CHAPTER 2

METHODOLOGY

This chapter outlines the research design, the population and sample

selection, and the instruments used in the study. It also details the procedures for

data collection and the statistical treatments applied for data analysis. Together,

these components provide a comprehensive framework for the research

methodology.

Research Design

This study will employ the quantitative research design utilizing the descriptive

correlational approach. Quantitative research is the process of collecting and

analyzing numerical data. It can be used to find patterns and averages, make

predictions, test causal relationships, and generalize results to wider populations.

Quantitative research is the opposite of qualitative research, which involves

collecting and analyzing non-numerical data (e.g., text, video, or audio). Quantitative

research is widely used in the natural and social sciences: biology, chemistry,

psychology, economics, sociology, marketing, etc. (Bhandari, 2020).

Moreover, a descriptive research aims to accurately and systematically

describe a population, situation or phenomenon. It can answer what, where, when

and how questions, but not why questions. Also, this research design can use a wide

variety of research methods to investigate one or more variables (McCombes, 2022).

On the other hand, a correlational research design investigates relationship between

variables without the researcher controlling or manipulating any of them. A

correlation reflects the strength and/or direction of the relationship between two (or

more) variables. This research design is ideal for gathering data quickly from natural
settings. That helps you generalize your findings to real-life situations in an externally

valid way (Bhandari, 2022).

Apparently, It appears that this research design and methodology are suitable

since they will identify and describe the study’s variables, which are academic

performance and the school environment. The weighted mean test will be used to

evaluate students’ academic performance and school environment . It might also

assess and ascertain the current relationships among the variables in this

investigation. For determining the significance of the relationship between

respondents’ academic performance and the school environment, this approach was

suitable.

Population and Sample

The respondents of this study will be Grade 12 students of Tagum City

Regional Academy for Senior High School for the school year 2024-2025. Criteria in

choosing the respondents are the following: (1) should be a bona fide senior high

school student of Tagum City Regional Academy for Senior High School for SY 2024-

2025; (2) should be a enrolled Grade 12 student of Tagum City Regional Academy

for Senior High School.

Simple random sampling is a widely utilized sampling method in quantitative

studies with survey instruments. It is asserted that simple random sampling is

favorable in homogeneous and uniformly selected populations. In this selection

method, all the individuals have an equal opportunity to participate in the study

where the selection process is entirely based on luck. The simple random sampling

has benefits and drawbacks associated with it. It ensures unbiased, representative,

and equal probability of the population; on the other hand, it can be cumbersome,
rarely supported with readily available list of population, and challenging when

population is heterogeneous and widely dispersed (Noor & Tajik et al., 2022).

The total population of Tagum City Regional Academy for Senior High School

students is 938. Section Leadership with 61 students; Section Hamlet with 51

students; Section Behaviorists with 46 students; Section Cognitivists with 46

students; Section Existentialist with 46; Section Liberalists with 46 students; Section

Perrenialists with 45 students; Section Progressivists with 45 students; Section

Reconstructionists with 46 students. [In the computation of the sample size, the

Slovin’s formula will be used with a margin of error, which is 5%.

n = N / (1+Ne²)

In each section, the said formula will be used in computing the desired sample

size from each of them. The following table shows the distribution of respondents.

Table 1. Distribution of Respondents

Section Population Size Sample Size

Leadership 61 53

Hamlet 51 45

Behaviorists 46 41

Cognitivists 46 41

Existentialist 46 41

Liberalists 46 41

Perrenialists 45 41

Progressivists 45 41

Reconstructionists 46 41

Total 938 385

Research Instruments

This study will use two adapted research questionnaires as instruments.

These questionnaires are chosen as appropriate tools according to the focus of the

study. The two research tools will be presented to the experts for validation. The

research questionnaires will also be assessed for reliability by conducting a pilot test

to a group of not less than 35 students from one of the public senior high schools in

Tagum City who are not part of the study. Data will then be tabulated in order to get

the Cronbach alpha value.

School Environment Questionnaire (Baumgardner, 2023). School

Environment Survey Questionnaire for Students by Baumgardner (2023) is a 21-item

self-report questionnaire designed to measure the perceptions of the students on

how the school environment can help improve their performance. In this study, the

students will be asked to rate each item on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 for

‘‘strongly disagree’’ to 5 for ‘‘strongly agree’’. For interpretation, the range means,

description, and interpretation below will be used.

Range of Means Descriptive Interpretation

Equivalent

4.20 – 5.00 Very High This means that school

environment is manifested at
all times.

