CHAPTERl
3. RESEARCH APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY
3.3. DATA COLLECTION: RECORDS AND DOCUMENTS
For these interviews, one school, in the Inanda Central Circuit was randomly selected from the list of 12 schools; and one orphanage, which is in the same vicinity as the school. This was done using a random sampling number table. Five orphans were randomly selected in an orphanage and 5 orphans out of 16 from the school but who are living with foster parents or relatives were also randomly selected. This provided the researcher with 10 orphans, 4 boys and 6 girls. The age differences and grades were considered in both institutions. All these children were in the early adolescent to late adolescent stage.
This sample was considered as adequate for reliable data analysis. Munn and Drever (1990:11-16), indicate that random sampling methods are based on the laws of probability and involve the selection of sample which will allow equal chances for all cases or events in the total population included.
3.3.1. INTERVIEWS
Although conducting interviews is a procedure that is both demanding and difficult, it was the most appropriate choice of data collection for this study. While loss is very painful and distressing, the motivation of this study was to get rich descriptions of orphans' emotions, thoughts, and coping strategies. During the interviews, data was obtained through questions and answers between the interviewer and the participants.
Shaughness and Zechmeister (1994: 302) and Ayr (1990: 418) explain that, in a personal interview, a respondent can obtain clarification of unclear questions and the interviewer can pursue incomplete or ambiguous answers to open-ended questions. Interviews allow 3.3. DATA COLLECTION: RECORDS AND DOCUMENTS
For these interviews, one school, in the Inanda Central Circuit was randomly selected from the list of 12 schools; and one orphanage, which is in the same vicinity as the school. This was done using a random sampling number table. Five orphans were randomly selected in an orphanage and 5 orphans out of 16 from the school but who are living with foster parents or relatives were also randomly selected. This provided the researcher with 10 orphans, 4 boys and 6 girls. The age differences and grades were considered in both institutions. All these children were in the early adolescent to late adolescent stage.
This sample was considered as adequate for reliable data analysis. Munn and Drever (1990:11-16), indicate that random sampling methods are based on the laws of probability and involve the selection of sample which will allow equal chances for all cases or events in the total population included.
3.3.1. INTERVIEWS
Although conducting interviews is a procedure that is both demanding and difficult, it was the most appropriate choice of data collection for this study. While loss is very painful and distressing, the motivation of this study was to get rich descriptions of orphans' emotions, thoughts, and coping strategies. During the interviews, data was obtained through questions and answers between the interviewer and the participants.
Shaughness and Zechmeister (1994: 302) and Ayr (1990: 418) explain that, in a personal interview, a respondent can obtain clarification of unclear questions and the interviewer can pursue incomplete or ambiguous answers to open-ended questions. Interviews allow
the researcher active intervention and also to communicate with all participants as unique individuals for easier comparability of responses.
3.3.2. SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
After contemplating the considerable advantages of semi-structured interviews as compared to structured interviews or any other method of collecting data, the fIrst option seemed better suited for this study. When compared to structured interviews which call for the interviewer to stick closely to interview schedule, semi-structured interviews allow for greater flexibility and produce rich data by allowing the interviewer to pursue areas of interest that arise throughout an interview (Smith, 1995: 9).
The researcher needed much interaction with participants since they had to explain in depth their attributions for various life events or consequences. Also, the participants had to reflect back to their past experiences thus evoking powerful emotions. Current and unresolved traumas, their beliefs, perceptions and attitudes were tapped. This called for the display of warmth, empathy, genuineness, and the development of close relationships and trust between the interviewer and the participants.
Detailed interview schedules with questions to be asked followed by probes and follow- up questions were constructed (see Appendix B). The questions and answers used in the interviews served as a guide, allowing for the easier development of transcriptions and interpretation of data when doing discourse analysis at a later stage. These open-ended questions covered a range of topics that allowed the participants freely to elaborate on the researcher active intervention and also to communicate with all participants as unique individuals for easier comparability of responses.
3.3.2. SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
After contemplating the considerable advantages of semi-structured interviews as compared to structured interviews or any other method of collecting data, the fIrst option seemed better suited for this study. When compared to structured interviews which call for the interviewer to stick closely to interview schedule, semi-structured interviews allow for greater flexibility and produce rich data by allowing the interviewer to pursue areas of interest that arise throughout an interview (Smith, 1995: 9).
