Qualitative Research

What is Qualitative Research?

Quality of a particular activity (in detail)

Complete picture

Outline

General Characteristics

Philosophical Assumptions

Steps in Qualitative Research

Approaches to Qualitative Research

Generalization in Qualitative Research

What is Qualitative Research?

Quality of a particular activity (in detail)

Complete picture

General Characteristics

The natural setting's data source

Whole phenomena

Data: mostly - form of words

Concerning of How?

Inductive analysis

Focusing on the subjects: perspectives

Flexible design

Philosophical Assumptions

World-views or Paradigms

Positivism: Quantitative

Theoretical Framework: Qualitative

Postmodernism??

Some Assumptions of Qualitative Researchers

Realities - multiple mental constructions

Alternative visions

Facts and values cannot be separated

Educational purpose

understanding of what things mean to others

Postmodernism??

Postmodernists

Deny underlying structure: social behavior

Nonmathemetical languages unverified

Truth Product of history, power, and social

interests

Steps in Qualitative Research

Identify the phenomena

Foreshadowed problems

Identify the participants (purposive sample)

Generation of hypotheses/propositions

Data collection (description)

Observing/ interviewing

Data analysis: description

Interpretations and conclusions: continuously

Approaches to Qualitative Research

Narrative research

Phenomenology

Grounded theory

Case studies

Ethnographic and historical research

Sampling in Qualitative research

Narrative research

Biographical study life experiences

Autobiography: the subject written

Life history: entire life

Oral history: surrounding people

Phenomenology

Particular phenomenon

Ex: specific time and place

Grounded theory

Focus to generate theory: grounded

Data: participants experienced the process

Process theory

Case studies

Intrinsic case study

Instrumental case study

Understanding of individual
Understanding of case

Multiple (Collective) case study

Several case in same time

Sampling in Qualitative research

Typical sampling: representative

Critical sampling: unusual

Homogenous sample

Extreme case sample: not general

Theoretical sample

Opportunistic sample: in arisen situation

Confirming sample: validate finding

Maximal variation sample: diversity of characteristics

Snowball sample: during the conduct of study

Generalization in Qualitative Research

Images - prototype

Ethical issues

Identities of subjects should be protected

Treat with respect

No harmful effects

Recap about this!

Qualitative and Quantitative often are used

together: mixed-methods studies
Depending on researcher focuses