Qualitative Research Methods
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Questions and Answers

Which of the following methods is NOT included in qualitative research?

  • Statistical analysis (correct)
  • Discourse analysis
  • Case study approach
  • Ethnography

    • Ethnography only involves observing people's behaviors without personal interaction.

    False

    What is the purpose of content analysis in qualitative research?

    To identify patterns and themes within qualitative data such as texts and media.

    In institutional ethnography, _____ interests are associated with the organization's administration.

    <p>ruling</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the qualitative research methods with their descriptions:

    <p>Content analysis = Analyzing texts and media for patterns Narrative analysis = Understanding the stories people tell Discourse analysis = Examining communication and language use Case study design = In-depth exploration of a particular case or situation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary purpose of case study research?

    <p>To identify and describe best practices</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Content analysis focuses on creating new data specifically for research purposes.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do narratives in research provide?

    <p>Voice to people who do not usually get to speak directly in research.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Discourse analysis includes analyzing conversations, speeches, or written texts, and it also examines larger fields called ______.

    <p>discourses</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following terms with their descriptions:

    <p>Experiential data = Information from informants outside of management Content analysis = Studying pre-existing cultural artifacts Genealogy = Examining the history of discourses Narratives = Stories told by individuals about themselves and others</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is a key property of cultural artifacts in content analysis?

    <p>They reflect pre-existing themes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Discourse analysis only involves analyzing texts and does not include spoken communication.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who conducted a classic content analysis of gendered assumptions in print media?

    <p>Irving Goffman</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary focus of quantitative research?

    <p>Generating statistics from social elements</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Standpoint theory asserts that the social location of sociologists does not impact their research questions.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does ethnography primarily involve?

    <p>Close examination of cultural practices and individuals' experiences.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    _____ is a key qualitative research method that aims to gather in-depth narratives and understandings from subjects.

    <p>Narrative Analysis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the research method with its definition:

    <p>Content Analysis = A method for analyzing texts and documents to identify patterns Case Study Design = An in-depth exploration of a particular instance or phenomenon Discourse Analysis = Examining written or spoken language in social context Ethnography = A systematic study of people and their cultures through immersion</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which sociologist is known for critiquing the notion of the objective outsider?

    <p>Both B and C</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Positivism holds that research should incorporate subjective experiences to ensure accuracy.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Define triangulation in research.

    <p>Using multiple methods or data sources to enhance the credibility of research findings.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary aim of ethnography in qualitative research?

    <p>To uncover the symbols and categories used by cultural members</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In institutional ethnography, which type of data is primarily associated with ruling interests?

    <p>Written rules and practices that guide organizational actions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which qualitative method is primarily focused on creating a narrative through informal, face-to-face interactions?

    <p>Semi-structured interviews</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main contribution of August Comte to the field of sociology?

    <p>Coined the term sociology and promoted positivism</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What role do informants have in ethnographic research?

    <p>They provide insider knowledge and assist in community acceptance</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which research approach focuses on using statistical methods to analyze social phenomena?

    <p>Quantitative research</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following methods involves analyzing larger societal contexts beyond individual texts?

    <p>Discourse analysis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a major assumption of positivism in the social sciences?

    <p>Social phenomena can be studied through objective means</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does standpoint theory primarily emphasize in sociological research?

    <p>The impact of the sociologist's social location on their research</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following best describes qualitative research?

    <p>It seeks to understand activities in their naturalistic settings.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What do critical sociologists like Dorothy Smith challenge regarding outsider perspectives?

    <p>The notion of objective observation by researchers</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of research methodologies, what does triangulation refer to?

    <p>Employing multiple methods to gain a comprehensive understanding</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one consequence of relying mainly on outsider perspectives in sociological research?

    <p>Potential loss of vital information from the insider viewpoint</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main difference between absolute poverty and relative poverty?

    <p>Absolute poverty measures income needs, whereas relative poverty considers income in comparison to others.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement accurately describes the role of an independent variable in research?

