Chapter 3

Research Methodology

This chapter tackles the plan or strategy that was implemented in the
research work. It includes the research method, population and sample size,
sampling technique, description of the respondents, instrumentation, data
gathering procedures, and statistical treatment of data which were all used in this
study. This chapter is concerned in the whole research process. It gives rationale
for adopting or applying such techniques or methods in the stages of data
collection.

Research Design

This study utilizes the descriptive research method because it focuses at

the present condition, and the purpose is to find new truth. The truth may have

different form such as increase insights into factors which are operating the

discovery of influences, a more accurate formulation of the problem to be solved.

This research describes the factors that influence STEM students in choosing

course in college which were based on their responses to the questionnaire

given to them.

According to Dalen descriptive research is not simply a routine fact-finding

activity. Its strength lies in describing the status of present phenomena as well as

identifying the relationships between and among variables associated with

occurrences. (Dalen 32)

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Research Locale

Figure 1 represents the map of Santa Maria, Bulacan, where the study

takes place. The chosen school, Sacred Heart Academy of Sta. Maria (Bulacan),

Inc. is considered as the first private school in Santa Maria, Bulacan that gives

quality education and molds professionals. The school is built around 1963. The

school is divided into three buildings established in different areas: the old

building for the elementary students, the main building and the Annex building for

junior and senior students.

The school offers elementary, junior high school and senior high school.

Its senior high school offers two tracks which are Academic track (Accountancy,

Business and Management (ABM); General Academic Strand (GAs); Humanities

and Social Sciences (HUMSS); and Science, Technology, Engineering and

Mathematics (STEM) and Technical-Vocational Livelihood (TVL) track (Home

Economics (HE)).

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 Figure 1. Research Locale

Population, Sample Size and Sampling Technique

The respondents of this study were the Grade 11 senior high school

STEM students of Sacred Heart Academy of Sta. Maria (Bulacan), Inc. At

present, the population of the grade 11 senior high school STEM students at

Sacred Heart Academy of Sta. Maria (Bulacan), Inc. is 203 who were enrolled in

the school year 2019 – 2020.

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 To get the sample size of the respondents, the researchers used the

“Slovin’s Formula” which is,

n= N____
1 + Ne2
Wherein:

N = the population size

e2 = margin of error (0.05)

n = the sample size

n= 203_____

1 + 203(0.05)2

n= 203______

1 + 203 (0.0025)

n= 203____

1 + 0.5075

n= 203_____

1.5075

n = 134.66 or 135

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 STRAND POPULATION SAMPLE PERCENTAGE
STEM Force 41 27 20%
STEM Speed 42 28 20.74%
STEM Velocity 42 28 20.74%
STEM Light 40 27 20%
STEM INERTIA 38 25 18.52%
TOTAL 203 135 100%

Table 1. Frequency Distribution of the Respondents According to Section

Combination of stratified random sampling and simple random sampling

were utilized for the sample selection, where each member of a population has

an equal opportunity to become part of the sample. In order to conduct this

sampling strategy, the researchers defined the population first, listed down all the

members of the population and then selected members to make the sample. For

this procedure, the lottery sampling of the fish bowl technique was employed.

This method involves the selection of the sample at random from the sampling

frame through the use of random number tables. Numbers were assigned for

each student in the master list. These numbers were written on pieces of paper

and drawn from a box; the process was repeated until the sample size was

reached.

Research Instrument

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 The instrument used in this study was the questionnaire checklist, which

was adapted in the unpublished undergraduate thesis by Fernando, Zyra Mae

et.al entitled “Factors Affecting the College Course Preference of the Fourth Year

Students of Roosevelt College San Mateo for the School Year 2014-2015” and

published thesis by Pascual, Nancy entitled “Factors Affecting High School

Students’ Career Preference: A Basis for Career Planning Program”. The

questionnaire pertains to the factors that affects students’ choice of college

course which are composed of 3 categories namely: 1. Family/Peer influence, 2.

Personal choice and 3. Job opportunity. These 3 categories were composed of

10 questions each. The questions in the questionnaire were listed according to

category to avoid biased result. Each question was to be rated as strongly agree,

agree, not sure, disagree and strongly disagree.

Data Gathering Procedures

1. Through a letter of request, the researcher asked the help of the

experts in the field to validate the questionnaire. After the validation,

the researcher conducts a pilot study in the selected senior high school

students in Sacred Heart Academy of Sta. Maria (Bulacan), Inc.

2. The researcher went to the classes of every section to distribute the

questionnaire checklist to be answered.

3. Then, the researcher got the result of the questionnaire and

established the factors that influence the STEM students in choosing

their course in college.

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Statistical Treatment of Data

The data gathered were given statistical treatment using the following

formula:

1. To determine the factors that influence the student’s choice of college course

in terms of peer/family influence, personal choice and job opportunity weighted

mean was used:

Weighted Mean:

TWF
WM = ———
N

Wherein:

WM = weighted mean

TWF = total weighted frequency

N = total number of respondents

The weighted mean of study habits is verbally described using the scale

below:

WM Verbal description

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 4.3-5.0 Strongly Agree

3.5-4.2 Agree

2.7-3.4 Neither Disagree nor Agree

1.9-2.6 Disagree

1.0-1.8 Strongly Disagree

To classify the students study habits the following arbitrary scale was used:

WM Verbal Interpretation

4.3-5.0 Very Strong Influence

3.5-4.2 Strong Influence

2.7-3.4 Fair Influence

1.9-2.6 Poor Influence

1..0-1.8 Very Poor Influence

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