CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY

Chapter 3

Methodology



Chapter 3

Methodology

Research Method

For this report we have chosen a quantitative research method. Quantitative research is research involving the use of structured questions where the response options have been predetermined and a large number of respondents is involved. By definition, measurement must be objective, quantitative and statistically valid. Simply put, it's about numbers, objective hard data. A scientifically calculated sample of people from a population is asked a set of questions on a survey to determine the frequency and percentage of their responses. For example: 240 people, 79%, of a sample population, said they are more confident of their personal future today than they were a year ago. Because the sample size is statistically valid, the 79% finding can be projected to the entire population from which the sample was selected. Simply put, this is quantitative research.

The sample size for a survey is calculated by statisticians using formulas to determine how large a sample size will be needed from a given population in order to achieve findings with an acceptable degree of accuracy. Generally, researchers seek sample sizes which will yield findings with at least a 95% confidence level (which means that if you repeated the survey 100 times, 95 times out of a hundred, you would get the same response) and a plus/minus 5 percentage points margin of error. Many survey samples are designed to produce smaller margins of error.

Sample Size

The sample size for this research is sizable and it is more than 30, the participants were representing a normal population distribution.

Participants

The research uses the data from two groups of participants:

The experimental group

The Control Group

The experimental group

The experimental group consisted of 30 students, age range between six and eight year old. The experimental group consisted of 24 males and 6 females. Twenty five of the participants come from middle socioeconomic status, the rest have a low socioeconomic background. Ethnicity and background vary among the participants. Ethnicities of participants are as follow, White (18), Hispanic (10), others (2).

The Control Group

Control group: participants were compared to age- matched peers who were diagnosed with autism and attend the same program for children with autism at Miller elementary school.

The control group consisted of 30 students, age range between six and eight and half year old. 22 males and 8 females. Twenty five of the participants come from middle socioeconomic status, one form high socioeconomic status, and four from low socioeconomic status.

Selection criteria

All participants for the experiment and the control group are selected randomly. All participants including experimental and control groups are diagnosed with autism between the age three and five. They all are exhibit immediate echolalia and disturbance of language and communications. They all are attending the highly structured educational program for children with autism at Miller Elementary School, Buena Park city. Participants are divided into groups in the class based on academic performance for that age group. Teachers are rotating between groups. There is no concern with hearing or vision for all ...