    <p>An independent variable is the factor manipulated to observe changes in the dependent variable.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What differentiates open-ended questionnaires from closed-ended questionnaires?

    <p>Open-ended questionnaires capture detailed qualitative responses, while closed-ended collect quantitative data from set options.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which variable serves as a mediator between independent and dependent variables?

    <p>Intermediate Variable</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What primarily distinguishes the Market Basket Measure (MBM) from the low income cut-off (LICO) in measuring poverty?

    <p>MBM calculates the necessary funds for specific goods, whereas LICO is a threshold based on income distribution.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of research is focused on understanding the relationship between two social phenomena?

    <p>Explanatory research</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which type of research aims to provide a broad overview and understanding of an unstudied topic?

    <p>Exploratory research</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What kind of questions would descriptive research typically answer?

    <p>What is the current value or rate of a phenomenon?</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of these is an example of exploratory research?

    <p>What factors lead to high school dropouts?</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What distinguishes explanatory research from other types of research?

    <p>It examines cause-and-effect relationships.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a primary focus of evaluative research?

    <p>Assessing the effectiveness of programs or policies</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following questions would best align with the goals of descriptive research?

    <p>What percentage of high school graduates pursue higher education?</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of research methodologies, what is a key feature of exploratory research?

    <p>It aims to develop a deeper understanding of a little-known topic.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What characterizes a direct correlation between two variables?

    <p>Both variables increase or decrease together.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is an example of an inverse correlation?

    <p>Older adults tend to support legalizing cannabis less.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which concept cautions against assuming that correlation implies causation?

    <p>Spurious reasoning</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does critical thinking in statistics encourage individuals to do?

    <p>Examine the definitions and origins of statistical figures.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following represents a spurious variable?

    <p>A third factor influencing both correlated variables.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In the context of correlation and causation, which statement is true?

    <p>Causation can exist without correlation.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What influence does a person's education level have according to established correlations?

    <p>It determines their likelihood of becoming a lawyer.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which example is reflective of common spurious reasoning in statistics?

    <p>An increase in ice cream sales correlating with higher temperatures.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Qualitative Research Overview

    • Subjectivity is integral for both researchers and participants.
    • Methods include ethnography, case studies, narratives, content analysis, discourse analysis, and genealogy.

    Ethnography

    • Aims to understand cultural symbols and categories.
    • Utilizes participant observation for an insider's perspective.
    • Employs semi-structured interviews that are informal and face-to-face.
    • Informants are insiders who facilitate the researcher's integration and interpretation.

    Institutional Ethnography

    • Developed by Dorothy Smith, highlighting institutional dualities.
    • Ruling interests reflect organizational goals, captured through written rules and actions.
    • Experiential data derived from non-management workers' insights.

    Case Study Approach

    • Investigates single cases or small sets of social entities (e.g., communities, families).
    • Effective for identifying best practices that yield desired outcomes.

    Narratives

    • Comprised of individual stories revealing personal and situational contexts.
    • Emphasizes voice, showcasing varying social locations influenced by identity (gender, race, etc.).
    • Acts as a medium for marginalized individuals in research.

    Content Analysis

    • Analyzes cultural artifacts (e.g., media, art) to interpret underlying themes.
    • Artifacts are pre-existing and not specifically created for research.
    • Feminist theories often explore culturally ingrained gender assumptions, exemplified by Goffman’s work on gendered advertisements.

    Discourse Analysis

    • Involves two methodologies: analyzing specific texts (conversations, speeches) and broader cultural discourses.
    • A discourse represents an organized framework with inherent logic and assumptions.
    • Encompasses a field of discourses that engage specific cultural concepts like masculinity.

    Genealogy

    • Focuses on historical analysis of discourses to evaluate assumptions and frameworks.
    • Helps understand the evolution of social constructs and power relations.

    Social Science Debate #1: Insider vs. Outsider Perspectives

    • August Comte, founder of sociology, emphasized positivism, advocating for objectivity in social sciences.
    • An outsider is viewed as an 'expert,' resulting in potential disconnection from subjects.
    • Critical theorists like Dorothy Smith refute objective outsider claims, endorsing insider perspectives as vital for authentic insights.

