Learning to Express Oneself Properly - Dissertation Example

?Chapter III Methodology In the literature, review indicates that poetry, creative writing and other forms of literary arts are promising tools in addressing juvenile violence. Creative writing offers the venue wherein young people are given the opportunity to express their experience of life in a language and a medium that they can communicate with, using experiences that are not removed from their own reality; rather, tackling concerns and topics that haunts and define their existence. In this regard, scholarly articles agree that creative writing offers a viable option for a way out of violence. In this chapter, the methodology that has been used in the course of the research will be presented. Likewise, the justification, the research approach, ethical concerns and other key facets of the methodology will also be presented. This endeavor is undertaken not only to clarify the methodology applied in this study, but it also seeks to establish the steps taken to achieve the purpose of this study. The purpose of this research study is to determine the extent to which learning to express oneself properly (write and recite) has on the number of violent incidents among at-risk inner-city middle and high School male students during a school year. Another purpose explored in this study is to investigate whether or not messages presented to juveniles in a creative format (poetic form) has a positive impact on juvenile behavior. Research Design Research design provided the overall structure of the procedures the researcher follows in the conduct of the study. It involved the data collected and the analysis used in the research. For research, a combination of quantitative and qualitative study had been chosen because it provided the researcher the opportunity to play a vital role in the data collection and analysis, in the gathering of the literary narratives and the inductive logic employed in the study (Creswell, 2007: Hatch, 2002; Patton, 1990; Yin, 2009). Moreover, in the mixed method, the researcher is not only an active participant in the whole inquiry process (Hatch, 2002), but it also enabled the researcher to observe social facts experience by the youth (Crocker & Algina, 1986). In this way, the researcher was not outside looking inside the phenomenon being observed, but was inside the phenomenon together with the participants in constructing meanings and understandings for the articulation of the event being observed, and in this case creative writing and expression of oneself as a viable alternative to counter juvenile violence. The literary narratives provided the framework with which the case was described, and out from the stories, themes that could explain and explore the phenomenon (Hatch, 2002; Shank, 2006). The study was inductive primarily because the “researcher gathers data to build concepts, hypotheses or theories” (Merriam & Associates, 2002, p. 5). As mentioned earlier, the researcher had preferred mixed method because it enabled the researcher to be actively involved in the data collection and analysis, in the collection of literary narratives and in the discharge of the inductive logic used in the study. Furthermore, through a mixed method a holistic picture of the incident was attained since it seeks to understand the phenomenon within the social context or circumstances where it was happening (Janesick, 2004). For the qualitative part of the research, Creswell (2007) noted that there are five different approaches to qualitative research; “narrative research, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, and case study” (p. 53). In both the narrative research and phenomenology, the focus of attention is the life stories and experiences of the participants (Savin-Badin & Van Neikirk, 2007). It looks into the personal beliefs and attitudes of the participants towards the phenomenon (Creswell, 2007). As such, the personal beliefs of the participants become the focal point with which the phenomenon is to be explained (Yin, 2009). Thus, it demands that the personal beliefs and attitudes of the researcher be bracketed, for the investigation, to prosper (Creswell, 2007). On the other hand, grounded theory begins with the literature review and continues with the collection of the data (Merriam & Associates, 1998; 2002). This is because, in grounded theory, the emphasis is the description and verification of the phenomenon. Meanwhile, in an ethnographic research, the participant observes a large number of subjects in their actual and social conditions and the researcher then narrates the impact of the exchange to the reader (Creswell, 2007). For this research, case study was used. Case study is defined as “an intensive description and analysis of a phenomenon or social unit such as an individual, group, institution or community” (Merriam & Associates, 2002, p. 8). The case study was selected because of the “control an investigator has over actual behavioral events” and “the degree of focus on contemporary as opposed to historical events” (Yin, 2009, p. 8). Moreover, it enabled the researcher to be involved in the entire process of inquiry; thus, it gave the researcher the occasion in becoming an active participant in the phenomenon being observed. On the other hand, the quantitative part of the research used the data coming from incident reports of violence in schools and the conducted survey. In this study, the phenomenon observed was the positive correlation between creative writing and juvenile violence among African-American males in New Orleans. Case study was deemed as appropriate for the research because of the active role of the researcher in the inquiry process, the issue being tackled in the study is of contemporary concern and the narratives paved for not only the description of the phenomenon, but it also made room for the analysis of the event. Moreover, case study afforded an in-depth knowledge of the incident being observed since case study necessitates multiple collection of data from various sources, thus, giving a more detailed knowledge and understanding of the subject matter of the research (Yin, 2009). Research Questions The research intends to establish and affirm the positive interaction among creative writing (poetry and other forms of literary arts), expression and reduction of juvenile violence among African-American males in New Orleans via providing a wider picture of the subject matter. Likewise, this study can pave a change not only in the appreciation of arts as a vehicle to reducing juvenile violence, but it also offers a opportunity to renew existing curriculum and proffer alternatives that will make it more responsive to the problem of juvenile violence. In this sense, the research questions served as a guide and limitation as the study aims the realization of the research’s purposes. The two questions of the study are 1. Does relationship exist between learning to express oneself properly (write and recite) and getting involved in violent incidents among at-risk inner-city middle and high School male students? Hypothesis H1 Learning how to express oneself properly has an effect on violent incidents among at-risk African American Middle and High School male students. H0 Learning how to express oneself properly has no effect on violent incidents among at-risk inner city Middle and High School students. 