I'm halfway of my research project. By halfway, I mean I have to revise my research questions, research objectives, research hypothesis, research framework, cut down my questionnaire items, get at least 300 respondents (I've obtained around 220, 80 more to go), analyse my data, and then re-write Chapter 4 & 5.
Seriously, just thinking about it gives me breakouts. My face is literally full of pimples from the stress of writing a thesis. How I loathe this whole journey!
Anyway, no point in moaning about it because it still needs to be done anyway. I just need to reduce the damage and trim my research work here and there. Before I'm consumed by sheer panic and overwhelmed from all this chaos (moving, going back to work NEXT WEEK!, and finishing my report), let's analyze all the things I have to do:
Chapter 1
Re-write my research questions and research objectives.
Previously I want to find out which concept influences people to be loyal to cloth diaper, perceived value (CV) or environmental concern (EC)? Now I realize that that Holbrook typology has included altruistic value which is indirectly linked to EC anyway, so why do I have to study EC? If people decide to be loyal to the product because it offers the feel-good value due to protecting the environment, it's just redundant to inspect whether they are environmentally concerned or not (obviously people who rate altruistic value as low has low EC).
So now, with EC out of the proposed framework, I'll just focus on the CV. Which value has the strongest effect on loyalty? Do I need to have attitude as mediating factor, or try to establish that CV has a direct effect on loyalty? I have to go back to my literature review.
Chapter 2
1. Identify 5 journal articles for each variable
- articles that define each CV and loyalty intentions. Because I need to justify my questionnaire item. Why I use Zeithaml, Parasuraman et al item to measure loyalty intentions.
2. Identify 5 journal articles that establish the relationship between CV and loyalty.
Previous studies always examine satisfaction as antecedent of loyalty, but luckily I managed to find one article (or is it two?) that states attitude are a better predictor than satisfaction.
3. Study on CD = identify which values are stated as the 'stay factor' and justify why I pick those values in my study (because this has been identified by users of cloth diaper in academic study).
Possibly, I can exclude Social Value if the outcome does not state this value as being significant. Plus, the initial analysis that I run showed that this value is not significantly related to loyalty intention in my study. So one variable out, less work to do.
Chapter 3
1. Revise my research framework.
Eliminate EC / Social Value from framework. Do I need to include attitude? On the plus, it's easier to justify because I'm just adapting TPB framework, and it includes attitude. On the negative side, more analysis needs to be done.
2. Reduce my questionnaire item.
In my naivety, I've included 59 items in my questionnaire - times by 5, that means I have to have at least 345 reusable data! I really did not think about the consequences and the worst it could do to my data is people start to get impatient and simply tick the answer without really reading it through! The only good thing about this is I have overdone, which means I have more than data than I need. Since I'm targeting only 250 respondents to analyze, I have to cut down to maximum 50 items.
3. Revise my hypotheses.
This pretty much depends on my research framework.
Well, that's some of the things I have to re-do, before I can move on to Chapter 4 & 5. I have to think whether to use SEM or non-parametric test for data analysis, and if SEM is much easier, I have to tweak my data slightly to make it more or less normal (currently it's skewed to the right).
Deep breath.
I can do this. Dear God please help me.
Seriously, just thinking about it gives me breakouts. My face is literally full of pimples from the stress of writing a thesis. How I loathe this whole journey!
Anyway, no point in moaning about it because it still needs to be done anyway. I just need to reduce the damage and trim my research work here and there. Before I'm consumed by sheer panic and overwhelmed from all this chaos (moving, going back to work NEXT WEEK!, and finishing my report), let's analyze all the things I have to do:
Chapter 1
Re-write my research questions and research objectives.
Previously I want to find out which concept influences people to be loyal to cloth diaper, perceived value (CV) or environmental concern (EC)? Now I realize that that Holbrook typology has included altruistic value which is indirectly linked to EC anyway, so why do I have to study EC? If people decide to be loyal to the product because it offers the feel-good value due to protecting the environment, it's just redundant to inspect whether they are environmentally concerned or not (obviously people who rate altruistic value as low has low EC).
So now, with EC out of the proposed framework, I'll just focus on the CV. Which value has the strongest effect on loyalty? Do I need to have attitude as mediating factor, or try to establish that CV has a direct effect on loyalty? I have to go back to my literature review.
Chapter 2
1. Identify 5 journal articles for each variable
- articles that define each CV and loyalty intentions. Because I need to justify my questionnaire item. Why I use Zeithaml, Parasuraman et al item to measure loyalty intentions.
2. Identify 5 journal articles that establish the relationship between CV and loyalty.
Previous studies always examine satisfaction as antecedent of loyalty, but luckily I managed to find one article (or is it two?) that states attitude are a better predictor than satisfaction.
3. Study on CD = identify which values are stated as the 'stay factor' and justify why I pick those values in my study (because this has been identified by users of cloth diaper in academic study).
Possibly, I can exclude Social Value if the outcome does not state this value as being significant. Plus, the initial analysis that I run showed that this value is not significantly related to loyalty intention in my study. So one variable out, less work to do.
Chapter 3
1. Revise my research framework.
Eliminate EC / Social Value from framework. Do I need to include attitude? On the plus, it's easier to justify because I'm just adapting TPB framework, and it includes attitude. On the negative side, more analysis needs to be done.
2. Reduce my questionnaire item.
In my naivety, I've included 59 items in my questionnaire - times by 5, that means I have to have at least 345 reusable data! I really did not think about the consequences and the worst it could do to my data is people start to get impatient and simply tick the answer without really reading it through! The only good thing about this is I have overdone, which means I have more than data than I need. Since I'm targeting only 250 respondents to analyze, I have to cut down to maximum 50 items.
3. Revise my hypotheses.
This pretty much depends on my research framework.
Well, that's some of the things I have to re-do, before I can move on to Chapter 4 & 5. I have to think whether to use SEM or non-parametric test for data analysis, and if SEM is much easier, I have to tweak my data slightly to make it more or less normal (currently it's skewed to the right).
Deep breath.
I can do this. Dear God please help me.
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