    Social Science Debate #1 Cont’d

    • Standpoint theory suggests sociologists' social locations influence their inquiries and findings.
    • Objective outsider perspectives can obscure essential insider information and experiences.

    Social Science Debate #2: Quantitative vs. Qualitative Research

    • Quantitative research targets measurable social phenomena, facilitating statistical analysis (macro approach).
    • Qualitative research focuses on non-countable characteristics, exploring deeper social contexts (micro approach).
    • Triangulation and mixed-methods are increasingly favored for comprehensive research outcomes.

    Insider versus Outsider Perspectives

    • August Comte, a French philosopher, coined the term "sociology" and based his approach on positivism.
    • Positivism posits that social sciences can be studied like natural sciences using experiments, measurement, and systematic observation, emphasizing researcher objectivity.
    • Comte viewed outsiders as experts with a privileged understanding over insiders, the subjects of study, exemplifying policy sociology.
    • Critical sociologists like Dorothy Smith and Michel Foucault argue against the notion of the objective outsider, highlighting the value of insider perspectives.
    • Standpoint theory suggests that sociologists' social location influences their inquiries, emphasizing the need for insider voices to gain authentic insights.

    Quantitative versus Qualitative Research

    • Quantitative research deals with measurable social elements and is often used to generate statistics (e.g., surveys and polls).
    • Qualitative research explores characteristics that cannot be easily quantified (e.g., ethnography).
    • A mixed-methods approach, or triangulation, is increasingly popular among researchers to enhance studies.

    Research Definition and Types

    • Research is a systematic search for knowledge, involving structured inquiries to solve social problems and establish new knowledge.
    • Descriptive research aims to provide precise estimates of social phenomena.
    • Exploratory research seeks in-depth understanding of lesser-known topics.
    • Explanatory research examines relationships between social phenomena (e.g., effects and correlations).

    Qualitative Research and Methods

    • Qualitative research allows for subjective interpretation from both researchers and subjects.
    • Methods include ethnography, case studies, narratives, content analysis, and discourse analysis.

    Ethnography

    • Ethnography uncovers cultural symbols and categories through participant observation and semi-structured interviews.
    • Informants are insiders assisting researchers in integrating into the community.

    Institutional Ethnography

    • Developed by Dorothy Smith, it recognizes dual sides of institutions: ruling interests (organizational power) and ruling relations (workers following organizational rules).

    Measuring Poverty

    • Absolute poverty refers to below-minimum income needed for basic necessities, measured using the Market Basket Measure (MBM).
    • Relative poverty defines poverty in relation to median income, employing measures like the Low Income Cut-Off (LICO).

    Research Surveys and Polling

    • Polls are quantitative surveys assessing public opinion.
    • Closed-ended questionnaires capture specific answers, while open-ended allow for broader responses.
    • Samples are drawn from a larger population for statistical purposes.

    Variables in Research

    • Variables have measurable traits that can change and include independent (cause), dependent (effect), and intermediate (mediates between the two).

    Correlation and Causation

    • Correlation is the association between two variables occurring more frequently than by chance but does not imply causation.
    • Direct correlation occurs when both variables increase/decrease together, while inverse correlation happens when one increases as the other decreases.
    • Spurious reasoning involves incorrectly inferring causation from correlation, with spurious variables influencing both.

    Critical Thinking and Statistics

    • Statistics require critical evaluation of their sources, motives, and definitions.
    • Understanding potential biases and flaws in statistics can lead to more informed interpretations.

    Ethics in Research

    • Research ethics demand respect for participants, focusing on informed consent, confidentiality, and the welfare of subjects.

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    Description

    This quiz explores various qualitative research methods, including ethnography, case studies, and discourse analysis. Learn about subjective interpretations and the significance of cultural symbols in qualitative research. Test your understanding of how these methods can be applied in real research scenarios.

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