Sociology

The part of this study discusses the research design, measurement procedure, and sampling design, which is used as the methodology for this research. The research design employed in this study is the mixed methodology, which is composed of both qualitative and quantitative types of research. Mixed methodology is both exploratory and descriptive in nature that assesses the health and social care smoking cessation systems and services in Saudi Arabia with specific reference with male smokers in Al Qassim region. The measurement procedure for this research study involves the use of survey, interviews, and document analysis. The survey questionnaires are given to male high school students of (please indicate the high school most accessible to you) and also to the parents of these students. The researcher also conducts interviews with health care professionals regarding the necessary treatments and programs in addressing the smoking problem among Saudis. In addition, document analysis is also used in this study in order to give due attention to related literature regarding smoking in Saudi Arabia, especially when it comes to the policy papers of the government. Moreover, in the sampling design, the researcher uses the purposive sampling method in identifying the participants for this study.

Research Design
The study makes use of the mixed methodology, which is composed of both qualitative and quantitative types of research. The use of mixed methodology has the main purpose of exploring and describing the health and social care smoking cessation systems and services in Saudi Arabia. The aforementioned type of research design is applied in this study because it has the ability to properly answer the specified problems of this research. Moreover, mixed methodology accommodates information coming from respondents that are very difficult to quantify, such as reasons, opinions, comments, and other similar answers, this kind of information should be left as it is in order not to diminish its value ( Axinn and Pearce 2006).

The mixed methodology approach uses both numeric and narrative data in investigating a certain phenomenon or answering a specific problem (Tashakkori and Teddlie 2003). This kind of research design enables the researcher to gather and analyze data that are quantifiable and not quantifiable. The use of both qualitative and quantitative type of research is previously perceived as impossible because of the strict differences placed over the two (Tashakkori and Teddlie 2003). Nevertheless, in order to understand and clearly see the importance of mixed methodology, it is necessary to properly discuss the qualitative and quantitative types of research.

The qualitative type of research is responsible in studying variables that are found in the natural setting, wherein the phenomenon is emergent by nature. In relation to this, qualitative research deals with variables that require human intervention and uses the context of experiences of people as its main focus (Patton 2002). Most of the time, the qualitative type of research is applied in the field of social sciences because most studies in this field are about sociological phenomenon, which uses qualitative data in addressing problems and answering research questions. In line with this, qualitative data are usually found in non-controlled environment, which are difficult to quantify (Wengraf 2001). A common benefit of using the qualitative type of research is its ability to give due importance to the experiences and opinion of people. The aforementioned adage is supported by Bozinovski when he explains that the considerable native ability people have to know about things about their own lives, one another, and their respective works (199867). In this sense, the qualitative type of research enables the researcher to study specific aspect of a phenomenon or problem by means of the perspective of the subjects who are involved in it (Hay 2005). In the same manner, the researcher can be able to gather data, which is unique to an individual like experiences, opinion, comments, preferences, and others. The aforementioned kind of data cannot be contained in one quantitative category, which would make it difficult to gather and analyze through the quantitative type of research. However, qualitative research makes it possible for a researcher to use variables that are difficult to quantify but still manage to preserve its real meaning to the respondents and value to the research (Hay 2005).

On the other hand, the qualitative type of research is the exact opposite of the qualitative approach. The qualitative type of research works with data that are obtained from controlled environment (Black 1999). Due to this, objectivity should be observed in the collection and analysis of data, especially since empirical findings should be based on investigations (Balnaves and Caputi 2001). In line with this, the findings of studies that are done thorough the quantitative type of research should be generalized to a population (Creswell 2003). The quantitative approach is usually applied in studies that are in the context of natural sciences because scientific inquiries are necessary in order to address the problem or phenomenon being investigated. The use of quantitative research entails gathering data in a quantitative form and interpreting the data through a statistical approach (Mujis 2004). The most common advantage in the use of quantitative research is that it makes the computing and analyzing data easier, which is also more time efficient. In relation to this, organizing the gathered data in a study is more systematic because quantitative research uses categories and standards in arranging the responses coming from the participants of the study (Ary et al. 2009).

