A research design is the blueprint of the steps that the investigator takes to collect, analyze, report and interpret both quantitative and qualitative research. It is also a logical model of proof that allows the researcher to draw inferences concerning causal relations among variables under investigation. It provides answers to: Whom shall we study? What shall we observe? When will observations be made? How will data be collected? Research design enables the researcher to come up with solutions to these problems and guides him in the various stages of research.559 It can also be seen as a plan, structure and strategy of investigation so conceived as to obtain answers to research questions or problems.560
According to Cresswell, research design is divided into three: Quantitative Research Design, Qualitative Reearch Design and combined Quantitative and Qualitative Design.561 Quantative research design focuses on specific questions to gather observable data on variables while the qualitative research design entails broad data
557 J. Lofland & L.H. Lofland, Analyzing Social Setting: A Guide to Qualitative Observation and Analysis, 16; J. Lofland & L.H. Lofland, Analyzing Social Situations (2nd ed.), Belmont: Wadsworth (1984), 8.
558 H. Blumer, ‘What is wrong with Social Theory?’ American Sociological Review (1954), 19, 3-4.
559 C.F. Nachnias & D. Nachmias, Research Methods in the Social Sciences, 99; B.R. Dixon, G.D.
Bouma and G.B.J. Atkinson, A Handbook of Social Science Research: A Comprehensive and Practical Guide for Students, Oxford: Oxford University Press (1987), 104.
560 F.N. Kerlinger, Foundations of Behavioural Research (3rd ed.), New York: Kinehart and Winston, (1986), 94; A. Edwards and R. Talbot, The Hard–Pressed Researcher: A Research Handbook for the Caring Professions (2nd ed.), Essex: Pearson Education Limited, (1999), 32-33.
561 J.W. Cresswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 2nd ed. New Jersy: Pearson Education, Inc (2005),
collection which seeks to understand participants’experiences, the third category combines the features of both the quantitative and qualitative research design.The approach selected for this study is a mixed method design (triangulation) because of the categories of people involved in carrying out this research. This will enable us to obtain rich information. In executing this study in order to obtain answers to the research questions stated earlier, a cross–sectional study design otherwise known as
‘one-short or status studies’ and case study were used. The reason for using this is that this method ‘is best suited to studies aimed at finding out the prevalence of a phenomenon, situation, problem attitude or issue, by taking a cross-section of the population’.562 It is the most appropriate for our work as against other methods such as the longitudinal study, before and after study, retrospective and prospective study.
Moreover, this method is cheap and easy to analyse, and the research design is suitable to find out about the prevalence of syncretism among some Yoruba Muslims in Lagos State where I was able to interact with the people, while its weakness lies in the fact that the method cannot measure change.563
Case study approach was also used in which Yoruba Muslims of Epe were used as representative or sample of Yoruba Muslims in Lagos State. This gave us the benefits of gathering some data and organise them in terms of the case. It provides opportunity for intensive analysis of many specific details which are often overlooked by other methods .Generalisations were able to be made to other cases
562 R. Kumar, Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners, 93.
563 Ibid. 95.
of the same type.564 The method enables me to focus on some few instances in-depth, and also to deal with intricases of complex social situations. It allows holistic analysis and multiple methods of research.565Although the method is being criticised to the credibility of its generalizations made from its findings, confidentiality and observer’s effect in which those being studied behave differently from normal owing to the knowledge that they are ‘under the microscope’ and being observed in some way.566 All these limitations may be minimised if the researcher can be cautious in using the approach and make use of other methods of research design in order to make up some of its drawbacks.
4.2.1 Methodology and Execution of the Field Research Project.
The field work which comprised of a questionnaire and interviews took place between August and October, 2008 and 2009 respectively. The following two methods were used to carry out the field work: Questionnaire and Interview.
4.2.2 Interview Research Method
Interview in its simplest meaning is a conversation with a purpose.567Cresswell contends that interview is the commonest way of obtaining information from humankind. It is also a means of asking questions from participants and recording their answers.568 Interview can be classified into unstructured and structured interview; this is based on the degree of its flexibility.569 Unstructued interview is
564 R. Kumar, Research Methodology : A Step-by- Step Guide for Beginners,113
565 For details, see M. Denscombe, The Good Research Guide; for Small-Scale Social Research Projects, 45
566 Ibid, 46
567 M. B. Davies, Doing a Successful Research Project; Using Qualitative or Quantitative Methods, 164.
568 J.W. Creswell, Educational Research: Planning, Conducting, and Evaluating Quantitative and Qualitative Research, 2nd edition, New Jersy: Pearson Education, Inc (2005), 593.
569 R. Kumar, Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners, 123
where there is complete freedom as regareds the sequence, content and the structure depending on the context of the discussion. This method is useful where in-depth information is needed. Whereas structured interviews entail that questions will be asked based on predetermined format of the questions and answers in the interview schedule. Interviews may take the forms of face-to-face, by telephone or any other electronic media.570 Structured interview has the advantage of providing uniform information which makes data to be compared easily and few skills are required as against the unstructured interview. This method was chosen because Interview has the advantages of being useful in collecting in-depth information, it can also be applied in many occasions, there is no ambiguity in interview, questions can easily be explained and supplemented, it only requires simple equipment and it provides a rewarding experience for the interviewees.571
4.2.3 Face-to—Face (one-to-one-) Interview
(i) The semi-structured interview. According to Robson, semi-structured interview is used widely either singly or in conjunction with other methods.572 In this method, same questions are asked from all those involved, probing questions are asked to explain areas of interest.573This study employed this method in order to elicit information from the respondents. It follows a predetermined set of questions, using the same wording and order of questions as specified in the interview
570 Ibid,126
571 M. Denscombe, The Good Research Guide; for Small- Scale Social Research Projects, 203
572 C. Robson, Real World Research, 2nd edition, Oxford, United Kingdom: Blackwell Publishers Ltd (2002), 278
573 B. Ghillham, Research Interviewing: the Range of Techniques, London: Open University Press (2005), 278