Research Triangulation Strategy

 Some Problems in Research:

•        Inaccurate  Data i.e. Data acceptability

•        Biasness in Data Collection

•        Interviewer not match with population

•        Wrong research methodology i.e. usually use a single research method

•        Research data collection period is not justified

•        Research result based on false data

Importance:

•    Triangulation offers the prospect of enhanced credibility

• By combining multiple observers, theories, methods, and empirical materials, researchers can hope to overcome the weakness or intrinsic biases and the problems that come from single-method, single-observer, single-theory studies.

•  Triangulation, when used between qualitative and quantitative methods, can also  increase the internal validity of your research.

•   Often the purpose of triangulation in specific contexts is to obtain confirmation of findings through the convergence of different perspectives.

  Basic Concept of Triangulation:

•   Triangulation is an approach to research that uses a combination of more than one research strategy in a single investigation.

•   It is often used to indicate that more than two methods are used in a study with a view to double (or triple) checking results. This is called cross-examination.

•     It assumes that data from different methods will collaborate with one another, where the choice of methods is intended to investigate a single social phenomenon from a different viewpoint.

 Types of Triangulation:

•    Denzin (1970) extended the idea of triangulation beyond its conventional association with research methods and designs.

•         Types of triangulation:

1.      Data Triangulation

(Time, Space, Person)

Collect data from different times, spaces and peoples.

2.      Investigator triangulation

3.      Methodological triangulation

4.      Theoretical   triangulation

 Data Triangulation:

•        Time triangulation:

1.      Time triangulation, researchers collect data about a phenomenon at different points in time.

2.      Consider the season, Rainy day or sunny day etc)

•        Person Triangulation:

1.      Using person triangulation, researchers collect data from more than one level of person, that is, a set of individuals, groups, or collectives.

•        Space triangulation:

1.      Space triangulation consists of collecting data at more than one site.

Investigator triangulation:

•   Which refers to the use of more than one researcher in the field to gather and interpret data.

• Investigator triangulation occurs when two or more researchers with different backgrounds and expertise works together on the same study. To achieve investigator triangulation, multiple investigators each must have prominent roles in the study and their areas of expertise must be complementary.

•  All the investigators discuss their individual findings and reach a conclusion, which includes all findings.

 

Theory triangulation:

Involves using more than one theoretical scheme or perception in the interpretation of the phenomenon.

Methodological triangulation:

Involves using more than one method to gather data, such as interviews, observations, questionnaires, and documents.

Using different approach to the same topic.

 What is NGT?

 •  The Nominal Group Technique (NGT) is a variation of brainstorming where individuals come up with ideas on their own rather than as a group. Once different ideas are established, they are evaluated, ranked, and agreed upon collectively. The top-ranked ideas are selected as the output of this process.

•   What is NGT Process?

–       The process is a combination of the focus group discussion and voting phase that was developed by Varga-Atkins (2011).

–       It has 5 phases namely:

(1) Present key questions to the participant;

 (2) Silent phase;

 (3) Round Robin phase;

(4) Discussion/item clarification phase, and

(5) Voting phase. 

Ref: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triangulation_(social_science

 

Triangulation Case study

Title-    A Mixed Method Approach Enabling the Triangulation Technique: Case Study in Vietnam

• July 2015 
• World Journal of Social Science 2(2):1-13

• DOI: 
• 10.5430/wjss.v2n2p1

 View Full text

 Three Approaches was used here for primary data collection method:

1. Quantitative (Questioners to student)
2. Qualitative (Open ended questioner to student parients)
3. Nominal Group Technique (NGT) (VET teachers)

The above figure reveals that how the research framework has been designed.

The above figure was the ending summary result of the result. It is the result that was expressed integrating a result. The final finding is shown in middle.

References:

1. Book: Social Research Methods By W Lowrance Neuman
2. Methodological Triangulation: An Approach to Understanding Data Abir K. Bekhet College of Nursing, Marquette University Milwaukee, WI Jaclene A. Zauszniewski Community Health Nursing, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
3. http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/7008/sabinettriangulationhttp___content.ajarchive.org_cgi-bin_showfile.pdf
4. (PDF) A Mixed Method Approach Enabling the Triangulation Technique: Case Study in Vietnam (researchgate.net)

 

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