CHAPTER III

METHODOLOGY

3.1. INTRODUTION

Research method is a science of dealing with principles and procedures that are used to

measure, asses or evaluate the research problem in a research study. It may be understood as a

science of studying research problems. It requires a plan which stimulates work, and is such that

follow up work procedure is in conformity with the plan. In this chapter the investigator

discusses about type of tool, its administration, samples, variables, pilot study, data gathering

procedure and scoring of the present study in detail.

3.2. METHOD OF STUDY

The investigator selected the problem for the present study is concerned with survey

method. The term survey is used for the technique of investigation by a direct observation of a

phenomena or systematic gathering of data from population by applying personal contact. The

term survey and status suggest the gathering of evidence, relating to prevailing conditions. It is

one of widely used method.

In the words of F.L Whitney survey research is an organized attempt to analyze, interpret

and report the present status of social institution group of area. (Santose Gupta, 2010)

3.3. TOOL FOR THE PRESENT STUDY

The tool selected for the present study was Mahesh Bhargava Dimensional Personality

Inventory, constructed in the year 1981. This was a standardized tool, so there is no need for item

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 analysis. All the items included for the pilot study were included for the final study without any

change.

The adapted Dimensional Personality Inventory Measure Scale distributed to the students

in English and Tamil version. The investigator gives proper instruction to the students to fill the

response sheet. The investigator observed that all the sample subjects were answered with high

interest. Categories are well mixes to reduce the halo effect and the logical error and double-

barreled statements are avoided.

3.4. VARIABLES

On many occasions, in the process of research we use a term called variable. A variable is

a measureable characteristic that varies. It may change from group to group, person to person or

even with one person over time. A concept which can take a different quantitative value is called

variable. There are three types of variables which are Independent variable, dependent variable,

intervening variable and extraneous variable.

3.4.1. TYPES OF VARIABLE

1. Independent variable is the variable that influences another variable (the dependent

variable) but it is not dependent. For instance, rainfall is an independent variable.

2. Dependent variable is one influenced by another variable (the independent variable). It

is not independent.

3. Intervening variable is a type of variable that links the independent and dependent

variable. It is also called as mediator variable.

4. Extraneous variable is also an independent variable, but it is not related to the study.

Yet it may affect dependent variable of the study.

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 In the present investigation, there are two, Personality Trait and Achievement in social

science. Among these Personality Trait is an independent variable on which the investigator has

a control over. This control may involve manipulation of existing variable. Achievement in

social science is the dependent variable, which is observed and measured in response to

independent variable Personality Trait.

3.5. PILOT STUDY

Pilot study is the preliminary study conducted on a limited scale before the original studies

are carried out in order to gain some primary information, on the basis of which the main project

would be planned and formulated. It helps them to develop and lest the adequacy of research

instruments, to assess the feasibility of the study to establish whether the sampling frame and

technique are effective, to identify logical problems which might occur while using proposed

methods, to estimate variability in outcome, to help determining sample size for the final study to

determine what other resources are needed for the final study and to convince funding bodies and

stakeholders about the feasibility and usefulness of the study. All these response make it

necessary to do pilot study.

3.6. SAMPLE FOR THE PILOT STUDY

According to Good and Hatt defined a sample is a smaller representation of a large

whole. Thus, a sample is a portion of people drawn from a large population. A sample should be

a representative of population. (Nagarajan, 2008)

In this study thirty eighth standard students were selected from the government,

government aided, corporation school students in Coimbatore district.

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 Table: 3.1

Distribution of the sample for the pilot study

S.NO Name of the school Type of the school Boys Girls Total

1. Government Higher Secondary Government 5 5 10

School, Uthukuli

2. St. Philomenas High School, Government aid 5 5 10

Sowripalayam

3. Corporation Higher Secondary Corporation 5 5 10

School, Ramanathapuram

Total 15 15 30

The investigator after getting permission from the corporation educational officer of

Coimbatore district visited the respective schools and then got permission from the headmaster

and headmistress of these schools. Then with permission of the respective class teachers, the

investigator visited the classroom. Before instructions about the Personality Trait inventory, such

as how to fill the personal data, what is the purpose of this study and what the statements are

meant for, were given by the investigator. All the students co-operated well and filled the

inventory and then were collected by the investigator.

Personality Trait Inventory consists of 60 items. The items are 1 30 positive statements

another 31-60 negative statements and categorized under six dimensions. All the six dimensions

areas of personality trait are grouped as Part I, II, III, IV and V. Every one dimension has a 10

items of statements. All these statements are provided with a three point scale.

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 Positive Statements Negative Statements

Yes Uncertain No Yes Uncertain No

(2) (1) (0) (0) (1) (2)

Thus the area of personality, score may range from 0-20 and thus may be calculated area

wise and total score of each part may be obtained. Each statement has a highest score of 2. The

total score for all the option chosen by the student for each statement scoring was made on the

backside of the inventory, for each of the six dimensions. Finally the total score was found out

by the investigator.