Moreover, as previously mentioned, the findings of the study that uses quantitative research is generalize to a larger population because the data obtained in this type of research can be computed and analyzed through statistical tests, which asserts the reliability and generality to a larger setting. The reliability of the measurement procedure used in quantitative research is achieved by the process of testre-test that assures the reliability of the data (Ary et al. 2009).

The use of both qualitative and quantitative type of research through the mixed methodology provides the researcher with the opportunity to gain more knowledge out of the unique experiences and perspectives of the respondents. In addition, the information that can be gained from individuals which are not quantifiable can support the quantitative data gathered in the subject matter being investigated (Newman and Benz 1998). In this kind of research design, data gathering and analysis of data are holistic because both qualitative and quantitative data are used to support the results of the study (Newman and Ridenour 2007).

In the case of this study, the mixed methodology is the most appropriate research design because it can be able to capture both the qualitative and quantitative data that are needed in order to study the health and social care smoking cessations systems and services in Saudi Arabia. The quantitative type of research is used in order to quantify into categories the answers of the respondents in the survey questionnaire and also to obtain the results from this kind of data through a statistical approach. On the other hand, the qualitative type of research is useful in assessing the non-quantifiable answers of the participants in the study like their experiences and opinions regarding the subject matter.

Furthermore, the use of related references and primary documents is also under the qualitative type of research. Being the case, it is quite observable that the use of mixed methodology is indeed most appropriate for this research because it addresses all the aspects in the data collection and helps in the proper analysis of data for this study.

Measurement Procedure
The measurement procedure that is used for this research study includes several methods, namely survey method, personal interview, and document analysis. The methods that is used for this study is necessary in order for the researcher to collect the needed data for the research, which substantially help in answering the specified research questions.

Survey Method
The use of the survey method in this research study is needed in order to collect quantitative data in real world setting. Non-controlled environment is also referred to as real world setting wherein phenomena happen outside laboratories, which makes experiments as not feasible or ethically defensible. Due to this, the survey method is use in order to give the needed scientific context of confidence to the study being undertaken (Robson 2002). One of the advantages of using the survey method is the ease that it gives to the researcher when it comes to the collection of data, especially if there is a large sample population. In relation to this, conducting the data collection by means of the survey method is more convenient as compared with other measurement procedures because it does not require intensive human intervention (Fink 2003). Similarly, organization and analysis of data is more efficient through the survey method because the researcher can use a statistical software program wherein the data will be encoded or even through the use of manual computation. In addition, quantifying the categories within a survey also allows the researcher to properly assess the relationship between or among variables (Groves 2004).

Survey questionnaires are usually use in the survey method. The questionnaire is made up of several sets of questions, which contain different aspects of the subject matter that is being studied. The survey method through the use of questionnaires allows the researcher to inquire different queries to the participants of the study with less effort and more time efficient. In relation to this, the participants of the study are more likely to give honest and more in-depth answers through survey questionnaires because they more at ease in this kind of method as compared with interviews or focus groups. Moreover, the privacy of the respondents are also protected because the confidentiality of the respondents are given due importance in survey questionnaires (Foreman 1991).

For the purpose of this study, semi structured questionnaires are given to the male smokers who are students of (please indicate the high school most accessible to you). In addition to this, the parents of these male students who smoke will also be given survey questionnaires. In doing so, the experiences, opinions, and perspectives of the respondents can be properly collected in order to use as data for the study. The survey questionnaires are semi-structured, as it is composed of close-ended and open-ended questions. The different sections of the questionnaire coincide with the objectives and research problems of the study, which will help in making an in-depth study of the health care and social care smoking cessation systems and services among male smokers in Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia. 
      
