Chapter 11: Qualitative and Chapter 11: Qualitative and Mixed-Method Research DesignMixed-Method Research Design

EDUC 502EDUC 502

November 14, 2005November 14, 2005

Characteristics of qualitative Characteristics of qualitative research research

Natural settings - field research Natural settings - field research – Behavior is studied as it occurs naturally Behavior is studied as it occurs naturally – Beliefs related to a natural setting Beliefs related to a natural setting

Behavior is understood bests as it occurs Behavior is understood bests as it occurs without external constraints or control without external constraints or control

The situational context is very important to The situational context is very important to understanding behaviorunderstanding behavior

Characteristics of qualitative Characteristics of qualitative researchresearch

Data collection - data is collected directly Data collection - data is collected directly from the source from the source – Observations Observations – Interviews Interviews – Document analysis Document analysis

Characteristics of qualitative Characteristics of qualitative researchresearch

Rich narrative descriptions Rich narrative descriptions Process orientation - how and why Process orientation - how and why behaviors occur behaviors occur Inductive data analysis Inductive data analysis Participant perspectives define what is Participant perspectives define what is "real" "real" Emerging research design - the design Emerging research design - the design plans change as data is collected, plans change as data is collected, analyzed, and understood analyzed, and understood

Characteristics of qualitative Characteristics of qualitative researchresearch

Four type of qualitative designs Four type of qualitative designs – EthnographyEthnography – Case studyCase study – PhenomenologyPhenomenology – Grounded theoryGrounded theory

Assumptions that differentiate Assumptions that differentiate qualitative and quantitative studies qualitative and quantitative studies

Epistemology Epistemology – Qualitative researchers believe there are Qualitative researchers believe there are

multiple realities represented by the multiple realities represented by the participants' perspectives participants' perspectives

– Quantitative researchers believe a single, Quantitative researchers believe a single, objective reality exists objective reality exists

Assumptions that differentiate Assumptions that differentiate qualitative and quantitative studiesqualitative and quantitative studiesContext Context – Qualitative researchers believe context is critical to Qualitative researchers believe context is critical to

understanding the phenomena being studied understanding the phenomena being studied – Quantitative researchers do not believe context is an Quantitative researchers do not believe context is an

important factimportant fact

Researcher bias Researcher bias – Qualitative researchers believe the researcher's Qualitative researchers believe the researcher's

biases and perspectives must be understood to biases and perspectives must be understood to interpret the results interpret the results

– Quantitative researchers believe researcher bias is Quantitative researchers believe researcher bias is controlled through the control of internal validity controlled through the control of internal validity threats threats

Ethnography Ethnography

An ethnography is an in-depth description An ethnography is an in-depth description and interpretation of cultural patterns and and interpretation of cultural patterns and meanings within a culture or social group meanings within a culture or social group – Culture - shared patterns of beliefs, normative Culture - shared patterns of beliefs, normative

expectations, behaviors, and meanings expectations, behaviors, and meanings – SharedShared, not individualistic , not individualistic

Examples of ethnography: Peshkin and Examples of ethnography: Peshkin and Boaler studies. Boaler studies.

EthnographyEthnographyProblem statements Problem statements – Foreshadowed problem - a general framework for Foreshadowed problem - a general framework for

beginning a qualitative study beginning a qualitative study – Specific question - a question(s) that emerge from the Specific question - a question(s) that emerge from the

interactive relationship between the problem and data interactive relationship between the problem and data

Identifying and entering the research site Identifying and entering the research site – Access to all parts of the site (e.g., the participants, Access to all parts of the site (e.g., the participants,

documents, physical locations, etc.) documents, physical locations, etc.) – Rapport - need to be "integrated" within the site to Rapport - need to be "integrated" within the site to

gain the trust of the participants gain the trust of the participants – Often site entry takes a long time Often site entry takes a long time

EthnographyEthnographySelecting participants Selecting participants Use of purposeful sampling strategies to select Use of purposeful sampling strategies to select "information rich" participants "information rich" participants Purposeful sampling strategies Purposeful sampling strategies – Maximum variation - selecting individuals or cases to Maximum variation - selecting individuals or cases to

represent extremes (e.g., very positive or very represent extremes (e.g., very positive or very negative attitudes, highest and lowest achieving negative attitudes, highest and lowest achieving students) students)

– Snowball (i.e., network) - initially selected participants Snowball (i.e., network) - initially selected participants recommend others for involvement recommend others for involvement

– Sampling by case - selecting individuals or cases for Sampling by case - selecting individuals or cases for their unique characteristics their unique characteristics

– Key informant - selecting an individual(s) particularly Key informant - selecting an individual(s) particularly knowledgeable about the setting and or topic knowledgeable about the setting and or topic

EthnographyEthnographyObservation Observation – Unstructured in nature Unstructured in nature – Comprehensive - continuous and total over an Comprehensive - continuous and total over an

extended period of time extended period of time – Participant-observer role of the researcher Participant-observer role of the researcher

Use of field notes to record observations Use of field notes to record observations -- Descriptions of what occurred Descriptions of what occurred – Reflections of what the descriptions mean Reflections of what the descriptions mean

(i.e., speculations, emerging themes, (i.e., speculations, emerging themes, patterns, problems) patterns, problems)

EthnographyEthnography

Interviews Interviews – Unstructured in nature Unstructured in nature – Begins with a general idea of what needs to Begins with a general idea of what needs to

be asked and moves to specific questions be asked and moves to specific questions based on what the respondent says based on what the respondent says

