Introduction
Alcohol has been a persistent problem for many years. In fact, in Great Britain, the consumption of alcohol dates back to the post-war years and the years between 1950 and 1990. By the year 2004 the per capita consumption of alcohol was 11.5 litres. Men are believed to consume more beer than women, while the women consume more wine than men. The British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) identified that the beer drinking culture has seen a rise in the purchase of alcohol for home consumption from off-licenced outlets. Additionally, there has been a general rise in the consumption of alcohol across the UK with a relative increase in the number of youths participating in binge drinking. According to health experts, the persistent consumption of alcohol leads to a form of addiction which makes the users dependent to the alcohol and in the long run, it becomes harmful to their mental and physical health. These observations supported by secondary sources of data form a basis for the formulation of a research question: should alcohol consumption be banned?
1.1 Formulate and record possible research project outline specifications
Alcoholism and alcohol abuse is a social problem that not only affects a person’s health and wellbeing but also affects the community as a whole. Its impact, even though diverse but they are far reaching since they destabilize the moral fabric upon which the society is built. Additionally, alcohol as a substance of abuse has been associated with increases in cases of immorality. Whereas some people support the idea of consuming and subsequently, legalization of alcohol as it is the situation with most countries including the UK, there are those people who feel that alcohol has to be banned so as to avoid the negative social effects it has on the consumers. Driven by the urge to establish the opinions of the people and why they support the use of alcohol or not, a research has to be done so as to collect information on their views regarding this social problem that impacts on health and wellbeing.
For such a research that encompasses the identification of subtle figures related to health and social being, it is prudent to combine both primary and secondary sources of data during the research. However, these research states possible research methodologies that could be used in order to answer the research question posed in the introduction. Both quantitative and qualitative figure can be used to make an inference on the topic. The possible project outline specification for this research topic could begin with a qualitative research where tools such as self-completion questionnaires can be used. A self-completion questionnaire is a list containing a series of questions that are issued to the respondents by the researcher so that the respondents can answer on their own. Such questionnaires are recommended when collecting data on simple topics or when gaining a general outlook on a given social issue such as alcohol dependency. The questionnaires have to be clear, easy, comprehensible and to be of moderate length so that the participants do not get bored answering the questions.
The second research tool that can be used to collect qualitative primary data is structured interviews with students and other members of the neighboring community. Structured interviews is much similar to the self-completion questionnaires but the questions are asked by an interviewer unlike in the case of questionnaires where they are written. Structured interviews are synonymous with reading of questions together with the fixed choice answers so that the respondents/ interviewees can select a suitable answer. The third method is the use of structured observation of alcohol and how it affects people in terms of health and wellbeing. Observation entails watching the behavior of people, recording systematic behavior. The planning for this research needs a schedule, which will guide on the parameters to be observed. The researcher also needs to conduct a pre-visit so as to establish a rapport with the people as this will reduce bias.
In depth interviews allows the interviewee to have control of the interview and this might help in collecting a lot more information. Such interviews can be semi-structured in that the interviewee has partial control of the interviewing process. These types of interviews can also be unstructured so as to help explore the feelings of the interviewees on how they feel about the prevalence of alcohol abuse. This is because the unstructured interviews often use an informal format of questioning which gives room for collecting more information than that stated in the interview questions. Such an interview can be effective if used to question the real victims of alcohol abuse as it can be used to find out their history of alcoholism and how they think of alcohol in terms of their personal health and wellbeing. The fourth research method can be the focus groups where interviews can be presented to several participants. The questioning of these participants is closely guarded so as to emphasize on a given topic such as alcohol and alcohol consumption in Britain or the UK as a whole. Such methods of data collection are best conducted in form of discussions with the relevant respondents who are at liberty to discuss the selected topic within a given limit of coverage provided by the group moderators. There is also the participant observation research project outline. This is the study of people their natural environments. It involves assessing the characters of the alcohol users in their natural environment such as in the clubs or the bars so as to help in the making of empirical inferences regarding the research question. This research method demands that the researcher has to be a direct participant in the events or alternatively, the researcher has to be involved actively in observing the character and personality of drunkards, which can then be compared to an observation of non-drunkards. The setting for data collection has to be organized in a systematic manner so as not to raise suspicion and this is one reason why participation is highly advised. Using the participant observation as a research method, the researcher can then make observations, listen and where possible, ask questions.