The purpose of the survey that will be conducted for this study is to gather the necessary data that will identify and assess the views of the participants of this study regarding smoking cessation services, especially the one that they approve of. It is important to point out that the participants of the study, who will be surveyed are only limited to high school students with the age range of 14 to 18 years old, who smoke, and are studying at (Please specify the high school most accessible to you). As such, students who are below 14 or over 18 years old, who do not smoke and are not studying in the identified educational institution, are not eligible to participate in the study. Moreover, the parents or immediate guardian of the eligible high-school smokers who will participate in the study will also be surveyed in order for the researcher to identify and assess their views when it comes to the smoking cessation services that they think is most effective.

Personal Interview
The use of personal interview is also one of the measurement procedures for this study. Personal interview enables the researcher to read the questions to the respondent in a face-to-face setting. As the respondent answers the questions, the researcher can immediately record the answers by jotting down notes or through the use of a recorder, video camera, or others. One of the most essential aspects of an interview is its flexibility. The flexibility of using personal interviews is observable in the ability of the researcher or interviewer to observe the respondent and also the whole situation of the interview (Fowler 2002). In addition, questions can also be repeated and explained, especially in instances wherein the respondent does not understand the query given to him or her. The researcher can also ask follow-up questions in order for the respondent to give more information, specifically in cases wherein the respondent gives incomplete or irrelevant answers (Gubrium and Holstein 2002). Furthermore, personal interviews have a greater response rate in a sense that it increases the possibility that a respondent will give the desired information (Powell 1997).

In this research study, personal interview is use as one of the measurement procedures. Personal interview is used in collecting data from related organizations and government agencies that are knowledgeable or primary stakeholders in the area of health care in Saudi Arabia, especially since the main topic of discussion for this research is health and social care smoking cessation systems and services. In relation to this, personal interview is deemed as the most appropriate method in collecting data from organizations and agencies because it is more likely that the respondents will give desirable answers, which will help in answering the research problems of the study. The possible key interviewees for this research study are (Please indicate the possible interviewee for your study).

The methods of attaining different information shall be attained through the participation of different students who are able to comply with the different requirements of this study. Furthermore, different international and national agencies shall be contacted accordingly in order to attain the information needed. On the other hand, different media organizations shall also be contacted to inform the institution of the various objectives of the study and to achieve their approval regarding the interview which is needed for this paper.

Document Analysis
Document analysis is another measurement procedure that is used in this research study. The aforementioned measurement procedure is under qualitative research because its main objective is to establish relevant categories and information among different types of documents (Altheide 1996).

Document analysis allows the researcher to delineate messages or information that is found in policy papers, reports, and other similar kind of documents. In relation to this, document analysis also assesses primary documents on the way by which these papers represent the reality in the society. Social actors who are responsible in writing the documents as well as those people who are influential the creation of these papers is also given due attention and importance. Moreover, document analysis also gives emphasis on the subtle meanings within documents, which is commonly referred to as reading between lines. Lastly, the validity of the documents collected and used in the study is also pivotal in document analysis, as it checks whether the information and provided in the document actually reflects the truth about the topic being investigated (Humphries 2000).

Document analysis is used in this research study by means of gathering primary documents such as policy papers of the government of Saudi Arabia regarding smoking and its relevant health problems. In addition, health agencies of Saudi Arabia and also organizations in the country, which are responsible in health and social care smoking cessation systems and services. Moreover, the corresponding laws about smoking and health care programs in dealing with the ill effects of this habit are also analyzed through the use of document analysis.

Sampling Design
The participants of this study have an important role in the methodology of this research. The researcher uses the method of purposive random sampling in obtaining the respondents for this research study. The aforementioned kind of random sampling is used in order to identify the final participants of the study. Purposive random sampling method is used by the researcher because it is the most appropriate and efficient method in identifying a good sample of the population.

The sample population for this research study is composed of 100 male students who smoke and 100 parents. The male students should be within the age range of 14 to 18 years old and should be currently enrolled in (please indicate the high school most accessible to you). In addition these male students should all be smokers. In terms of the parents, the participants can either be mothers or fathers who have children in the high school level of the same school. These participants are given survey questionnaires which they have to answer independently.