3.7. TOOL FOR THE FINAL STUDY

The tool selected for the present study was developed by Mahesh Bhargava Dimensional

Personality Inventory,(1981). It is a standardized tool to use for the final study. In this study the

investigator used the following tools. 1. Dimensional Personality Measure Scale. 2. Personal

data.

3.8. DIMENSIONAL PERSONALITY MEASURE SCALE

It is a standardized tool. The tool consists of 60 statements each with three options. The

students have to readout the statements carefully and the students must respond the tick mark

only one place for each question.

3.9. PERSONAL DATA SHEET

To know the students background, the investigator used personal data sheet. It consists of

details regarding their name, gender, medium, locality of the school, family annual income, birth

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order, educational qualification of father and mother, occupation of father and mother, type of

school, achievement in social science mark. There are shows the various informations of the

students.

3.10. RELIABILITY AND VALIDITY OF THE TOOL

A reliable and valid tool plays a vital role in any research study. Reliability refers to the

consistency with which a test measures, whatever it measures. It is the degree of consistency that

the instrument or procedure demonstrates. It is feasible through a variety of statistical treatments

to quantitatively assess the reliability and validity of inventories and tests.

3.11. RELIABILITY

In this method same test is administered to the same group in two occasions. Then the pair

of scores obtained in two occasions is correlated. The co-efficient of correlations gives an

indicator about reliability. The investigator has given the inventory to a group of 30 students and

collected the data. After a period of ten days, the investigator administered the same test for the

same group of students and found the correlation coefficient value found to be 0.86. Since the

value is high tool was found to be reliable.

3.12. VALIDITY

Validity may be defined as the accuracy with which a test measures whatever if is

supposed to measure. The validity of the facts obtained can be verified by 1.Probing beneath the

answers, 2.cross check question, 3. Check by other records, 4.Use of expert panel, 5. Sieve

question, 6. Pre-testing.the common method of observing validity is factorial content and

concurrent validity.

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3.12.1. FACTORIAL VALIDITY

The validity established by comparing the test scores with obtained by administrating the

test tool with a similar tool of the same content already existing.

3.12.2. CONCURRENT VALIDITY

The validity established by comparing a test with some other measure of the same

phenomenon obtained simultaneously.

The validity demands that the requirements of the course content in terms of the subject

matter as well as the objectives should be tested completely and without going beyond the scope.

In this study Personality Trait measure scale is used to collect data and it is already

standardized one. The investigator has established the content validity of the Personality Trait

measures by giving the tool to the experts in psychology and education. They agree all the items.

Therefore all the items in the scales are used for collection.

3.13. SAMPLE FOR THE FINAL STUDY

A sample of 244 students from four types of managements, namely the government,

government aided, corporation and private school students in Coimbatore district were selected

by the investigator for the present study. The sample includes both boys and girls from rural and

urban schools selected. Both Tamil and English medium students from secondary level students

were included in the total sample.

The table shows that in the total sample are 244. The male is 128 (52.46%) and female is

116 (47.54%) of secondary level students.

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 Table: 3.2

Gender wise distribution of the sample

Gender N Percentage (%)

Male 128 52.46

Female 116 47.54

Total 244 100

The distribution of the sample for the final study was tabulated below.

Table: 3.3

Sample for the Final Study

Number of Students

S NO Name of the School Boys Girls Total

1. Government Higher Secondary School, 15 15 30

Uthukuli

2. St. Philomenas High School, 17 15 32

Sowripalayam

3. Corporation Higher Secondary School, 17 12 29

Ramanathapuram.

4. Government Higher Secondary School, 16 15 31

Diwansapudur

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5. Government Higher Secondary School, 16 14 30

Puliampatti

6. Sri. Gopal Naidu Higher Secondary 16 15 31

School, Peelamedu

7. KrishnaVidyalayam Matric Higher 15 16 31

Secondary School, Diwansapudur

6 Lakshmi Matric Higher Secondary School, 16 14 30

Meenashipuram

Total 128 116 244

3.14. DATA GATHERING PROCEDURE

The investigator after getting permission from the corporation educational officer of

Coimbatore district visited the respective schools and then got permission from the headmaster

and headmistress of these schools. Then with permission of the respective class teachers, the

investigator visited the classroom. The adapted Dimensional Personality Inventory Measure

Scale distributed to the students in English and Tamil version. The investigator gives proper

instruction to the inventory, purpose of the study, how to fill the personal data and how to choose

options for the statements to the secondary level students. The questionnaire was given to each

secondary level student. After they had completed their responses the investigator collected it

from the students, the investigator made the data ready for analysis.

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3.15. STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES USED

The Statistical techniques used in this study are namely descriptive and inferential

statistics. Descriptive statistics mean, median, correlation were calculated. Inferential statistics is

used to find the difference among means of the subgroups t-test, F-test, chi square test and

Pearsons correlation co-efficient.

3.16. CONCLUSION

In this chapter includes the methods of study, tool for the present study, variables,

independent variable, dependent variable, pilot study, sample for the pilot study, scoring, tool for

the final study, reliability and validity of the tool, sample for the final study, data gathering

procedure and statistics techniques for used. The analysis and interpretation of the data are

discussed in the next chapter.

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