The researcher needed much interaction with participants since they had to explain in depth their attributions for various life events or consequences. Also, the participants had to reflect back to their past experiences thus evoking powerful emotions. Current and unresolved traumas, their beliefs, perceptions and attitudes were tapped. This called for the display of warmth, empathy, genuineness, and the development of close relationships and trust between the interviewer and the participants.
Detailed interview schedules with questions to be asked followed by probes and follow- up questions were constructed (see Appendix B). The questions and answers used in the interviews served as a guide, allowing for the easier development of transcriptions and interpretation of data when doing discourse analysis at a later stage. These open-ended questions covered a range of topics that allowed the participants freely to elaborate on
their VIews about how they are copmg as orphans. This freedom helped m the establishing of rapport with the researcher (Smith, Harre & Langenhove, 1995).
According to Smith et ai, (1995:12), Louw and Edwards (1997: 40-41), Ary (1990:51- 54), Richardson (1996:134-135), the advantages of the semi-structured interviews are inter alia the following; they are conceptualised as an arena in which one can identify and explore the participants' interpretative practices, and not as instruments for assessing a veridical account of something that happened elsewhere or a set of attitudes and beliefs;
They allow participants to provide in-depth information about their lives, which is valuable for qualitative research. Since this is a qualitative study all the above advantages were relevant to the use of interviews especially in this study.
Although there are advantages of semi-structured interviews, the researcher was aware of these important disadvantages. Any other type of interview whether it is structured, semi- structured, informal, retrospective, all have their advantages and disadvantages.
According to Smith et ai, (1995), Ayr (1990) and Richardson (1996), some the disadvantages of semi-structured interviews are that an interaction may be swamped by the interviewer's own categories and constructions; and, that this form of interview reduces the power the investigator has over the situation. To overcome this problem the researcher made it a point that the participants said as much as possible in their responses.
The investigator retained some power because the schedule with the guiding probes always amplified the explorations. In semi-structured interviews open-ended questions are used and are guided by the schedule that specifies themes and topics or sub-themes.
These themes and sub-themes were perceived to central the study because when doing their VIews about how they are copmg as orphans. This freedom helped m the establishing of rapport with the researcher (Smith, Harre & Langenhove, 1995).
According to Smith et ai, (1995:12), Louw and Edwards (1997: 40-41), Ary (1990:51- 54), Richardson (1996:134-135), the advantages of the semi-structured interviews are inter alia the following; they are conceptualised as an arena in which one can identify and explore the participants' interpretative practices, and not as instruments for assessing a veridical account of something that happened elsewhere or a set of attitudes and beliefs;
They allow participants to provide in-depth information about their lives, which is valuable for qualitative research. Since this is a qualitative study all the above advantages were relevant to the use of interviews especially in this study.
Although there are advantages of semi-structured interviews, the researcher was aware of these important disadvantages. Any other type of interview whether it is structured, semi- structured, informal, retrospective, all have their advantages and disadvantages.
According to Smith et ai, (1995), Ayr (1990) and Richardson (1996), some the disadvantages of semi-structured interviews are that an interaction may be swamped by the interviewer's own categories and constructions; and, that this form of interview reduces the power the investigator has over the situation. To overcome this problem the researcher made it a point that the participants said as much as possible in their responses.
The investigator retained some power because the schedule with the guiding probes always amplified the explorations. In semi-structured interviews open-ended questions are used and are guided by the schedule that specifies themes and topics or sub-themes.
These themes and sub-themes were perceived to central the study because when doing
discourse analysis seeks themes or issues almost the same category as a way of constructing coherence or selecting patterns of meaning. In this sense this made the data collected more manageable and helped in producing ideas in a logical and appropriate sequence.
Having an open "plan" is one of the disadvantages of semi- structured interviews in that it is more expensive, time consuming and takes longer to carry out. This study, however, was planned thoroughly beforehand, as the researcher was aware of this disadvantage.
Although there are these disadvantages the advantages outweighed them in a sense that this method was the most suitable for this study. This might be harder for discourse analysis but it can be conducted this way when and if time is planned for interviews. This number was seen as adequate for the interviews since in a discourse analysis we want to get participants to generate different conceptual and discourse patterns. A variety of differences and similarities were sought.