CHAPTER 3

RESEARCH METHODS

3.1 Research Design

A mixed methods research approach will be utilized in this study specifically the triangulation

design. The purpose of a triangulation design is “to obtain different but complementary data on

the same topic to best understand the research problem” (Morse, 1991, p.122). This is a one-

phase design in which quantitative and qualitative methods are implemented during the same

timeframe and with equal weight. According to Creswell (2009), a mixed methods approach

employs strategies of inquiry that involve collecting data either simultaneously or sequentially to

best understand research problems. This enables both qualitative and quantitative data to be used

to answer the research questions. In quantitative data, the study begins with a broad survey in

order to generalize results to a population and then followed by a second phase, on detailed

qualitative, open-ended interviews to collect detailed views from participants and to develop

themes from the data. For the quantitative data, survey research is used to collect information

about the sample drawn from the population. Cross-sectional study is carried out at one point and

conducted to estimate the prevalence of the outcome of interest for a given population. Grounded

theory will be used as strategy of inquiry in the qualitative data. This will focus on the attempt to

derive a general, abstract theory of a process grounded in the views of participants in a study.
3.2 Selection / Subjects and Study Site

The participants who will be included in this research are the graduates of BS Pharmacy major

in Clinical Pharmacy Program of the University of Santo Tomas and are currently working as

clinical pharmacists. The study will be divided into two parts: 1) student-to-professional role

transition 2) professional-to-professional role transition. Selection criteria will be conducted for

the two parts. The participants for the first part are the graduates who have clinical pharmacy as

their first job or those who have experienced working in other fields of pharmacy (e.g.,

community, industrial) in their previous jobs but are already working as clinical pharmacists.

The participants mentioned in the latter are those who will continue in the second part of the

study. The basis for the sample size of this study will be from the first batch of graduates until

the present. The sample size of both parts will be different because some of the participants may

meet the inclusion criteria, while others may not. The study sites will vary on where the

respondents can be located.

3.3 Data Measure

First, a demographic information sheet (Appendix C) will be utilized for this study. This

consists of questions that allow identification of the prospective participants such as their

name, address, contact information, gender and age, and also questions that will determine if

they fit the criteria needed to participate in the study such as their work experience and

role/function in the workplace. Second, the quantitative data of this study will use a survey

questionnaire (Appendix A) which includes questions about student-to-professional transition

and professional-to-professional transition. Lastly, the qualitative data will use guide questions

for the interview (Appendix B) focusing on the strategies performed during role transition.
3.4 Data Gathering Procedure

After the approval of the ethical review, the demographic information sheets will be distributed

to all the graduates of BS Pharmacy major in Clinical Pharmacy from the bath of 2011 until the

present. Once the information sheets have already been filled and collected, screening will be

conducted to select for the participants who are fit for the criteria of the study. The study is

divided into two parts, therefore, the sample size for both parts will vary. The surveys and

interviews will be conducted at the same time. The participants of the first part of the study will

answer the survey and interviews about student-to-professional role transition, while the

participants of the second part of the study will answer the survey and interview about

professional-to-professional role transition. The duration of the surveys and the interviews will

last for about 10 to 15 minutes and 45 minutes to 2 hours, respectively. The surveys will be

collected in the form of papers, and the interview will be recorded using a voice recorder.

3.5. Ethical Consideration

To complete research with appropriate research guidelines, we applied for an Ethical Review

Approval from UST Faculty of Pharmacy before the conduct of study. Informed consent forms

will be explained to the participants and appropriate permission will also be ensured for usage

of their given data. Confidentiality of the responses will be maintained strictly to ensure privacy

of their data. The disclosure of respondent identity will be based on their permission where if
they are not to disclose identity, their identity will not be exhibited. Hence, the ethical aspect of

research will be followed very strictly in this research.

3.6. Mode of Analysis

The quantitative method of this study will make use of frequency analysis. Frequency analysis

is a descriptive statistical method that shows the number of occurrences of each response chosen

by the respondents (Braun and Clarke, 2006, p.82). In this method, the measures of central

tendency – such as the mean, median, and mode – can also be calculated. This type of analysis

makes use of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), a Windows based program

that can be used to perform data entry and analysis and to create tables and graphs (Thomas,

2007, p.5).

The qualitative method of this study will make use of grounded theory analysis. Grounded theory

analysis is a complex iterative process. In this approach, generative questions, which are not

intended to be either static or confining, are raised to guide the research (Research Methods

Knowledge Base, 2006). Its early stage is considered to be general, and its latter stage is more

focused on verification and summary.

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