Qualitative Research PDF

Qualitative Research  Qualitative Research is collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data by observing what people do and say. Qualitative research refers to the meanings, concepts, definitions, characteristics, metaphors, symbols, and descriptions of things. Qualitative resea...

Qualitative Research  Qualitative Research is collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data by observing what people do and say. Qualitative research refers to the meanings, concepts, definitions, characteristics, metaphors, symbols, and descriptions of things. Qualitative research is subjective and uses very different methods of collecting information, including individual, in- depth interviews and focus groups. The nature of this type of research is exploratory and open-ended. f o o d forexamining feelings and motivations Allows for complexity and depth of issues Provides insights into the real life situations Can't extrapolate to the whole population Volume of data Complexity of analysis Time-consuming nature of the clerical efforts required in this method of research  Basic Interpretive Qualitative Study Phenomenological Study ,! i.Case Grounded StudiesTheory Study. Ethnographic Study !, Narrative Analysis :.Critical Qualitative Research !! ,Postmodern Research students make meaning of a situation or phenomenon. It uses an inductive st rat egy, COllecting data from interviews, observations, or document ana1ysi (e.g., students' written work). Analysis is of patterns 01’ common themes and the outcome is a rich descriptive account that makes reference to the literature that helped frame the study. Example: An interview of 4s women from varying backgrounds and a comparison of the developmental patterns discerned with earlier findings on male development. They found women lives evolved through peoods of tumultuous, structure- building phases that alternated with stable periods.  Aims to find the essence or structure of an expenen e by explaining how complex meanings are built out of simple units of inner experience, for example, the essence of being a participant in a particular program or the essence of understanding a subiect. The method involves temporarily putting aside or bracfieting personal attitudes and beliefs regarding the phenomenon, thereby heightening consciousness and allowing the researcher to ktuit or see the phenomenon from the perspective of those who have experienced it. All collected data is)aid out and treated as equal, clustered into themes, examined from mult’ip e perSpec Ives, and descriptions of the phenomena (how and what) are constructed. Example: Eight clinical psychology practicum-!evel trainees were Derives from collected data a theory that IS @rounded" in the data, but therefore localized, del’ing vn”th a specific situation like how students handle multiple responsibiliGes or what constitutes an effective lesson plan. The method involves comparing collected units of data against one another until categories, properties, and hypotheses that state relations between these categories andhelp to e: Ten school p determine how counselors their were given professional structured identity is properties data was emerge. coded interviews These first hypotheses to form are tentative concepts and and suggestive, then to form formed. This not tested in the study. connections between concepts. A core concept emerged and its process and implications were discussed. School counselors' professional interactions were identified as defining experiences in their identity formation. A descriptive intensive analysis of an individual, unit, or phenomena selected for its typicality or uniqueness. Different methods could be used to conduct (like this analysis like student's etc hy) but the focus is on the unit of Example: an The faculty of a small Southern experiences. Black Collegeanalysis, was examined in order to Historically examine concerns ofa digital divide between predominantly White colleges and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The study reports on technology familiarity and use scores of these Faculties and what was done by college administrators in the three years following the colleetion of these scores. Recommendations on how to close this divide are shared. Traditional in anthropology for studying human society and It is less a method of data collection and more the use culture. of a socio- cultural lens through which the data are interpreted. Extensive fieldwork is usually required in order to give a cultural interpretation of the data and immersion in the culture is common, but a description of the culture (the beliefs, traditions, practices, and behaviors of a group of individuals) and an interpretation of the culture through the point of view of an insider to that culture are necessary components of ethnographies. Example: Native American students training to be teachers were followed throne interviews over a five year period to chart the progress towards a goal of facilitating the development of Native American teachers and to better understand anfaddress their unique problems. Their beliefs, views about self, and concerns were  This involves the use of stories or life narratives, first person accounts of experiences. These stories are used as data, taking the perspective of the storyteller, as opposed to the larger society, with the goal of extracting meaning from the text. The most common types of narrative analysis are psychological, biographical, and discourse analysis. The former involvRs analyzing the story in terms of internal thoughts and motivations and the latter analyzes the written text or spoken words for its component parts or patterns. Biographical analysis takes the interactions individual's and analyzedover andaused society *4 month and to period. factors argue like These thatgender narratives and storytelling class or intouse the were account. of oral coded history was well Example: Oralreceived by students narratives wereand provided from collected richer three data than studies teachers' lectures, conversations with social students, and student more traditional teaching methods.  