parameters.
Discount Rate Calculation
Internal rate of return (IRR) and Net Present Value (NPV) calculations are the evaluation criteria to evaluate cost-benefit analysis. Equation 1 is used to calculate the discount rate of 8per cent based on the assumptions.
Where;
- Rt is the cash flow
- i is the Discount rate
- t is the time of cash flow
Internal Rate of Return (IRR) and Net Present Value (NPV) Calculations
The Internal Rate of Return (IRR) of the proposed project is the discount rate at which the Net Present Value of the project (NPV) is equal to zero, which means discounted costs are equal to discounted benefits. While IRR is calculated as
Some of the other investment other than the investment of the plant is
- Planning and license requirements
- Concrete access roads and handling yard
- Investment cost of land and transportation
Some of the assumptions to carry out further calculations are as follows:
- The plant will operate throughout the year.
- The cost of establishing an AD plant (in the UK) that processes approximately the same (tons) of food wastes generated per year in Tripoli is determined to provide the AD plant’s establishment cost in Tripoli.
- 1 The British pound is equivalent to 79 Libyan Dinar (LYD).
- The estimated rate might be +/– 15%
Quantitative Data Analysis
As discussed earlier, the interviews will be conducted on Skype, a video call software that functions through the internet. The interviews have been structured to not last over twenty-six(26) minutes in which participants are asked a series of questions associated with the topic of interest. The interview’s initial questions simply attempt to explore the respondent’s job responsibilities within the General Authority for Environmental Protection in Tripoli-Libya.
The semi-structured interview questions used in the current research are found in Appendix B. The interview’s remaining seven questions examine the respondent’s opinion on the anaerobic digestion plant as a waste management tool and a means for electricity generation. The questions attempt to explore the views of green energy and sustainable initiatives on a government level to comprehend the extent to which an AD plan can be implemented in Tripoli. The respondents’ responses will be analysed descriptively and then correlated with the data obtained from the questionnaire responses. The interviewees’ responses will be incorporated into the findings by describing the responses in parallel with the quantitative findings.
Ethical Considerations
Bryman and Bell (2007) stated that ethical Considerations are specified as one of the most important parts of any research. The authors argued that the following principles of ethical considerations should be considered:-
- All participants of research should not be undergone to harm in any way.
- Research participant’s dignity should be respected as the priority.
- Full consent from the participants of research should be obtained before the study.
- Ensuring that the privacy of research participants is protected.
- Ensuring adequate confidentiality levels of research data.
- The anonymity of those who are participating in research should be ensured.
- Any deception or exaggeration about the aims and objectives of the research must be avoided.
- Any communication types concerning research should be implemented with transparency and honesty.
In this research, although data collection involved questionnaire-based surveys and interviews, the ethics of the research are always kept first. The primary reason for conducting this research is to satisfy academic goals; hence, the population’s personal data is avoided in the process. The questionnaire does not include any contact information, identity card numbers, etc. The research is only done for academic purposes. Thus no details of anyone from the population are shared with any third party.
The interviews were recorded and then transcribed by the researcher once the interviews are complete. It should be noted that no identifying information was included in the transcription of the interviews. The recordings, transcriptions, and filled questionnaires will be kept in a locked file cabinet and on a password-protected computer located at the researcher’s residence. All data; transcriptions, audio recordings, and questionnaire forms, will be destroyed upon completing the project.
Limitations and Difficulties
This section describes the limitations and difficulties of the characteristics of the current study’s methodology, which may impact the interpretation of the results. One of the major research limitations found in the methodology is English as a primary mode of communication on the questionnaire form. This inevitably creates a bias in participants’ random selection because Libya is primarily an Arabic-speaking country. Developing the questionnaire in English automatically withholds a population of Libyans from responding to the questionnaire, which withholds opinions from a vast majority of the population about food waste management and anaerobic digestion technology for waste. Furthermore, it wasn’t easy to carry out a questionnaire survey regarding the data collection process. The main reason is that most people do not have any prior knowledge regarding AD technology. This may result in a lack of participation of some people in Tripoli to fill in the questionnaire survey.
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Summary of the Methodology:
This research adopts both qualitative and quantitative analysis methods. All the data and information are to be reviewed, coded, and processed using qualitative and quantitative analysis techniques. The quantitative data collected from the questionnaire survey are analysed. The results of the data gathered are represented by a set of techniques such as quotations, citations, diagrams, tables, and charts accordingly to provide more understanding, this i. This by using SPSS computer software. The reason for using this method of analysis is that this method is preferred rather than other methods because it allows greater interactions and a better understanding of the collected data and context (Flowerdew, 2005).
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