1.2 Identify the factors that contribute to the process of research project selection
Research project selection is an important factor. For this case, the rationale that guided the selection of alcohol consumption and its health implications is guided by the increased prevalence of alcoholism in the United Kingdom. Global trends on alcohol consumption have identified that alcohol abuse is a fast rising culture among UK youths and this is likely to be a detriment to their health and wellbeing in the near future. Coupled with the question on whether the government has to do away with alcohol or not, it becomes prudent to conduct a research. The research aims at mobilization of people, collection of ideas, observations, discussions and interviews. The objectives of the research is to educate the readers on the current attitude of the people on consumption of alcohol and their point of view on whether alcohol should be banned on not. The second objective is to identify if alcohol distresses on the health and wellbeing of the consumers. Does it cause discomfort to the users in terms of hangovers, alcohol poisoning, mental breakdown and loss of memory as it is claimed? Does alcohol impact on personal beauty, hygiene, and weight of its frequent users or those dependent to it? Thirdly, the research has the objective of identifying the impact of alcohol on the sexual virility and stamina of its users.
Given the limited scope of coverage and logistical constraints, it is logical to narrow down the research coverage by use of a research project selection. The selection of a proper research design will be helpful in collecting the primary data required for analysis and conclusion on the general public opinions voiced by the respondents. The selection of the research project selection is, therefore, guided by factors such as the research question. In line with the research question are other guiding questions such as which approach, method of collecting data, method of data analysis, sources and types of secondary information available and most importantly, how will the researcher have access to the available sources of information. In addition, the other pertinent factors include the identification of a proposed outcome and the period for the research, which add up to logistic factors.
1.3 Undertake a critical review of key references
The available resources for the research include information on secondary sources of data. For instance, these sources will be important in providing critical references towards the progress of the topic. Lisa, Jenny and Henry, (2012) in their journal Study Habits and the Level of Alcohol Use among College Students, key statistics and information is given on the use of alcohol among college students and how it impacts on their health and wellbeing. The report firm focuses on the financial implication of alcohol use. The authors argue that consumption and use of alcohol reduces the capital accumulation capability of a person thus impacting on their earning. They reiterate this argument by use of the human capital model. The journal is critical on the opportunity cost concept between schooling for a better future and wasting away the opportunity for a better future by becoming dependent on alcohol. Whereas one of the activities assures the consumers of an investment in human capital that will bear of fruits in the near future and after school, one of the activities (drinking alcohol) impacts on the person’s ability to concentrate on improving their human capital capabilities. Evidently, the authors imply that students do not have to be associated with alcoholism. Nonetheless, the authors fail to reflect on the question regarding banning of alcohol and classifying it as an illegal drug of abuse.
The journal continues to state that the consumption of alcohol has a negative impact on people and more so the students as it lowers their cognitive abilities. The loss of mental capability results into poor study habits thus creating a negative correlation between schooling and consumption of alcohol. This demands that policy makes have to find a solution to the problem and the best alternative is by raising the legal age for consumption of alcohol so that it excludes students. This is because statistics by the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY) identified that an increase in alcohol consumption by 10% increases the likelihood that a student will miss graduation by 6.5%. These statistics are seconded by the National Institute of Mental Health Epidemiological Catchment, which found the same results for an identical research. In yet another research by Renee, (2009) on peer influence and alcohol use among first year students, several factors were considered including race, gender, ethnicity and social class of the alcohol users. The quantitative research applied theories such as the acculturation theory, student development, racial identity and human development theory as well as the social-psychology theory to identify the driving factors towards the increase in alcohol dependence in the UK. The researcher for the dissertation collected empirical data by use of interviews, which are then analysed using percentages and graphical representations so as to facilitate comparison during analysis. From the research, it is made clear that the prevalence of alcohol has been motivated by the loose laws aimed at regulating its consumption in spite of its impact on economic, physical, and mental capabilities of a person.
1.4 Produce a research project specification
This research project is aimed at presenting empirical evidence by use of research methods for collecting both qualitative and quantitative data. The specifications for the project include:
Research question – should alcohol be banned?
Research aims – to mobilize people, collect ideas, to make observations, discussion and interviews so as to collect ideas on the contentious question regarding the need to ban alcohol because of its proven negative impact on health and wellbeing.
Objectives – to educate the readers on the current attitude of the people on consumption of alcohol and their point of view on whether alcohol should be banned on not. The second objective is to identify if alcohol distresses on the health and wellbeing of the consumers. Does it cause discomfort to the users in terms of hangovers, alcohol poisoning, mental breakdown and loss of memory as it is claimed? Does alcohol impact on personal beauty, hygiene, and weight of its frequent users or those dependent to it? Thirdly, the research has the objective of identifying the impact of alcohol on the sexual virility and stamina of its users.