This writing aims to reveal and critique the social, cultural, and psychological assumptions regarding present day contexts with the goal of empowering ind! dua)s and enabling change. It challenges current power distributions and the status quo, as opposed to merely revealing meaning. Research questions may address race, gender, and class mfluences, how current power structures may serve some groups' interests and oppress others, and how truth and knowledge are constructed. This analysis is critical for methods like participatory action research which uses such critique as the basis consumer promoted certain ideologies regarding and defendedaction. for collective consumerism, the status quo by placing blame, for on individual Example: economic inadequacies, A critical troubles ignoring examination societal of the consumer inequities. education texts used in adult i eracy prograIS revealed content that was  This is research that challenges the form and categories of traditional qualitative analysis. The postmodern perspntive involves questioning certainties and assumptions in the world including the nature of truth, the ability of research and science to discover this truth, and all generalimtions and typologies.’three “crises’ have nesillted from these questions; whether the experience of another can be captured or whether it is created by the researcher, whether any study can be viewed as valid if trnditionai methodologies are flawed, and whether it is possible to institute any real change. fi l e no single methodolo ' is encouraged, this research is characterized by the inclusion of a plurality of voices and inteqiretations, an awareness of exclusion and the polities involved the choice of perspectives, and a seneitivi5' to the power of the ailthor's voice and language usage. Example: This paper critiques the use of self-reflection by higher education teachers as a studentmentered method of continuing professional development. The author argues tbat the widespread and unquestioned use of reflective self-assessment assumes that the self has a transparent nature and can be adequately ezmined by introspection and ignores the many post-modern and post-structuralist challenges of this view. For example, if our views of the self arc themselves constructed hy the society we live in and the language we use, is true knowledge of the  ( lu iII !‹ [ i ›‹!,s Get over the idea that research means counting, which is the prime focus of quantitative research. The focus is on subjective experiences, or the meanings that people use. Because meaning resides in language (people think with language), qualitative research largely involves studying text. The best device for collecting and Qualitative research is local, concrete. Observations and findings depend on understanding contexts and the meanings held by the people in those contexts and the meanings of the Observations arethings in those typically of contexts. interactions in smaller groups or selectively defined settings. Exploration is very often the motive, but not always. ›. Qualitative research often provides idiographic (as opposed to noniothetic) causal i›. explanations. Qualitative research is typically inductive. The research is reflexive design is flexible and can change given the needs of the research. E.g., Theoretical Sampling The researcher must be reflexive as well the brain tool must be calibrated, understood, active, paid attention to, controlled  i- Qualitative research is very ,. practica1,1ogical, and critical of itself. Researchers constantly ask, “Am I accurately depicting the social world a. given Good qualitative the waysresearch is often theand I am collecting analyzing my data?” most rigorous, difficult research. lntroducti  DEDUCTIVE & INDUCTIVE REASONING Theor y Empirical Generalizations. Descriptiv e research Data Deductive thinking (Quantitative) CONFIRMATION Inductive thinking (Qualitative) THEORY Research process is Research process is deductive. inductive. Measure objective Document social reality, facts. meaning is Focus on variables. constructed. Focus on in-depth Firewall between research Values are present & meaning. process and researchers' explicit (empathy). values. Cross-contextual. Contextual dependence.  QL.\NTIT.\ QL \I IT \ TI \ E FI\ Fanalysis Thematic Statistical analysis Highly structured research Loosely structured process. research process. Particularistic, specific HOlistic perspective Separation from data Intimacy with data Generalize to population Generalization to properties and contexts When should I use qualitative methods* “Whenvariables cannot be quantified; * When variables are best understood in their natural settings; *' When variables are studied over real time; When studying intimate details of roles, processes, and FOU 5; When the paramount objective is “understanding”. What skills do I Must have requisite knowledge and need? skills about * Must be familiar methodology, with setting own and biases, nature assumptions of the expectations, issue. and values. ^ Must be empathic, intelligent, energetic, and interested in listening Must be open to embracing multiple realities. Must be prepared to produce detailed, comprehensive, and sometimes lengthy repoRs.  