3.40 – 4.19 High This means that school

environment is manifested
most of the time.

2.60 – 3.39 Moderate This means that school

environment is manifested
occasionally.
 1.80 – 2.59 Low This means that school
environment is manifested in
few instances.

1.00 – 1.79 Very Low This means that school

environment is not
manifested at all.

Academic Performance Questionnaires (Morales, 2024). Meanwhile,

dependent variable of this study –the research skills – will be measured through an

adapted questionnaire called An Academic Performance Scale for Senior High

School Students: Development and Validation by Morales (2024). This questionnaire

is a 15-item scale that was designed to gather information about the perception of

students on how skilled they are in research. In this study, the students will be asked

to rate each item on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 for ‘‘strongly disagree’’ to 5

for ‘‘strongly agree’’. For interpretation, the range means, description, and

interpretation below were used.

Range of Means Descriptive Interpretation

Equivalent

4.20 – 5.00 Very High This means that academic

performance is manifested at
all times.

3.40 – 4.19 High This means that academic

performance is manifested
most of the time.

2.60 – 3.39 Moderate This means that academic

performance is manifested
occasionally.

1.80 – 2.59 Low This means that academic

performance is manifested in
few instances.

1.00 – 1.79 Very Low This means that academic

performance is not
 manifested at all.

Data Collection Procedure

Preparation of the Questionnaires. The researchers will begin by finding

already existing questionnaires that align with the study’s objectives and variables.

This process includes selecting appropriate question formats, wording, and scales to

ensure that the items accurately capture the intended data and minimize ambiguity.

Validation of the Questionnaires. To ensure the accuracy and reliability of

the questionnaires, the researchers will seek validation from subject matter experts

or experienced educators in the field. This step involves collecting feedback on the

relevance, clarity, and alignment of each item with the study’s goals and making

necessary revisions based on the validators’ recommendations.

Conduct of the Outline Defense. The research team will present an outline

of the study, including the research objectives, methodology, and data collection

instruments, to a panel of reviewers. The purpose of this defense is to receive

constructive feedback, ensure alignment with academic standards, and confirm the

feasibility of the data collection procedures.

Permission to Conduct the Study. The researchers will formally request

permission from the school head of Tagum City Regional Academy for Senior High

School to conduct the study in the school. This involves submitting letters or forms,

explaining the study’s objectives, and obtaining written consent to access the

intended participants and resources.

Conduct of a Pilot Study. A pilot study will be conducted to test the

questionnaires on a smaller sample that is similar to the target population. This step

is critical for identifying any issues with question clarity, response rates, or logistical
aspects of the data collection process. Adjustments will be made based on the

findings to improve the instrument’s effectiveness.

Communication with the Target Organization/Institution. After receiving

the necessary permissions, the researchers will establish clear communication

channels with the administration of TCRASHS. This step includes coordinating with

key contacts for participant scheduling, explaining the data collection process, and

setting expectations for the research timeline.

Data Gathering. The researchers will administer the questionnaires to the

study’s respondents. They will ensure that respondents understand the instructions,

address any questions, and maintain a neutral environment to avoid influencing

responses. All ethical standards, such as informed consent and confidentiality, will be

strictly followed.

Tallying and Tabulation of the Gathered Data. After collecting the

completed questionnaires, the researchers will organize and tally the data. This step

includes encoding responses, cleaning the dataset, and tabulating it in preparation

for statistical analysis. Careful attention will be given to data accuracy to maintain the

integrity of the research findings.

Statistical Treatment of Data

The results will be analyzed and interpreted accordingly, utilizing the following

appropriate statistical tools.

Mean. The mean, which is also known as the average, is the total sum of

values in a sample divided by the number of values in your sample (Hurley,2023).

This statistical tool will be used to measure the relationship between school
environment and academic performance of grade 12 students in TCRASHS.

Specifically, this will be used to answer research questions.

Standard Deviation. The standard deviation is a measure of the amount of

variation of a random variable expected about its mean (Lee et al., 2015). This

statistical tool will be used to quantify how much scores are spread out or close to

the mean. This will be used to answer questions.

Pearson r. The Pearson correlation coefficient (also known as Pearson

product-moment correlation coefficient) r is a measure to determine the relationship

(instead of difference) between two quantitative variables (interval/ratio) and the

degree to which the two variables coincide with one another—that is, the extent to

which two variables are linearly related: changes in one variable correspond to

changes in another variable (Chao, 2017). This statistical tool will be used to

determine the significant relationship between the school environment and academic

performance of grade 12 students in TCRASHS. This will be used to answer

research questions.