qualitative research design

Qualitative research designCOURSE 2

LECT.DR. ADRIANA ȘTEFĂ[email protected]

After this course, students must be able to:

Identify the characteristics of qualitative data

Formulate qualitative research questions

Develop a robust qualitative design, including an appropriate sampling strategy

Select and apply the criteria that make for a rigorous qualitative research study

SOME CRITICISMS OF QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH

1. Quantitative research can involve little or no contact with people or field settings

2. Statistical correlations may be based upon variables that are arbitrarily defined by the researchers themselves

3. After-the-fact analysis about the meaning of correlations may involve some very common-sense reasoning or even speculation that science claims to avoid

4. The pursuit of measurable phenomena mean that difficult concepts such as criminality or intelligence are treated unproblematically

Source of dates: World Values Research http://www.worldvaluessurvey.org.

CHARACTERISTICS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

It is conducted through intense contact within a field or real life setting

The researcher’s role is to gain a holistic or integrated overview of the study, including the perceptions of participants

Themes that emerge from data are often reviewed with informants for verification

The main focus of research is to understand the ways in which people act and account for their actions

STRATEGIES OF ENQUIERY 1. Case study

2. Ethnography

3. Ethnomethodology

4. Grounded theory

5. Participatory action research

6. Narrative analysis

7. Cultural studies

8. Gender Studies

Strategies of enquiry

1. Case study

2. Ethnography

3. Ethnomethodology

4. Grounded theory



7. Cultural studies

8. Gender Studies

Particularly well suited to new research areas or research areas for which existing theory seems inadequate.

This type of work is highly complementary to incremental theory building from normal science research.

Case studies are one approach that supports deeper and more detailed investigation of the type that is normally necessary to answer how and why questions

A case study is an empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomena within its real life context, especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident

Strategies of enquiry

This approach is concerned with:

The linguistic resources people use in context

The various media used when communicating

The way verbal and nonverbal signs create and reveal social codes of identity, relationships, emotions, place and communication itself

1. Case study

2. Ethnography

3. Ethnomethodology

4. Grounded theory



7. Cultural studies

8. Gender Studies

Ethnography seeks understand social processes less by making reports of those events but by participating within them, often for long periods of time

S Setting: time, place and cultural definition of a communication act

P Participants: speaker and audience E End: purposes, goals and outcomes A Act: sequence form and order of the event

K Key: tone, manner or spirit of the speech act

I Instrumentalities: forms and styles of speech

N Norms: social rules governing the eventG Genres: the kind of speech act or event

Strategies of enquiryEthnomethodologists start with the assumption that social order is an illusion1. Case study

2. Ethnography

3. Ethnomethodology

4. Grounded theory



7. Cultural studies

8. Gender Studies

Ethnomethodology studies the ways in which people make sense of their social world, and accomplish their daily lives

http://theoryfamily.wordpress.com/ethonomethodology

Strategies of enquiry1. Case study

2. Ethnography

3. Ethnomethodology

4. Grounded theory



7. Cultural studies

8. Gender Studies

www.pinterest.com/pin/4433299604613062/


2. Ethnography

3. Ethnomethodology

4. Grounded theory



7. Cultural studies

8. Gender Studieshttp://labsome.rmit.edu.au/liki/index.php/Action_research


2. Ethnography

3. Ethnomethodology

4. Grounded theory



7. Cultural studies

8. Gender Studies

http://labsome.rmit.edu.au/liki/index.php/Action_research

Strategies of enquiryEveryday life as dynamic, pluralistic and contested

Cultural studies concerns with focusing on those who are marginalized and at the age of the modern culture

1. Case study

2. Ethnography

3. Ethnomethodology

4. Grounded theory



7. Cultural studies

8. Gender Studies

Strategies of enquiry Gender is not simply what one is, but rather a set of meanings sexes assume in particular societies1. Case study

2. Ethnography

3. Ethnomethodology

4. Grounded theory



7. Cultural studies

8. Gender Studies

Gender studies explore the processes of constructing and differentiating gender and gender inequalities, particularly in areas such as literature theory, film studies, drama etc.

www.huffingtonpost.com

APPROACHES TO QUALITATIVE DESIGN

Research design sits between o set of research questions and the data

Qualitative design is emergent

Qualitative research design should be less linear, sequential pathway, but rather as a series of interactions involving design, data collection, preliminary analysis and re-design.

