Exploring Mentoring Strategies for Secondary School

Running head: DISSERTATION RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Exploring Mentoring Strategies for Secondary School Students in Risk of Exclusion
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

1DISSERTATION RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Table of Contents
Research methodology.....................................................................................................................2
Introduction..................................................................................................................................2
Outline of the research.................................................................................................................2
Research paradigm.......................................................................................................................2
Approach of the research.............................................................................................................3
Design of the research.................................................................................................................4
Strategy of the research...............................................................................................................5
Research sample technique and size............................................................................................6
Method of data collection............................................................................................................6
Technique of data analysis...........................................................................................................7
Ethical considerations..................................................................................................................8
Summary......................................................................................................................................9
References......................................................................................................................................10

2DISSERTATION RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research methodology
Introduction
The dissertation research methodology focuses on the variants of research tools those can
be utilized while commencing with any research work. This research methodology is constructed
with the aim of exploring the mentoring strategies for secondary school students those are in the
risk of exclusion. There can be various risks of exclusions such as ethnicity, gender, socio-
economic background and special educational needs. As a result, the secondary school students
are often at the risk of exclusion that is a matter of concern because the after effects on the
students are severe. This methodology lists the most suitable types of research tools for
investigating the topic so that the challenge can be acknowledged and mitigated suitably.
Outline of the research
As the topic intends to explore the mentoring strategies for secondary school students in
the risk of exclusion, positivism paradigm, deductive approach, descriptive design, survey
strategy and probability sampling technique are the most suitable ones. Hence, 50 secondary
school teachers can be selected using the mentioned sampling technique and large number of
opinion can be collected easily in the light of the research topic. In accordance with the
aforementioned tools, the method of collecting and analyzing used are primary and quantitative.
The list of methodological tools mentioned is appropriate and enables to explore the research
topic in detail and contribute quality information to the existing secondary resources.
Research paradigm
Research paradigm is said to be wide framework dealing with perception, belief and
understanding within which practices and theories operate. Hence, research paradigm indicates

3DISSERTATION RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
the pre-structural perceptions, understanding and conceptualizations (Kumar 2019). The main
components of research paradigm are ontology, epistemology and methodology. Epistemology is
defined as the philosophical branch that is dealing with the origin, nature, methods and limit of
knowledge of research whereas ontology is concerned with being or the reality (Ledford and
Gast 2018). From the definition of epistemology, it can be said that this philosophy is more
concerned with knowledge in respect to the methods, its validation and the probable ways of
gaining knowledge in respect to the social reality. On the other hand, methodology is said to
constitute the general principles that determines the way social world is investigated (Fletcher
2017).
In the light of the current research topic, the most suitable one is positivism philosophy.
This is because according to the positivism philosophy, reality is independent and research
conducting research any time and any place are ought to come to similar conclusions (Cuervo-
Cazurra et al. 2017). The probable risk of exclusion for the secondary school students is more or
less similar and so are the mentoring strategies those can be used for preventing the exclusion.
Positivism philosophy for this research facilitates use of established facts such as the probable
risks of exclusion and the reasons as well thereby, explaining the aim of investigation (Snyder
2019).
Approach of the research
Inductive approach believes that sciences begin with observations with secure basis from
which knowledge can be obtained followed by reality impinging directly. Inductive approach for
researches give rise to generalized ideas out of the observations made that begins with singular
statements and ends up with universal propositions (Walliman 2017). Deductive approach is said
to highlight opposite characteristics from the inductive approach. For deductive approach, it

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begins with tentative hypothesis that leads to the formation of a theory that provides a probable
explanation for the specific problem followed by using observations for testing the hypothesis
(Aithal 2017).
In the light of the current study, deductive approach is the most suitable one. As the
research intends to explore the mentoring strategies for preventing the risk of exclusion for the
secondary school student, deductive approach facilitates the formation of hypotheses that
whether mentoring strategies can prevent the risk of social exclusion or not. With deductive
approach, the general thoughts regarding this topic can be reached to a single conclusion by
identifying each of the risks of exclusion of the students and selecting the most appropriate
mentoring of each of the exclusion risk thereby, preventing them (Page et al. 2017).
Design of the research
It is essential for the aim and objectives of the ongoing research to be linked with the
selected research philosophy and research design help in doing so by answering the questions of
the ongoing research. The designs for the research are classified into three kinds, explanatory,
exploratory and descriptive. Exploratory design offers opportunity to find out about the latest
happenings and seeking new in-sights for assessing the phenomenon in the new perspective
altogether (Turner, Cardinal and Burton 2017). Descriptive design presents accurate information
regarding the situations and events by making observations and reporting it to the people
(Creswell and Poth 2016). Explanatory design forms relationship between the variables by
studying the identified problem and explaining the relationship (Abdulkadiroğlu et al. 2017).
In the light of the ongoing study, descriptive design can be said to be the most
appropriate one. The suitability of descriptive design is appropriate because accurate information

