Design of qualitative research

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH DESIGNI.G.A. Lokita Purnamika Utami

What we do in qualitative research?

• We rely on data collected from interviews, observations, and content analysis of newspapers, books, videos, case records, and other already developed documents.

• We may try to develop new theories based on what happens in specific situations.

What we do in qualitative research?

• We do not test hypothesis or previous theories.

• We do not try to generalize our findings.

• We do not know or try to develop response categories prior to conducting the study.

What we do in qualitative research?

• Creswell (2013):• In qualitative research you are seeking to

discover, explore, identify or describe.• You are not seeking to prove, influence,

relate or measure.

What we do in qualitative research?

Quantitative researchers apply general theories to revolve problems

Qualitative researchers:• examine what happens in specific

situations and try to• develop new theories based on that

situation.

What we do in qualitative research?

• Answer research questions rather than test a hypothesis.

• Seldom look at the effectiveness of an intervention.

• Examine the perceptions, actions, and feelings of participants.

• Obtained detailed information from interviews, content analysis, or observations.

The characteristics of Qualitative Research

The characteristics of qualitative research designs

• It does not begin from a predetermined starting point or proceed through a fixed sequence of steps, but involves interconnection and interaction among the different design components

The characteristics of qualitative research designs

• In qualitative research, any component of the design may need to be reconsidered or modified during the study in response to new developments or to changes in some other component.

• The designs are flexible rather than fixed (Robson, 2011), and inductive rather than following a strict sequence or derived from an initial decision.

• The design should be a reflexive process operating through every stage of a project” (Hammersley & Atkinson, 1995, p. 24).

The characteristics of qualitative research designs

• The activities of collecting and analyzing data, developing and modifying theory, elaborating or refocusing the research questions, and identifying and addressing validity threats are usually all going on more or less simultaneously, each influencing all of the others

Is typological model of design good for qualitative research?

• Typological or linear approaches is a model of design in which arranged tasks such as in planning or conducting a study have been previously determined

• Neither typological nor sequential models of design are a good fit for qualitative research, because they attempt to establish in advance the essential steps or features of the study. (Maxwell & Loomis, 2002)

Types of qualitative design

Types of qualitative research design

Patton (1996), Denzin & Lincoln (1994) and Merriam (1999):

• Grounded theory - historical• Ethnography - Action research• Phenomenology - content analysis• Field research - generic qualitative• Case study method

Grounded theory

• Grounded theory is an inductive process of generating theory from data or a bottom-up processing

• It does not rely on priori assumption about the world

• The research detect pattern in their observation and then create working hypothesis that lead the progression of inquiry

Ethnography

• Ethnography emphasizes the observation of details of everyday life as they naturally unfold in the real world. This is sometimes called naturalistic research.

• Ethnography is a method of describing a culture or society. This is primarily used in anthropological research which focuses on community.

Field research

• Field researcher goes directly to the social phenomenon under study and observes it as completely as possible.

• The natural environment is the priority of the field researcher. There are no implemented controls or experimental conditions to speak of.

• Such methodologies are especially useful in observing social phenomena over time.

Phenomenology

• Phenomenology is a school of thought that emphasizes a focus on people’s subjective experiences and interpretations of the world.

• Phenomenological theorists argue that objectivity is virtually impossible to ascertain, so to compensate, one must view all research from the perspective of the researcher.

• Phenomenologists attempt to understand those whom they observe from the subjects’ perspective.

Case study

• Is a descriptive, exploratory or explanatory analysis of a single case example of phenomena

historical

• Systematic collection and objective evaluation of data related to past occurrences in order to explain causes, effects, or trends of these events in the present and anticipate future events.

Action research

• Action research is inquiry or research in the context of focused efforts to improve the quality of practice

• it is typically designed and conducted by practitioners who analyse the data to improve their own practice

Content analysis

• Content analysis is used to analyse the presence, meanings and relationships of words and concepts in a text

• then make inferences about the messages within the texts, the writer(s), the audience, and even the culture and time of which these are a part

The generic qualitative method

• It does not have a guiding set of philosophic assumptions in the form of one of the established qualitative methodologies.

General components of Qualitative design

The goal of qualitative research

1. It seek the depth rather than the breadth: instead of drawing from large, representative sample of population, qualitative research seek to acquire in depth and intimate information about smaller group of person.

2. To learn about how and why people behave, think and make meaning as they do rather than focusing on what people do or believe in a large scale.

3. The goal falls within the context of discovery rather than verification

What topic are good for qualitative research?

• Exploratory research questions• Topics and peoples in natural settings• Data: written or spoken words and

observations

Research question for qualitative research

Maxwell (2005): 3 categories:

1. Question about meaning, how people make sense of the world

2. Question that illuminate context

3. Question that investigate processes

Research question for qualitative research

Marshal & Rossman (2006)

1. Exploratory question: investigate phenomenon that is little understood

2. Explanatory question: explain a phenomenon

3. Descriptive questions: Describe a phenomenon

4. Emancipatory question: which are meant to engage in social action around a phenomenon

Sample

• In qualitative research, the sample is small and not chosen randomly. Rather, the choice of a sample is purposeful (Patton, 1996).

Methods for Data collection

1. Open-ended questionnaire

2. Unstructured interview/ developmental interview

3. informal conversational

4. focus group discussion

5. Participant observation

6. Diary accounts

7. Recording and transcribing

instruments

• The researcher being the main instrument of data collection responsive to the situation and is able to adapt to the changing conditions

• Interview guide• Observation sheet• Research diary

Data analysis

• Qualitative research adopts the inductive approach

• no hypotheses are put forward to guide research.

• it begins by observing phenomena and continues of find patterns in the form of themes, categories, concepts and typologies that emerge.

• Tentative hypothesis are introduced

The inductive approach

The role of researcher

You must physically go to the people, location, setting or site

You do not manipulate the situation, but rather watch naturally occurring events and not controlling them, i.e. qualitative research is naturalistic (Guba, & Lincoln, 1994).

validity

• Triangulation of sources,• Trianguation of methods of data collection

(survey, interview, feedback verification) • Triangulation of theories.• Search for discrepant evidence.• Comparison with other findings in the

previous research

generalization

• In qualitative research, you are not as concerned about generalisation of your findings.

• Actually generalization is a cooperative venture of researcher and reader.

• The researcher describes the context fully and the reader decides if the context is similar or is representative of his or her situation.

Strength and weaknesses

Strengths

- Depth of understanding

- Flexibility

Weaknesses

- Subjectivity

- Suggestive, not definitive

- Limited generalizability

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