In the present research credibility was considered throughout the whole research process. According to Tuomi and Sarajärvi (2013, 141), credibility refers to the ethically high standards and the evaluation of the trustworthiness of the research. Moreover, ethically high standards relate to the scientific ethics of the researcher regarding the respondent’s identities (ibid., 132). Hence, there are certain ethical principles the research needs to consider when conducting the research and analysing its results in order to achieve scientifically approved research ethics. (ibid.)
In the present research the data was gathered, analysed and presented honestly, carefully and precisely without any falsifications. Moreover, the research was planned, completed and described with great care, openness and detail which adhered to good scientific ethics. (ibid.) Therefore, the present research was conducted and analysed according to the good scientific ethics which increased the creditability of the research.
In addition, the present research considered the anonymity of the respondents. In the present research, the anonymity of the respondents was respected by minimising the information which could give certain indications of the respondents. In addition, the gathered data was disposed in a decent manner in order to secure the anonymity of the respondents (ibid.133). Therefore, the present research adhered to good scientific ethics by respecting and valuing the privacy of the
respondents.
Good scientific ethics also relates to referencing (Tuomi and Sarajärvi (2013, 133). In the present research, the previous scientific results were described exactly as they were, and all scientific sources were referenced and signposted clearly and honestly. According to Tuomi and Sarajärvi (ibid.) good scientific ethics also considers presenting and discussing previous research in a truthful manner.
Furthermore, according to Tuomi and Sarajärvi (2013, 136), the
trustworthiness of the research methods is usually evaluated based on the concept of reliability and validity. According to Brink (1993), the validity of the research is
“concerned with the accuracy and the truthfulness of findings” (35). If a study is valid, it should demonstrate what exists and measure the matters which are designed to be measured (ibid.). In the present research the purpose was to examine the
respondents’ views of using English literature in English teaching, which was carefully discussed in the present results.
In order to measure the research, there needs to be a valid instrument (Brink 1993). In the present research, the primary instrument was the questionnaire and it was devised based on principles explained in this thesis. Furthermore, in the present research it was acknowledged that the researcher might affect the validity of the data (ibid.). As Hirsijärvi, Remes and Sajavaara (2007, 157) state, the researcher cannot fully detach from the basic values that are behind the research since the values shape what the researcher wants to find out about the studied phenomena. Therefore, when conducting the research, the researcher’s purposes are scrutinized: does the researcher listen to the respondents and understand their personal views as they are, or will the answers be filtered through the researcher’s own framework, such as the age or sex of the researcher which affects the gathered data? (Tuomi and Sarajärvi 2013, 136) As Tuomi and Sarajärvi (ibid.) state, in principle these matters do affect the researcher since she is the one who creates the framework for the thesis and analyses its content. Therefore, it needs to be noticed that the researcher might affect the validity of the data. (ibid.) In addition, the researcher might selectively interpret findings in the researcher’s own light (Brink 1993). However, in the present research, the researcher aimed at objectivity (Tuomi and Sarajärvi 2013, 136). Hence the researcher did not have any preconceptions of the studied matter and the answers given by the respondents were presented as they were without any personal interest of the researcher.
In the present research is was also acknowledged that besides the
researcher, the respondents can also debilitate the validity of the research. During the interviews, the respondents can behave in a particular manner which is beneficial for their own appearance in the eyes of the researcher (Hirsijärvi, Remes and Sajavaara 2007, 157). However, the research was voluntary, and it was conducted anonymously, the respondents were considered to give truthful, precise and honest answers.
However, since the interviews were held by phone and by e-mail, there was no possibility to observe the non-verbal cues the respondents could have given to support their answers in the interviews. Moreover, phone interviewing did not offer opportunities to gain full information about whether the respondents had understood
the questions since the phone interviews contain a lack of expressions which face-to-face conversations on the contrary can establish (Hirsijärvi and Hurme 2011, 64-65). In addition, the e-mail interviewing gave room for larger miscommunication since there was only written verbal communication. As Meho states (2006), there is also
misinterpretation of the answers given by the respondents since they might have trouble understanding the researcher`s questions. Therefore, the lack of nonverbal clues and voice interaction could possibly be debilitating factors in the present
research (ibid.). However, the present research respected the respondents, therefore allowing the respondents to choose the interview method. However, the
semi-structured interview methods were beneficial for the research since they provided meaningful answers to the research questions even though they lacked oral and non-verbal communication.
In the present research, reliability refers to the consistency of the
research and the repeatability of the research (Jyväskylän yliopiston Koppa). Since the research group was small, it was understood that there is no possibility to make generalizations out of the gathered data (Hirsijärvi, Remes and Sajavaara 2007, 58). In addition, it was acknowledged that there is no possibility to recreate the interview in order to perceive the same results (ibid.) However, as Hirsijärvi, Remes and Sajavaara (2007, 58) state, even though the research group is small, significant information can still be gathered by only interviewing a few persons (ibid.). Since the gathered data produced productive results, the quality of the data was perceived as adequate.
2 THE ROLE OF ENGLISH LITERATURE IN ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHING
In this chapter the background information for the use of English literature in English language teaching is introduced. Based on the gathered research data, the goal of this chapter is to examine how literature is understood according to the respondents and for what purposes the respondents use English literature in their teaching. In addition, the role of English literature in foreign language teaching is explored.