METHODOLOGY

This project definitely involves many steps, and we have already planned our methodology to complete the project.

Reseach - First part is definitely the background research. We have borrowed books and photostated articles from the NUS library to do some reading on. These information has thought us on how to conduct proper field research and formulate survey questions, something we weren't too clear about beforehand. We also found some articles and speeches on voluntarism that could help us in formulating our hypothesis and give us some sort of a guide. We did a few literature reviews and in all, the knowledge we gained from initial research would prove invaluable for the days to come. More info here.

Planning - Of course, it was very important to plan the survey and the documentary that we had earlier planned to do. It would not be just as simple as giving out surveys and collecting surveys... not only did we have to formulate the appropriate research questions (which wasn't easy in the first place), we also had to plan the practical aspects such as: the sample size, who to give the survey out to, how to collect and tabulate the data... etc. And then there was the documentary too, which we decided would be conducted after the survey. We had to do storyboarding (planning out the questions to ask) and also plan the practical aspects of the survey such as: where to hold the interview, long how the interview will be, who to interview, what equipment to prepare... etc. It wasn't that easy, especially since we are greenhorns in the field of technology! We also needed to plan our timeframe, and with the SARS outbreak, our plans had to be changed, and datelines put back. There was indeed a lot of plannig to be done to ensure that our project would go smoothly.

Pilot test - Planning the survey questions wasn't enough. Our mentor suggested a pilot test, because we might have unforseen several difficulties the surveyee might meet up with, for example: what if Ihave another option instead of A and B? or what if Iam in the middle of C and D? We might have left out several points in our planning, so a pilot test is an important precautionary measure. This pilot test will be conducted on an estimated 5-10 people, just to test the validity of the questions and provide us with valuable feedback.

Survey - Our survey will be conducted just before the June break, in our school. Hopefully with the help of teachers giving it out and collecting it back for us, we can complete the giving out of the survey in one day, and hopefully tabulate the data within the week, before the June holidays when we will start on our documentary. More info here.

Documentary - This is our first experience with interviews and maknig a documentary, so a lot of effort has been put into planning to ensure that it will turn out fine. In time, we will select our interviewees, choose a suitable location, and prepare the digital equipment needed. More info here.

Compilation - At last, after all the work is done, the final step is required: compilation. It will be time to compile our research materials, findings, analysis and conclusion into one final report, imcluding the edited documentary. Until we reach that final step, we will keep working on!