Research Methodology Report: Analysis of Student Needs in Universities

This report details a research methodology employed to investigate the basic needs of university students. The study utilized a mixed-methods approach, combining both qualitative and quantitative research techniques to gather comprehensive data. Key areas of inquiry included student demographics (age, type of student), income sources, sponsorship arrangements, accommodation status, transportation methods, healthcare coverage, employment status, and budgeting practices. Data was collected through questionnaires with a sample size of 25 respondents. Qualitative data, such as age and student type, was converted to quantitative data using pie charts for statistical representation. The study aimed to understand the diverse needs of students by examining the relationships between income, accommodation, spending habits, and overall student well-being, providing a detailed analysis of the various factors influencing student life and resource management. The report also includes references to support the research and methodologies used.

Running head: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 1
Research Methodology
Student
Institutional affiliation

RESEARCH 2
Methodology
In research where a variety of data components are required, a variety of approach is
needed. The application of a diversity of approaches ensures that the outcome of the research
matches or at least gives a formidable picture of the issue under examination (Goertz &
Mahoney, 2012). In the case study of the management of the basic needs of students in
universities, a variety of data was needed in order to draw meaningful conclusions. As a result,
both qualitative and quantitative research approaches were used in to collect data. These data sets
include age of the student, type of student, and source of income for the student, student
sponsorship arrangement, student accommodation status, residence situation, the number of
people they shared accommodation, means of attending to class, health insurance cover and any
assistance attached to it, student work and time spent at work, budgeting and spending practices.
The number of responses throughout research was kept at 25.
The diversity of the research requirements necessitated the need to have different
approaches (Lichtman, 2013). To understand the students better, their ages were obtained. This
data set is specifically important in verification and understanding the diversity of needs for all
students. During the research, four age groups were developed. The age groups include under 18,
18-25, 25-35 and above 35 years. An interviewee was expected to tick according to their age.
Proper conclusions are drawn if data is presented statistically. Therefore, this qualitative data
was then converted to quantitative by presenting it in a pie chart of the various ages groups. Data
about the types of students was obtained by grouping the interviewees into part-time and full-
time student basis. Quantifying data about the type of student is hard. Therefore to give a clear
depiction of, a pie chart was drawn of the two types of student was drawn.

RESEARCH 3
In most cases, the kind of lifestyle a student lives is dictated by the source and amount of
income. To understand this aspect, data about the source of income was collected. In the
questionnaire, the interviewees were asked to tick according to their source of income. Data
under this aspect was categorised into defunded, parents, sponsorship, education loan, savings,
and other sources. The data was then presented in pie chart format of the various sources of
income for students. Students who study under sponsorship arrangement were asked to provide
further information about the nature of their sponsorship. Data under this aspect was classified
into three classes: tuition fee, cost of living and tuition and cost of living. A graphic depiction of
the three classes of data three classes: tuition fee, cost of living and tuition and cost of living was
then drawn. Accommodation is a critical aspect in the managing of universities. Accommodation
data was collected in terms of the nature of the places the student live. These classes included
university campus, with relatives, private residence, renting off campus, rental unit and renting.
A pie chart of the various classes was drawn to provide a clear indication of the nature of
residence.
The respondents residing off campus were also expected to describe their residence
situation by awarding it core out 10. Interviewees were also asked to clarify if they shared with
other individuals in their residences. Pie charts of the various data sets under each data type were
drawn to help quantify the particular data types statistically. Transport health care and work data
were also collected. Students were asked to check in the questionnaires according to their mode
of transport to campus. The feedback obtained was then represented in graphic form in order to
easily depict the famous mode of transport to school (Ernst, 2013). Good health is a paramount
requirement for every human being. It is a requirement in the management of schools.
Respondents were requested to give data about their insurance status. They were to specify

RESEARCH 4
whether they possessed Medicare, hand private health insurance have no health insurance at all.
Respondents were also expected to specify about the management of the health cover. The
various data sets were then represented in pie charts.
The management of school entails a proper understanding of the places and how students
spent their time (Dash & Dash, 2018). Under this requirement, data about whether or not there
are students working and the nature of work—fulltime and part-time—was collected. Data about
the amount of time on a weekly basis the working students allocated to work also captured. The
two types of data were then represented graphically in a pie chart. Students’ spend money on a
variety of things. To manage them, their budgetary behaviours where also studied to establish
their practices. The results obtained were then graphically represented in a bar graph.

RESEARCH 5
References
Dash, M., & Dash, N. (2018). School management. New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers &
Distributors.
Everard, K. B., Morris, G., & Wilson, I. (2014). Effective school management. London: Paul
Chapman Pub.
Ernst, A. (2013). Comparison of Qualitative and Quantitative Research. Munich: GRIN Verlag
GmbH.
Goertz, G., & Mahoney, J. (2012). A tale of two cultures: Qualitative and quantitative research
in the social sciences. Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press.
In Cleland, J. A., & In Durning, S. J. (2015). Researching medical education.
Lichtman, M. (2013). Qualitative research in education: A user's guide. Los Angeles: SAGE
Publications.