DETERMINING THE FOCUS OF THE INQUIRY

The purpose of making clear, unambiguous statements about the focus of the study helps to establish a boundary for the research

FORMULATING RESEARCH QUESTIONS

• Which type of object, event or behaviour is this?• How often does this event occur?• What caused it?• How it is maintained?

States

• How is the object, event or behaviour changing over time?• What are the consequences of this process?• What strategies are being use?Processes

DETERMINING THE TYPES OF QUALITATIVE DATA

Qualitative design is quite flexible in terms of variety of data types applicable

Type Collection method(s)

Description of behaviour Observation notes, research diary

Description of event Observation notes, research diary, audio&video recordings, maps, interviews

Description of institution Observation notes, research diary, audio&video recordings, diagrams, interviews

Description of appearance Observation notes, research diary, audio&video recordings, interviews

SAMPLING (the strategy of)

In quantitative studies, we want to see how many cases of a population fall into various categories of interest

In qualitative studies, the purpose of research do not require having a representative sample

Sampling is a major problem for any type of research. We can’t study every case of whatever we’re interested in, nor should we want to. Every scientific enterprise tries to find out something that will apply to everything of a certain kind by studying a few examples, the results of the study being, as we say, generalizable.

Howard Becker apud Newmann, L.p.240

DECIDING ON SAMPLING STRATEGY

Sampling strategy DescriptionPurposive Get all possible that fit particular criteria, using various methods

Snowball Get cases using referral from one or a few cases, than referrals from those cases and so far.

Deviant cases Get cases that substantially different from the dominant pattern. Can yield focused information but poses dangers in generalizing.

Sequential Get cases until there is no additional information or new characteristics

Theoretical Get cases that will help reveal features that are theoretically important about a particular setting/topic

Adaptive Get cases based on multiple stages, such snowball followed by purposive. This sample is used for hidden populations

NONPROBABILITY SAMPLING

Also known as judgemental sampling

In purposive sampling, cases selected rarely represent the entire population

Specialized or difficult-to-rich population

Identify particular types of cases for in-depth investigation to gain a deeper understanding of types

1.Purposive sampling

2. Snowball sampling

3. Deviant case sampling

4. Sequential sampling

5. Theoretical sampling

6. Adaptive sampling

Researchers uses a wide range of methods to locate all possible cases of a highly specific and difficult-to-rich population.

NONPROBABILITY SAMPLING1.Purposive sampling






Also called chain referral reputational or respondent-driven sampling

It is a multistage technique. It begins with one or a few people or cases and spreads out based on links to the initial cases.

Sampling the cases in network.







Also called extreme case sampling

The cases that differ from the dominant pattern, mainstream, or predominant characteristics of other cases.

The goal is to locate a collection of unusual, different, or peculiar cases that are not representative for the whole







Similar to purposive sampling

Information is gathered until we reach a saturation point

A non-random sample in which a researcher tries to find as many relevant cases as possible until time, financial resources, or his or her energy is exhausted or until there is no new information or diversity of cases.







What we sample comes from grounded theory

The researcher selects cases based on new insights that the sample could provide.

A non-random sample in which the researcher selects specific times, locations or event to observe in order to develop a social theory or evaluate theoretical ideas.







Used for hidden populations

The sampling design is adjusts based on early observations.

A nonprobability sampling technique in which several approaches to identify and recruit, including a snowball or referral method, may be used.