5DISSERTATION RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
regarding the probable risks of exclusion for the secondary school students can be presented in
the study. The origin of the risks of exclusion can be identified and addressed followed by
critically analyzing the factors suitably. Once identified, descriptive design facilitates
interpreting and reporting it in respect to the findings of other researches. As a result, the most
suitable mentoring strategies and their role in preventing the exclusion can also be suggested
(Schoonenboom and Johnson 2017).
Strategy of the research
Selecting the most appropriate research strategy is essential because it helps in answering
specific research questions thereby, meeting the objectives. The different types of strategies used
in research are survey, interview and case study ad grounded theory (Erbe et al. 2016). Survey is
said to be the most widely used research strategy that is associated with deductive approach and
descriptive design. Moreover, with survey, large data sets can be collected that is highly
economical for research budget (Zednik and Jakel 2016). Case study research strategy deals with
empirical enquiry that investigates the agenda with real-life context. Grounded theory research
strategy is said to be a systematic generation of the theory that highlight inductive and deductive
thinking (Gatchel et al. 2018). Interview is also a widely used strategy that facilitates personal
interaction and understanding and exploring better (Salīte 2016).
In the light of the current research, survey strategy is expected to be most suitable one.
Survey strategy facilitates collecting data from large teachers’ population about the probable
risks of exclusion that students face while they study in their secondary schools. This strategy is
also economical for the study as large opinions can be collected that can lead to better
investigation. With this research strategy, the mentoring strategies those are suitable can also be

6DISSERTATION RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
known from the teachers’ perspective those can be used for preventing the challenge (Van den
Hove and Sharman 2017).
Research sample technique and size
Determining and selecting a suitable population for the research is necessary and for that
selecting an appropriate sampling technique is necessary. Sampling is said to be the calculated
selection of total number of people those represent the specific population (Robertson and Sibley
2018). As mentioned by Chandler et al. (2019), sampling can be categorized into two groups,
namely, probability and non-probability technique. Statistical test is the basis of probability
sampling technique whereas non-probability sampling highlights case and the samples are not
selected randomly thereby, indicating the chances of some population to be selected than others
(Etikan, Musa and Alkassim 2016).
In the light of the current study, probability sampling technique is the one to be most
appropriate. All the teachers’ have a part to play when preventing the risk of exclusion for the
secondary school students comes in the scenario. As the risks and the factors affecting the risk
tend to vary, so does the mentoring strategies vary based on the individualistic nature of the
teachers. Hence, probability sampling technique reduces chances of biasness for the current
study and different mentoring strategies can be known based on the teachers (Elfil and Negida
2017).
Method of data collection
For attaining the desired aim and objectives of the current research, it is necessary for
selecting the most appropriate method of collecting data. According to Lowry et al. (2016),
primary and secondary are basically the two methods of collecting data. The primary method of

7DISSERTATION RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
collecting data is said to be the original data that is collected from a recently selected population
that is study specific. However, on the contrary, the involvement of the use of past studies and
literatures is defined as the secondary method of collecting data (Moser and Korstjens 2018).
In the light of the ongoing study, the primary method of collecting data seems to be the
most appropriate one. Data in terms of the mentoring strategies can be collected from the current
teachers’ population of the secondary schools because they are the ones dealing with such cases
on a daily basis. The risk of exclusion for the secondary school students might be long lasting but
using primary method help in focusing on the recent risks of exclusions and shed light on
mentoring strategies considering the recent scenario and preventing them for the sake of keeping
the future of the students intact (Sheehan 2018).
Technique of data analysis
The collected data using appropriate methods need to be analyzed using suitable analysis
techniques accordingly else the collected data is unable to achieve the aim and objectives of the
concerned research. According to Silverman (2016), qualitative and quantitative are basically the
two types of technique that can be used for analyzing the data of the concerned study.
In the light of the ongoing study, the quantitative technique of analyzing the data can be
said to be the suitable one. Quantitative analysis technique offer better opportunities of
explaining the social cause that is the probable risks of exclusion for the secondary school
students by employing an objective approach. The opinions of the teachers in terms of mentoring
strategies can be explained in figures and numbers followed by effectiveness of the mentoring
strategies can also be determined based on values and percentages derived (Heeringa 2017).

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Ethical considerations
Ethics are significant when the completion of research successfully is concerned. There
are some list of research ethics those confirms the successful completion of the research. In
context to the current research topic, the data confidentiality, one the most essential ethics that
requires successful compliance. The ethics of data confidentiality indicates the need of keeping
the identity as well as the data shared by the respondents hidden or confidential. This is done
with the purpose of eradicating biasness and conflicts as difference of opinion is common among
the individuals. Hence, abiding by the ethics of the research improves the quality of the research
manifolds and serves the ultimate purpose (Golder et al. 2017).
Other than this ethics, forcing the respondents to take part in the research is also against
the ethics of the research. The end purpose of the research has to reach the selected population
thereby, convincing them to take part in the research. The selected respondents need to be made
aware of the importance of their participation in completing the research successfully. One of the
ways of ensuring willing participation is asking the respondents to sign the consent form at the
beginning of the research (Ryen 2016). In order to contribute valuable information to the existing
set of literature, information must be collected from authentic resources and the data presented
also needs to be unaltered. This retains the originality of the research and is considered to be an
important ethics for research (Schroeder et al. 2018).
In the light of the research topic, exploring the mentoring strategies for secondary school
students in the risk of exclusion, the mentioned research ethics are important and needs to be
followed for finishing the work successfully.

9DISSERTATION RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Summary
Therefore, from the information mentioned in the chapter, it can be concluded that the
selected methodologies are the justified ones and intends to facilitate research successfully.
Students play a significant part in shaping the future of any country and to do so successfully
they need to be educated suitably. As teachers, it is their duty to identify the potential risks of
exclusion for the secondary school students and using suitable strategies for stopping the
exclusion. As the risks of exclusion might vary, so can the mentoring strategies when it comes to
stopping them. As a result, using the aforementioned research tools intends to explore the
different mentoring strategies those can be used in preventing the risk of exclusion for the
secondary school students and ensure their education.

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