Methodology is a set or system of methods, principles, and rules for regulating a given discipline, as in the arts or sciences. In the case of the questionnaire, we have chosen to do to both qualitative and quantitative methods to focus on the effect of stress on first year students in their first semester at university. The difference between the two is that Quantitative data is the data can be collected numbers and frequencies, this makes it easier to analyse and is fairly reliable, as the data is objective it is easier to test our thoughts on trends. Although the problem with quantitative data is that a large group is needed to be studied to have a true representation clarifying if our hypothesis is true or not.
On the other hand qualitative data is a subjective means of collecting data, this will help us understand how students in their first year feel is affecting their wellbeing and what they do to boost their wellbeing i.e. pray, nicotine etc. although the problem with collecting qualitative data that it easy for ourselves when measuring the data to misinterpret the meanings behind the data therefore validity of the data is reduced. (Schott, S. 2012 (online))
We decided to do half male and half female; this is because we would be able to see what males become more stressed about and what females are more stressed about and compare the data between them and analyse the methods that are used by the students to relieve their stress that they have so far at university. The questions are based around three of the major factors of stressed according to the NHS which is work, finance and social life, this is so the results we get would be more relatable to the students that we asked the questionnaire to.
Before we sent our questionnaires to students we did two this, first we signed an ethics form with was approved and finalised by Tatiana Gladkikh which consisted of signing a documentation to say that we have not used any live subjects, putting