1 Introduction to Qualitative research methods Flashcards
What is qualitative research?
Qualitative research is the study of reasons, meaning and sense behind human actions. It seeks to answer why people practice certain human actions. It analyses utterances and performances of meaning, mainly through oral communications, texts, and images.
The research methods used in qualitative research are not conducted according to a fixed standard recipe but are developing parallel to the insights you gain.
What is quantitative research?
Quantitative research is the study of numbers. It asks ‘how many’ people practice ‘how many’ different behaviors. The main tool for this kind of research is the survey. The aim of quantitative analysis is to find numerical patterns in responses to survey questions or in observed behaviors. And to find indicators for the magnitude of people’s decisions and behaviors.
What are several crucial decisions we need to make for setting up our research design?
- What is my research problem, and what are my research questions? What do we already know about the problem?
- What cases are important?
- How are they distinguished? For example, with respect to time and place.
- What are relevant data, and what aspects are more important than others in the theoretical and analytical framework we are using?
- How to obtain these data?
- With what methods?
- How to analyze and explain the results?
Internal & construct validity
Are inferences correct? Do data reflect reality? Do your observations cover what you intended to observe?
External validity
Generalizability: can we develop a general theory?
Reliability
Are observations independent of (biases or mistakes by) researchers? Are observations replicable?
What are critiques on qualitative research?
Critique that criteria are based on natural science paradigm and do not consider situation of qualitative research:
- Data cannot be separated from the researcher (internal validity)
- Case is inseparable from its context (external validity)
- Replicability not feasible with complex phenomena (reliability)
- Detachment of researcher impossible, nor desirable (reliability)
Qualitative in key words
- Holistic
- Theoretic sampling
- Iterative
- Studies motivations
- Provides depth of understanding
- Subjective
- Enables discovery
- Explorative, open
- Allows insights into behavior, trends, etc…
- Interprets
- Why?
- Interpretative analysis
Quantitative in key words
- Reductionist
- Random sampling
- Linear
- Studies overt behaviors
- Measures level of occurrence
- Objective
- Provides proof
- Confirmatory, closed
- Measures levels of action, trends, etc…
- Describes facts
- How many? How often?
- Statistical analysis
How can we summerise the historical development of qualitative research?
o 1900-1940 traditional -> Focused on unknown (sub)cultures, and their objective description
o 1940-1980 modern -> Formalization of (observation and interpretation) methods
o 1980-1990 crisis of representation -> Critical reflection on position of researcher, research process and presentation of results
o 1990-… from ‘theory to narrative’ -> Shift from ‘correct’ application of methods, towards the ‘art and politics’ of interpretation and presentation (Science as a story about reality)
Different forms of Qualitative Data
- Interview transcripts
- Documents
- Images or videos
- Media like newspaper articles
- Websites or blogs
- Social media messages
- Observation protocols
- Diaries