USING THE LITERATURE IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

THEORETICAL LITARATURE :provides a detailed description and critical analysis of the current sate of knowledge

EMPIRICAL LITERATURE : a critical evaluation of those studies might suggest the adaptation of similar methodological approaches or the need to adopt alternative ones

METHODOLOGICAL LITERATURE : allows the researcher to identify the kind of methodological approaches that have been used to address the subject

COLLECTING QUALITATIVE DATA

1. Interviewing

2. Observation

3. Focus-groups

4. Documents


The meanings that people ascribe to a phenomena

Used to gather information about a person’s knowledge, values, preferences and attitudes

The interview is a favoured approach where there is a need to attain highly personalized data

1. Interviewing

2. Observation

3. Focus-groups

4. Documents

Interviewing is a powerful way of helping people to make explicit things that have hitherto been implicit –to articulate their tacit perceptions, feeling and understanding.

Arksey&Knight apud Gray, D.,370


Qualitative interview is a good choice when the goal is :

To obtain understanding through detailed examples and rich narratives To ascertain the meanings of actions and experiences and the sentiments underlying expressed opinionsTo shed new light on puzzling questionsTo unravel complicated events and events that evolve over time To identify variables and to frame hypotheses for future survey research.

1. Interviewing

2. Observation

3. Focus-groups

4. Documents


Observational data is primarily descriptive of settings, people, events and the meanings that participants ascribe to them

Observation may be conducted with the knowledge of those being observed or without their knowledge

1. Interviewing

2. Observation

3. Focus-groups

4. DocumentsThrough personal interactions over months or years, the researcher learn about people and their habits, hobbies, hopes, fears and dreams. Meeting new people and discovering new social worlds can be rewording. Observation is also difficult, intense, time consuming, emotionally draining, and sometimes physically dangerous.


Gain entry into settings

Look for public information as outsider

Observe sensitive events 1. Interviewing

2. Observation

3. Focus-groups

4. Documents

Be passive observer

Affect events to reveal information

View most sensitive events or information

Level of trust

Time in the field site


6-12 people & a moderator to discuss issues in a nondirective and open discussion manner

A typical study uses 4 to 6 separate groups

Focus group might include public attitudes, personal behaviours, a new product or a political candidate

1. Interviewing

2. Observation

3. Focus-groups

4. Documents

Qualitative research technique in which people are informally interviewed in a group discussion setting.

COLLECTING QUALITATIVE DATA1. Interviewing

2. Observation

3. Focus-groups

4. Documents

advantages limitations

Participants may query one

another and explain their

answers to one another

People tend to feel empowered

Open expression among

members of social groups who

are marginalized are encouraged

The natural settings allows

people to express opinions freely

Focus-groups can produce fewer

ideas than individual interviews

A few topics can be discussed in

one focus group session

A polarization effect exist

COLLECTING QUALITATIVE DATA1. Interviewing

2. Observation

3. Focus-groups

4. Documents

ETHICS IN QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Ethical principles:Avoid harm to

participants; ensure informed consent;

respect privacy; avoid the use of deception

Risks: vulnerable groups,

sensitive topics, confidential information,

intrusive strategies

Writing a research proposal:

Working title Describes the breadth and depth of the topic and gives an indication of the methodology

Introduction (abstract) A summary of the research topic, describing the core problems or issues, the gap in the current research and how this research will address them

Aims General statements on intent and direction of the research

Objectives Clear and measurable statements of intended outcome

Justification Rationale for the research with reference to gaps in current knowledge and potential application of the research

Review of the literature Describe the history of the topic and key literature sources, illustrates major issues and rafines focus to indicate research questions

Research questions Describes the key research questions

Work schedule A timetable for completing the research indicating tasks and timescales

References Bibliography of works cited in the proposal

Limitations An acknowledgment of the potential limitations of the research, including the quality and representativeness of sample

Related material letters of support for the research, agreement to collaborate from interested institutions

Bibliography

Bobbie, Earl (2007/2010) Practica cercetarii sociale [The Practice of Social Research]. Iaşi: Polirom.

Gray, David (2010) Doing research in the Real World London:Sage

Neuman, Lawrence (2011) Social Research Methods. Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches. Boston: Pearson.