2. Do presenting messages in a creative format (poetic form) help modify behavior among inner-city Middle and High School students? H1 Presenting positive messages to middle and high School students can help modify behavior. H0 Presenting positive messages in poetic form have no effect on middle and high School students . As stated, these questions were developed to “give direction to the study, limit the scope of the investigation, and provide a device for evaluating progress and satisfactory completion” (Hatch, 2002, p. 41). The impact of these questions was perceptible not only in the role of researcher, but also in the data collection and analysis. Context of the Study The context of this qualitative research was the experience of juvenile violence among African-American males in New Orleans. New Orleans was selected because New Orleans continues to struggle with a growing epidemic of domestic and interpersonal violence often resulting from stress related to incomplete recovery efforts from Hurricane Katrina, economic and housing challenges, the loss of community and neighborhoods, fragmented and broken familial structures, struggling schools, and untreated mental health issues (COMMONHealth Action, 2009, p. 3). Thus, in New Orleans violence is an “insidious public health crisis that jeopardizes the city, its children and youth, its residents, and their future” (COMMONHealth Action, 2009, p. 3). The time frame for this case study was four weeks. During the four-week schedule, the researcher conducted the interviews, follow-up interviews and further document collection. Likewise, the analysis of the data also happened during this period, which paved for the saturation of the data and emerging findings (Merriam & Associates, 1998; 2002). However, analysis, coding, description and interpretation continued after the four-week schedule. Participants were consulted relevant their narratives in the description and interpretation processes. This was done to confirm the validity and reliability of the data gathered (Creswell, 2003; 2007). Ethical Considerations Considering the sensitivity of the issue being tackled in this study together with the fact that primary data gathered for this study were all derived from human subjects, the researcher at all times, endeavored to preserve, protect and respect the human dignity and autonomy of all the participants. Some of the ethical issues concerning participation of human subjects include “(a) gaining permission from participants, (b) privacy and confidentiality of individuals, and (c) providing an accurate account of the data collected” (Yin, 2009, p. 73). Prior to the conduct of the study, the researcher contacted the prospective participants informing them of the study, its purpose, the questions it seeks to address, and on how their participation will augment this study. The researcher provided the participants all necessary information that would help them decide whether to participate or not in the study. Only after the consent of the participants was secured did, the discussion for possible schedule of interviews were set. This was vital because the researcher believed that the interview should be done during the time and at a place that the participants were comfortable. The participants, as well as proper authorities, were given the consent form so that everybody was informed that the participation of the interviewees was voluntary, and nobody was forced to share his story. In addition, to maintain the privacy and confidentiality of the participants, the researcher used “aliases and pseudonyms for individuals and places to protect identities” (Creswell, 2003, p. 66). Moreover, the researcher disclosed the data gathered from the interviews to the participants. In this way, not only the validity and reliability of the data were maintained, but it also became the venue for the researcher to establish a respectful relationship with the participants (Hatch, 2002). Finally, these ethical considerations are paramount in the validity and reliability of the data collected. As such, the ethical considerations mentioned in this study are essential for the entire study. Role of the Researcher In both the quantitative and qualitative research incorporated in the study, the researcher undertook active participation in the whole inquiry process. The researcher became the “primary instrument for collecting and analyzing data and, as such, can respond to the situation by maximizing opportunities for collecting and producing meaningful information” (Merriam, 1998, p. 20). It was necessary for the researcher that he/she was a skilled communicator, focused on a single phenomenon, flexible and comfortable in dealing with personal bias in order to arrive at a valid and reliable data (Yin, 2009). As a good communicator, the researcher was expected not only to raise the right questions, but also to establish a nourishing relationship with the interviewees, listen to their insights and responses and respect their stories as crucial in the understanding of topic (Hatch, 2002; Yin, 2009). In other words, the researcher was a skilled communicator not only because of the articulations of the questions but also due to the willingness to listen authentically their stories and narratives. The exchange became a two-way discourse with no dominating party (Savin-Badin & Van Niekirk, 2007). One “insight into asking good questions is to understand that research is about questions and not necessarily about the answers” (Yin, 2009, p. 70). This principle holds not only in being a good communicator, but is also true in view of the fact that in qualitative research one has to be focused on one particular phenomenon or issue (Yin, 2009). It is easy to be directed to various issues