Q itative research quickly exhausts resources and Therefore, it is ideal to litnit the amount of collecte d. It's nottAe she that matters, it's what 9ou do with data data. Be very clear about the the Write down research your foggy ideas and then focus. specific. get more Concentrate on most important issues and not others. Start writing specific questions you want to answer. Now get even more specific, reduce the additional info. Oeslq A conversation on a given topic respondent between a and an interviewer Used to obtain detailed insights and personal thoughts Flexible and unstructured, but usually with an interview guide P u r p o se : to p r o b e i n fo r m a n t s ' motivations, feelings, beliefs Lasts about an hour Interviewer creates relaxed, open environment of questions and order are determined by flow ofconversat*on Interview transcripts are analyzed for themee and connections between themes  In-depth Inter ews Technique: Laddering Laddefing questioning progresses from product characteristics to user characteristics An example ‘They're more “Why ’by isdo you like wide that comfortable” bodies?” important?” “I can accomplish ° more‘ is that “Why important?” “I will feel good about myself  Advantages - Tendency to have a freer exchange - Can probe potentially complex motivations and behavior Easier to attach a particular response to a respondent  Disadvantages - Qualified interviewers are expensive - Length and expense of interview often leads to small sample Subjectivity and “fuzziness”  Percentage of COmpanies Frequently Using s6 Use 36% % Sometimes 8% Use Never Use  8 - iz members (usually paid) ° homogeneous in terms of demographics and socioeconomic factors but heterogeneous views experience related to product or issue being discussed 1 1/2 —z hour session l-way mirror/client may sit behind qualified moderator ° conversation may be video and/or audio taped OR notes may be taken ’Tiered viewing room with wrap- around mirror off ers multi- perspective viewing. Room is generously equipped with outlets so laptop computers can be utilized during session. StrategicaIIy placed state-of- the-art audio and video taping offer unobstructed viewing. ’Attached Conference Room offers closed circuit television viewing for additional 12-14 viewers.  Common Applications of Focus Understanding Consumers ps — perceptions, opinions, and behavior concerning products and services Product Planning — generating ideas about new products Advertising — Develop creative concepts and copy material  Focus groups are small numbers, not random, not statistically valid Focus groups are a lot of work can get insights from focus groups that can't get in other ways ° Know their limits Beware of power relations  Advantages '° Richness of data ° Versatility Ability to study special respondents - Direct involvement of managers (vividness) * Easily understandable ” Flexibility in covering topics May uncover unanticipated ideas t h at a r e impor t ant ° Can defi ne constructs of importance Gives “fl esh” and eonneetedness to real consumers/people ° Can show t hem designs, have them try out prototypes group synergy Disadvantages Lack of generalízability (small sample size) High selectíon bias ° Might be misxned focus groiip is not a replacemcnt for quaiititative i esearch ° Subject to Interpretatàoo ° Coat-per-respondent is high (coinpared to survey) Results d e p e n d e n t o n skill uf niodci ottir iii ruiiiiing the g r o u p a n d aiialysis may be the response in the moment — which may change over time strong personalities are a hazard “professional respondents”  Advantages of focus groups '-' relatively lower cost per person stimulating effect from group interaction ' vi sdness to managers Advantages of in-depth interview ' more information from each respondent flexible with the use of physical stimuli  Use of Focus Buick division of General Motors used focus Groups groups to help develop the Regal. Buick held 20 focus groups across the country to determine what features customers wanted in a car. The focus groups told GM they wanted a stylish car, legitimate back seat, at least 20 miles per gallon, and 0 to 60 miles per hour acceleration in 11 seconds or less. Based on the results, Buick engineers created clay models of the car and mock-ups of the interior. These were shown to other focus groups. The respondents did not like the oversized bumpers and the severe slope of the hood, but liked the four-disc brakes and indepe Focus groups also helped refine the campaign advertisingfor the Regal. Participants were asked which competing cars most resembled Buick in image and features. The answer was Oldsmobile, a sister GM division. In an effort to differentiate the two, Buick was repositioned above Oldsmobile by focusing on comfort and luxurv features.  Chat Room Style good for capturing top-of-mind reactions to concepts, graphics, audio/video clips, web sites, etc. Bulletin Style good for eliciting more in-depth comments on complex issues, as well as for allowing participation by individuals who would be difficult to gather in “real time”.  Fo s G u Room # m w T R40 BERATOR eg HIV WTO J'OU FIND FILLS OUT fHE ONLINE EEGiSfRA fION Rarticipaote THA FORMT YOU MUST CGI A ETE0 US IT EASY OSI Richard eays 0+FFICULT* Ithough TA process tool weaeyyy Too lonp. How are Twas asked to tñOOLRAT OR ne e-mail address 3 I'nes? 8