– Tape recording and transcribing interviews Tape recording and transcribing interviews afford the opportunity to study the data afford the opportunity to study the data carefully carefully

EthnographyEthnography

Document analysis Document analysis Written records Written records – Print (e.g., minutes from meetings, reports, Print (e.g., minutes from meetings, reports,

yearbooks, articles, diaries) yearbooks, articles, diaries) – Non-print (e.g., recordings, videotapes, Non-print (e.g., recordings, videotapes,

pictures) pictures)

Types of sources Types of sources – Primary - original work Primary - original work – Secondary - secondhand interpretations of Secondary - secondhand interpretations of

original work original work

EthnographyEthnography

Data analysis Data analysis – Observations, interviews, and document Observations, interviews, and document

analyses result in large quantities of narrative analyses result in large quantities of narrative data data

– Analysis includes critically examining, Analysis includes critically examining, summarizing, and synthesizing the data summarizing, and synthesizing the data

EthnographyEthnographyThree stages of analysis Three stages of analysis – Coding: Organizing the data into reasonable, Coding: Organizing the data into reasonable,

meaningful units that are coded with words or meaningful units that are coded with words or very short phrases that signify a category.very short phrases that signify a category.

– Summarizing the coded data: Examining all Summarizing the coded data: Examining all similarly coded data and summarizing it with a similarly coded data and summarizing it with a sentence or two that reflects its essence sentence or two that reflects its essence

– Pattern seeking and synthesizing: Pattern seeking and synthesizing: Synthesizing identifies the relationships Synthesizing identifies the relationships among the categories and patterns that among the categories and patterns that suggest generalization. The researcher suggest generalization. The researcher interprets findings inductively, synthesizes the interprets findings inductively, synthesizes the information, and draws inferences information, and draws inferences

Case StudiesCase Studies

An in-depth analysis of one or more An in-depth analysis of one or more events, settings, programs, groups, or events, settings, programs, groups, or other "bounded systems" other "bounded systems" – Focus on one entity Focus on one entity – Defined by time and place Defined by time and place

Examples of case studies: Benny and IPI Examples of case studies: Benny and IPI mathematics, Study of teachers’ online mathematics, Study of teachers’ online discourse.discourse.

Case StudiesCase StudiesTypes of case studies Types of case studies – Historical organizational - focus on the Historical organizational - focus on the

development of an organization over time development of an organization over time – Observational - study of a single entity using Observational - study of a single entity using

participant observation participant observation – Multi-case - a study of several different Multi-case - a study of several different

independent entities independent entities – Multi-site - a study of many sites and Multi-site - a study of many sites and

participants the main purpose of which is to participants the main purpose of which is to develop theory develop theory

Case StudiesCase StudiesResearch problem statement Research problem statement – Focus on in-depth description and understanding Focus on in-depth description and understanding – Use of a single major question and several sub-Use of a single major question and several sub-

questions questions – Emerging nature of the problemsEmerging nature of the problems

Selecting participants Selecting participants – Participants are usually identified as a part of the site Participants are usually identified as a part of the site

of the study (e.g., a classroom, teachers in a specific of the study (e.g., a classroom, teachers in a specific department, etc.) department, etc.)

– Internal sampling - selecting specific participants, Internal sampling - selecting specific participants, times, and documents within a site times, and documents within a site

Credibility in Qualitative ResearchCredibility in Qualitative Research

Triangulation Triangulation

Prolonged and persistent field work Prolonged and persistent field work

Copious field notes Copious field notes

Mechanically recorded data Mechanically recorded data

Member checking Member checking

Verbatim accounts Verbatim accounts

Abundant use of detail Abundant use of detail

Mixed Method DesignsMixed Method Designs

Mixed methods designs combine quantitative Mixed methods designs combine quantitative and qualitative approaches to collecting, and qualitative approaches to collecting, analyzing, interpreting, and reporting data.analyzing, interpreting, and reporting data.

Example 1: Use of a questionnaire to provide an Example 1: Use of a questionnaire to provide an overview of students' attitudes toward drug overview of students' attitudes toward drug testing programs followed by several in-depth testing programs followed by several in-depth interviews of specific students with positive and interviews of specific students with positive and negative attitudes (i.e., maximum variation negative attitudes (i.e., maximum variation sampling) to understand how those attitudes sampling) to understand how those attitudes were shaped. were shaped.

Mixed Methods DesignsMixed Methods Designs

Example 2: A few interviews with students Example 2: A few interviews with students and a content analysis of several surveys and a content analysis of several surveys allowed a researcher to determine the allowed a researcher to determine the important factors around which an important factors around which an attitudinal scale on drug testing programs attitudinal scale on drug testing programs was developed. Administration of this was developed. Administration of this survey gave an overall view of students' survey gave an overall view of students' attitudes to a specific program being used attitudes to a specific program being used at a local school. at a local school.

Mixed Methods DesignsMixed Methods Designs

Example 3: The use of a scale addressing Example 3: The use of a scale addressing attitudes toward drug testing programs attitudes toward drug testing programs could be administered to the students in a could be administered to the students in a school. Information from focus groups and school. Information from focus groups and interviews could be used to confirm the interviews could be used to confirm the conclusions drawn from the survey. conclusions drawn from the survey.

Homework ExercisesHomework Exercises

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