Mass Media and Acculturation in Taiwanese ESL Learners: Methodology

Introduction and Research Design

To conduct this relational study, a descriptive research method adapting self-report survey instruments will be utilized. This will include an online survey as well as a snowballing questionnaire.

This particular method of data collection was chosen for several reasons. In general, self-reporting has been shown to provide the widest range of data and allows for a more comprehensive sample and respondent base, which in turn enables the analysis of both the central and peripheral variables to be more inclusive, providing more verifiable results. The specific reasons for selecting this methodology are discussed in detail below.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Self-Reports as a Methodology

The self-report method was used as it was considered to be the most appropriate methodology to test the central hypothesis of this study. As McDonald (2008) states in a study entitled Measuring Personality Constructs: The Advantages and Disadvantages of Self-Reports, Informant Reports and Behavioural Assessments, "the validity of a measurement device refers to the extent to which it actually measures what it intends to measure. Construct validity, then, refers to the accuracy of a measurement of the theoretical concept" (McDonald, 2008, p. 1).

The study also raises the important question of whether it is possible to measure personality and behavior in the same way that one would measure physical attributes. McDonald notes that self-reporting as a measurement of perception and personality is used extensively in modern research, and that "98% of the studies assessing personality traits published in the Journal of Research in Personality in 2003 used self-report measures" (McDonald, 2008, p. 2).

The advantages of self-reports as well as informant reports in terms of behavioral assessment are as follows. First, the individual can provide a great deal of insight and information through a simple five-factor response model and through the expression of "relatively enduring patterns of thoughts, feelings, and actions" (McDonald, 2008, p. 2). Furthermore, self-reports can provide a wealth of data not easily accessed by other means: "no one else has access to more information than oneself, and this information is rich with motivational and other introspective details that others might not be aware of" (McDonald, 2008, p. 2). Self-reported questionnaires are also advantageous in that respondents are likely to be "more motivated to talk about themselves than others, and they identify with the questions in ways that others do not" (McDonald, 2008, p. 3).

On the other hand, one must also take into account the fact that "self-reports are a fallible source of data, and minor changes in question wording, question format, or question context can result in major changes in the obtained results" (McDonald, 2008, p. 3). There are many potential problems of which the researcher must be aware. These include the fact that self-reports may contain biases — an aspect that was specifically addressed in the design of the present study.

In this study, the self-reporting method is combined with online surveys and snowballing questionnaires. The use of online surveys has become increasingly accepted as a research method for collecting data about individual perceptions. Whereas online surveys were previously seen as somewhat clumsy, difficult to implement, and unreliable in certain respects, improvements in communications technology and survey implementation have altered this view. As one study on this topic notes, "Studies of online populations have led to an increase in the use of online surveys, presenting scholars with new challenges in terms of applying traditional survey research methods to the study of online behavior and Internet use" (Wright, 2005). Wright also notes that "Today, survey authoring software packages and online survey services make online survey research much easier and faster" (Wright, 2005).

Advantages of Online Surveys

One of the most obvious advantages is that technology enables access to respondents who reside in distant locations and who may be difficult to reach. Furthermore, this method provides automated data collection, which frees the researcher for analysis and variable collation rather than spending time on data gathering (Wright, 2005).

There are, however, certain disadvantages that must be considered — chief among them concerns about the validity of data received. Various studies have also noted issues "surrounding the design, implementation, and evaluation of an online survey" (Wright, 2005).

A central factor in favor of this form of data collection is that radically improved access to computers and decreasing bandwidth costs have meant that more people use the Internet, ensuring a large and representative base from which to draw respondents (Fox et al., 2001). This view is endorsed by many studies on the effectiveness of online survey techniques: "Communication researchers may find the Internet an especially rich domain for conducting survey research. Virtual communities have flourished online, and hundreds of thousands of people regularly participate in discussions about almost every conceivable issue and interest" (Wright, 2005).

The current proliferation of networking and virtual communities works to the advantage of the online researcher. As Furlong (1989) and Wright (2000) state, online networks and virtual communities offer various mechanisms that allow the researcher to gain access to individuals with similar interests and experiences — an obvious advantage given the topic and aim of this study. As Wright (2005) claims, "In contrast, with traditional survey research methods it may be more difficult to reach a large number of demographically-similar people."

While this method was used for this research, cognizance was also taken of the aforementioned disadvantages, particularly the potential problem with regard to sampling. As Wright (2005) notes, "When conducting online research, investigators can encounter problems as regards sampling. For example, relatively little may be known about the characteristics of people in online communities, aside from some basic demographic variables, and even this information may be questionable."

The choice of this methodology is nonetheless fully supported by studies of online survey methods, which find that "response rates in email surveys are equal to or better than those for traditional mailed surveys" (Wright, 2005). Snowball sampling was also used in the collection and collation of data, as this method is more effective than random sampling and provides a more even distribution of responses.