in the course of the qualitative research. However, with the identification of a single phenomenon, its clarification through scholarly articles and data gathered and analyzed to address it, the research becomes directed and focused. Flexibility is also another aspect of the role of the researcher. Although it may seem to explain better the position of the researcher towards some issues that may appear in the course of the study, it implies the idea that the researcher adjusts and become adaptable in face of unforeseen events (Merriam & Associates, 2002). This is vital in lieu of the fact that responses of the human subjects vary, and the researcher has to be flexible with the changes that are encountered in the inquiry process. One of the issues raised against qualitative research is that the research is tainted with the unique personal bias of the researcher. The researcher holds that one approaches knowledge, not tabula rasa. Kuhn (1986) articulates that one is never fully and unconditionally free from the conditioning that one has received. No matter how objective science and its players are purporting themselves to be, they are still highly influenced by the training they have received, the current trends and discussions in their field. In this regard, one’s research is always tainted with the personal bias of the researcher. However, does personal conditioning (bias) make the research less significant and incapable of clarifying the questions it is set to unravel? The researcher supports the notion of Kuhnian paradigm. There is no one sacrosanct theory in the quest for knowledge. However, the quest for knowledge is never perfect, even if the intentions are. This is based on the notion that people’s way of viewing things are influenced by some factors like education, culture, life experiences and the likes (Creswell, 2007). As such, one is never entirely free from personal conditioning/bias. In this regard, the researcher should always be on guard that he might be injecting his own viewpoints in the research. As a safety net, someone not connected to the research reviews the entire work. Methodology Framework The research was carried out in three phases. The first phase is the literature research, which was focused on finding the necessary scholarly materials that would help in the analysis of the problem of the paper. The second phase is the setting of the interview dates and the actual interview. The interview date was set at a time and place that the participants in the research were comfortable. Likewise, during the actual interview, the research saw to it that the narratives of the participants were those that were heard. Questions that were asked by the interviewer were only meant to clarify some part of the details of the story, but it was not intended to re-frame or re-direct the narratives of the participants. Likewise, during this phase, the group discussion for a more in-depth discussion and dialogue among the participants. Although was everybody was invited for the group discussion, not everybody was able to attend. The third phase was the distribution of the questionnaires. Selection of Documents For the literature review, The electronic databases Academic Source Complete, Jstor, PsycheInfo, Humanities, and ERIC were searched using a combination of the following key terms: arts, poetry, creative writing, juvenile violence, education, expression and. Articles written only in English and published in journals from the period of 2000 until 2010 were selected. Moreover, articles that provided a conceptual analysis of bribery and corruption in the context of Chinese construction industry have been searched. Likewise, included in the search are ethics codes and articles that used qualitative and quantitative research in analyzing the possible relationship among reduction of juvenile violence, arts, and expression. Correspondingly, excluded in the selection were editorials, case studies, position papers, pamphlets and monographs. The reference list of the articles was searched to identify additional relevant publications. Population and Sample For the case study, 12 African-American males whose range of age are between 14 – 21 and is attending or have attended New Orleans high schools. The age range 14 – 21 was divided into four groups age 14 -15, age 16 – 17, age 18 -19, and age 20 – 21. Each age group has 2 – 3 participants. In this study, each participant is considered as an individual case (Yin, 2009). Diversity in experience, age, beliefs, and attitudes were purposely incorporated in the selection of the participants in order to obtain varied and vast information, central to the subject matter of the research (Patton, 1990). At the same time, the variations reveal the viability for a maximum uniqueness in perspective and increase the probability of “shared patterns that cut across cases and derive their significance from having emerged out of heterogeneity” (Patton, 1990, p. 172). For the survey questionnaires, it was distributed to some inner- city Middle Schools and High schools. Since, the subject of the study was African-American young males between the ages of 14 -21, the questionnaire was specifically given only to those who qualify within these particular demographics. Data Collection Procedures This study used qualitative research – case study to address the issue of the possible positive interdependence among creative writing, literary arts, expression and reduction of juvenile violence among young African-American males in New Orleans. Yin (2009) suggests three principles of data collection and these are use of multiple sources of evidences, creating a case study database, and maintaining a chain of evidence (p. 114). In this study, the researcher, first determined the questions and from there “decide what information will be needed to address the problem and how best to obtain the information” (Merriam, 1998, p. 71). The primary tool for the collection of the primary data was through in-depth face-to-face interview and the group discussion. In the in-depth face-to-face interview, the researcher opted that the encounter with the participants was less formal and non-threatening. This approach was selected because of the sensitivity of the issues and experiences being shared by the participants. Open-ended questions set as the guide for the interview, and it allowed both the participant and the researcher to examine the issue together (Hatch, 2002; Yin, 2009). For the group discussion, it was intended to deepen what the participants shared. The group sharing was no longer