Qualitative Research

What is Qualitative Research?

Quality of a particular activity (in detail) Complete picture

Outline

General Characteristics Philosophical Assumptions Steps in Qualitative Research Approaches to Qualitative Research Generalization in Qualitative Research

What is Qualitative Research?

Quality of a particular activity (in detail) Complete picture

General Characteristics

The natural setting's data source Whole phenomena Data: mostly - form of words Concerning of How? Inductive analysis Focusing on the subjects: perspectives Flexible design

Philosophical Assumptions

World-views or Paradigms Positivism: Quantitative Theoretical Framework: Qualitative

Postmodernism??

Some Assumptions of Qualitative Researchers

Realities - multiple mental constructions Alternative visions Facts and values cannot be separated Educational purpose

understanding of what things mean to others

Postmodernism??

Postmodernists Deny underlying structure: social behavior Nonmathemetical languages – unverified Truth – Product of history, power, and social

interests

Steps in Qualitative Research

Identify the phenomena

– Foreshadowed problems Identify the participants (purposive sample) Generation of hypotheses/propositions Data collection (description)

– Observing/ interviewing Data analysis: description Interpretations and conclusions: continuously

Approaches to Qualitative Research

Narrative research Phenomenology Grounded theory Case studies Ethnographic and historical research Sampling in Qualitative research

Narrative research

Biographical study – life experiences Autobiography: the subject written Life history: entire life Oral history: surrounding people

Phenomenology

Particular phenomenon

– Ex: specific time and place

Grounded theory Focus to generate theory: grounded Data: participants experienced the process Process theory

Case studies

Intrinsic case study Understanding of individual

Instrumental case study Understanding of case

Multiple (Collective) case study Several case in same time

Sampling in Qualitative research Typical sampling: representative

Critical sampling: unusual

Homogenous sample Extreme case sample: not general

Theoretical sample Opportunistic sample: in arisen situation

Confirming sample: validate finding

Maximal variation sample: diversity of characteristics

Snowball sample: during the conduct of study

Generalization in Qualitative Research

Images - prototype

Ethical issues

Identities of subjects should be protected Treat with respect No harmful effects

Recap about this!

Qualitative and Quantitative often are used together: mixed-methods studies

Depending on researcher focuses