CHAPTER 2

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

In this chapter, we will discuss on the procedures used in carrying out the study

including: research designs, population, the sample size, sampling method, research

instruments, validity, reliability, data collection and data analysis procedures.

2.1 Research Design

In order to conduct the study by addressing the questions that posed in this study,

descriptive survey method was used. This study carries out a survey approach designed

to investigate how the various factors influencing the satisfaction with life among

students in Faculty of Education in UiTM Puncak Alam. Descriptive survey, as mention

by Orodho (2005), is a very useful method in order to gathering information by

interviewing or administering questionnaires towards a sample of individuals to obtain

data useful in evaluating present particulars which have not been controlled or

manipulated the situation. Using this type of survey the researcher looked at the nature of

the existing conditions in the selected schools. The study obtained views from the

Faculty of Education students regardless of the student’s semester background.

 2.2 Target population and sample

There were about 850 students in Faculty of Education. In order to provide a diverse

sample, courses from heterogeneous enrolment were chosen so that the widest variety

possible of demographical data could be represented. A 100 respondents from the sample

population were selected randomly from 7 major Education programme such as TESL,

Science Education; (Biology, Physics, Chemistry,) Mathematics, Physical and Health

and Arts in Faculty of Education UiTM, Puncak Alam from all semester. Before the

students graduate after studied for about four years in the Faculty of Education UiTM

Puncak Alam, we want to see whether they are satisfied with their life that might due to

their experience and achievement from the previous semester.

2.3 Sample size and sampling techniques

The researcher used random sampling techniques because the targeted sample was

among the students from Faculty of Education and the number of respondent from the 7

major education programme was divided as Biology Students, Chemistry students,

Mathematics students, TESL students, physical and health students and art students. In

this study, our targeted sample was among the students from Faculty of Education, so the

setting and sample selection for data collection was at the Faculty of Education UiTM

Puncak Alam. We approached, stopped and justified our respondent from the Faculty of

Education before we distribute the questionnaire and collecting the data from them. This

is compulsory so that the data gained was a pure data from the targeted sample.
 2.4 Research Instruments

The questionnaire was composed by two sections, described as follows: In the

first section, the following it were asked the age, gender, course and year of study in order

to develop a brief socio-demographic characterization of participants. The second part of

the instrument was composed by the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). The 5-item life

satisfaction scale (SWLS) was designed by Diener, Emmons, Larsen, and Griffin (1985) to

measure global life satisfaction. The SWLS has been administered to many different

groups and has been found to have a high internal consistency and reliability across

gender, ethnicity and age. This measure also exhibits high convergent validity. For

example, it correlates well with clinical ratings of satisfaction, a memory measure of

satisfaction, informant reports of satisfaction and scales assessing self-esteem (Abdel-

Khalek’s, 2012). The response format of the SWLS consists of five statements measured

using a 7-point Likert-type scale (1= strongly disagree, 4= neither agree nor disagree, 7=

strongly agree).

2.4.1 Validity of research instruments

The study adopted content validity which indicated whether the test items represented the

content that the test was designed to measure. To ensure validity, the instruments used in

the study were examined by the supervisor who is an expert and an authority in research.

2.4.2 Reliability of research instruments

The reliability of the instrument was determined using test retest method. Modifications

were made accordingly in order to improve the questionnaire.

 2.5 Data Representation

According to Mugenda (2008), data analysis is the process of bringing order and

meaning to raw data collected. After the questionnaires were returned, the researcher then

checked for completeness, accuracy of information and uniformity. Once the data was

obtained, statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS (Statistical Package for

Social Sciences), version 23.0. Descriptive statistics such as frequency distribution and

percentages was used to analyse the data collected. Tables were used to present responses

for each item that was used to answer the study questions. Furthermore, basic analyses were

performed to determine the levels of SWLS in the reference population. Based on the data,

independent t-test was used to compare the difference between male and female on their

academic performance.

Besides that, two sets of data involved in the study were analysed using the Pearson

product-moment correlation coefficient. The dependent variable, which served as the

measurement of the students’ academic performance (CGPA) and also the gender of

students. The independent variable was their life satisfaction as indicated from their scores

on the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). The Pearson product-moment correlation

coefficient was chosen as the method for analysing the data to arrive at the covariance of the

two variables in the study divided by the product of their standard deviations. This

measuring tool quantified the strength and the direction of the relationship between gender

and life satisfaction and also academic performance (CGPA) and life satisfaction as

identified by the correlation coefficient. This chapter provided the methodology used in the

study. The following chapter describes the results of the study, and examines each of the

hypotheses to determine the study findings.