The selected methods of research and data collection include the use of questionnaires, observation and interviews.
1.5 Provide an appropriate plan and procedures for the agreed research specification
Project Plan:
Activities Period in months (2014-2015)
Oct Nov Nov Dec Dec Jan
1 Problem identification
2 Review of literature
3 Proposal writing
4 Presentation of proposal
5 Questionnaire pre testing
6 Data collection and combination
7 Data analysis
8 Presentation of final report
9 Submission of final report
The procedures for conducting this research will involve considering the role of ethics and the ethical code as well as the ethics committee in conducting the research. The process of collecting data and analysis has to ensure adherence to given morals and ethics that govern the undertaking of social work. Given that this research is set to identify some facts about a social issue related to alcohol consumption, then it is highly critical that the researcher has to adhere to limitation such as approval and consent from the participants of the research. Seeking for permission from the relevant authorizes is the first procedure for conducting a valid and credible primary research. The points to consider when seeking for permission and during the actual research process are to have permission of the people being interviewed. This is applicable to all the methods of research identified since the researcher can be sued for breach of privacy or other regulations in the event that the people who contributed towards information on the research found at they were deceived into it. This is because some of the respondents might be working in sensitive positions thus, they have to be liberal when giving suggestions for researches. This narrows down to the point that the researcher has to ensure confidentiality and privacy after collecting information form the respondents. Permission might not be required when using secondary sources of data because there are several avenues, which can be used to collect information.
The second ethical consideration to be made by the researcher involves assuring the respondents that their emotions or physical self will not be hurt in the course of the research. This means that the person collecting primary data has to ensure that he or she protects the people involved in the search by being sensitive to the selection of words and the questions asked during interviews or in the questionnaires. It is also essential that the research questions have to be clearly set in the event that the research involves the use of interview or questionnaires. The questions have to be short and comprehensible so as to allow respondents from different social classes and with different degree of education to comfortably comprehend and answer. Another aspect of ethics is the need for objectivity rather than subjectivity during data collection. Objectivity is a crucial requirement as it distances the research from personal biases or opinions that might derail the attainment of the required objective. In such an instance, the researcher will fail to portray the exact information collected during the research in favour of personal thoughts and this will impact on the whole research. The researcher has to introduce the respondents to the topic and explain to them that it is a research on alcohol and whether it should be banned or not. After that, he or she has to inform them that the information collected will be treated with utmost anonymity. Furthermore, they have to accept that they are willing to participate in the research. It is also required that the researcher has to select a research group that will be of much value to the research and not because of their ease of availability. The reporting of the results has to be done with precision and without bias or subjectivity.
2.1 Match resources efficiently to the research question or hypothesis
Research questions:
i. Have you ever drunk alcohol? If yes, how often?
ii. Are there notable advantages of drinking alcohol?
iii. Do you think that a habitual drunkard or someone who is alcohol dependent can quit drinking?
iv. Are there any implications associated with quitting alcohol?
v. How will banning the sale and distribution of alcohol impact on the health and wellbeing of the society?
vi. Does drinking effect on the beauty of a person?
vii. Can drinking impact on the health of an individual and that of the whole society alike?
viii. Does alcohol impact on the sex life of a person in terms of virility, potency and stamina?
Most of the resources especially the secondary sources of data retrieved from hard copies, journals, magazines and credible webpages, there is a high belief that people can control the amounts of alcohol they consume to a sensible level that will not be harmful to their health. This include following drinking guidelines and precautions. Evidently, drinking is influenced by peer pressure and lack of self-control. According to a website on smart drinking, the author argues that responsible drinking or complete refrain from drinking could help people sleep better, make their skin and eyes feel and look brighter, they will be more alert and reserve more energy for other constructive activities such as learning. The most basic resources for this social project on the consumption of alcohol include secondary resources, notebook and pens or pencils for the respondents, there may also be need for an eraser when questionnaires are used. Lastly, a research project requires a lot of capital to sustain the high demand for transport costs to and from the respondents, and purchase of stationery especially the papers for printing the research questions.
References:
Lisa, P., Jenny, W. & Henry, W. (2012). Study Habits and the Level of Alcohol Use among College Students. Journal of Studies on Alcohol 60(6), 873–78.
Renee, B.(2009). Peer influence contexts of alcohol use among first-year College students: investigating the roles of race, ethnicity, and gender through multigrain measured variable Structural equation modelling. Social Psychology Quarterly, 3(3), 9-19.