just eliciting opinions and belief, but it was primarily aimed to investigate deeper into their responses and provided additional opportunities to explore perceptions (Merriam & Associates, 2002). The personal interview, as well as the group interview, happened during the first three weeks of the schedule. For the survey, the Likert range of 1 – 5 was used. This segment of the research is an integral in the study since the quantitative data provides a valid description of current conditions and an analysis of causal relations that may be inhering in the phenomenon being observed (Gay & Airasian, 2000, p. 11). Documents gathered during the entire data collection were not only limited to scholarly journals, but also other forms of literary arts such as poems, rap, stories and the likes were made available to the researcher. These documents provided clearer perspectives of the phenomenon without manipulating or re-constructing the meanings of the phenomenon (Hatch, 2002). Moreover, for research, notes and the audio tapes provided the secondary data for analysis (Yin, 2009). This helped in the assessment of the data from the interview and group discussion and assisted in the coding and identification of the emerging themes (Yin, 2009). For the chain of evidence, the structure and framework of the research became the benchmark with which to examine the connections and relationship of the evidences gathered (Yin, 2009). The three principles for data collection had been used in research in order to strengthen the validity and reliability of the information gathered in this qualitative research. Data Analysis In a qualitative research, the data collection and the data analysis were both done simultaneously so that the ideas, themes and questions may emerge (Hatch, 2002; Yin, 2009). Creswell (2007) claimed that in a qualitative study, it is crucial that the data analysis should follow certain procedures, which include data managing, reading, memoing, describing, classifying, interpreting and representing (p. 156). For this research, all of the above-mentioned steps were incorporated in the assessment of the gathered data. From the incident reports of violence, the necessary data and statistics, which provided the extent of violence in schools and at the same time, the trend of juvenile violence as experienced in schools, in New Orleans. While, the survey provided the researcher with the description of the phenomenon as observed and experienced by young African-American males in New Orleans. Validity and Reliability Validity and reliability pertains to the accuracy, meaningfulness and integrity of the entire research. In this regard, the researcher invested much effort in maintaining and sustaining the validity and reliability of the entire research. The researcher used strategies in order to ensure the validity and reliability of the research. These were First, by upholding and guaranteeing the ethical protection of all the participants in the research, the researcher secured the authenticity of the data collected in the research. This approach was based on the common perception that an ethical standard in the conduct of the study fortifies the validity and reliability of the research. Second, the researcher used triangulation in order to determine the internal validity of the data. Through the collection of data from multiple sources, the internal validity of the data collected was substantiated (Creswell, 2007; Hatch, 2002; Neuman, 2006; Yin, 2009). Third, member checking was also used in the study. The researcher presented to the participants the result of the interview, group discussion and survey in order to verify the accuracy of the participants’ information. Likewise, this allowed the research to correct found errors, especially from the qualitative part of the research, and at the same time became an opportunity for the researcher to get feedbacks from the participants. Finally, the fourth strategy that the researcher used to secure the validity and reliability of the entire research was the reduction of the personal bias of the researcher. Unlike, others who maintain that personal bias can be totally removed in a research; the researcher is one with the position that personal bias is part of our quest for truth, understanding and knowledge (Kuhn, 1996). The conditioning that the research received is not something that can be shaken off at a will. In this sense, the researcher worked hard for the reduction of the researcher’s personal bias through the assistance of an external peer reviewer. The researcher holds that it is through securing the validity and reliability of the research that a satisfactory quality research is developed. As such, strategies have been used in order to ascertain the validity and reliability of the entire study. Summary The purpose of this mixed-method study is to understand and ascertain the positive correlation among creative writing, literary arts, expression and a decrease in juvenile violence. In order to accomplish this purpose, the researcher adopts the mixed-method for this study. The research has been conducted in three phases. The first phase involves the collection of scholarly materials required for the literature review. The second phase includes the in-depth face-to-face interview and the group discussion. Finally, the third phase is the distribution of the survey questionnaire. All the primary data and secondary data that have been used in the study have been collected in these three phases of the mixed- method adopted in the research. The study is significant not only because it offers an alternative means with which the problem of juvenile violence may be addressed, especially those involving young African–American males in New Orleans, but it also affords the youth an option in the face of violence, and a possibility that empowers them to gain control of their lives ones more. In the following chapter, the findings and discussions of the study will be presented References Creswell, J.W. (2003). Research design qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. --- (2007). Quality inquiry & research design choosing among five approaches. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. Gay, L. R. & Airasian, P. (2000). Educational research competencies for analysis and application (6th ed.). Eglewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall. Hatch, J. A. (2002). Doing qualitative research in educational settings. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. Janesick, V. J. 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