Chapter 20: Qualitative Research Basics

Question 1

This type of qualitative research involves description and interpretation of cultural behavior; seek to understand the member’s world view (emic vs. etic perspective); undertake extensive fieldwork to learn about cultural group; provides rich and holistic descriptions of the culture; relies on wide variety of sources to gather information

Answer 1

Ethnography

Book definition: focuses on culture of a group of people and relies on extensive fieldwork that usually includes participant observation and in-depth interviews with key informants; strives to inquire an epic (insider’s) prospective, instead of an epic (outsider’s) prospective

Question 2

This type of qualitative research involves understanding people’s everyday lived experiences; useful when a phenomenon has been poorly defined conceptualized; in-depth conversation with informants to gain access to their world and lived experiences; researchers often maintain a reflexive journal

Answer 2

Phenomenology

Question 3

This type of qualitative research seeks to discover the main concern and basic social process of how people resolve that concern (problem emerges from data); develop a theory to explain basic social process grounded in data; in-depth interviews and observations are used by researchers; comes strictly from the researchers perspective; primary procedure is constant comparison

Answer 3

Grounded Theory

Question 4

This type of qualitative research involves systematic collection, critical evaluation, and interpretation of historical evidence; answer questions about causes, effects, or trends in past events; seek to explain why things happen; seeks to gain new knowledge instead of summarizing existing knowledge

Answer 4

Historical research

Question 5

In historical research, a diary, writing for historic important persons, and actual meetings notes would be considered what kind of account?

Answer 5

Primary (first hand original documents)

Question 6

In historical research, textbooks, reference books, and newspaper articles would be considered what kind of account?

Answer 6

Secondary (second hand or third hand accounts)

Question 7

This type of qualitative research involves in-depth investigations of a single entity; the account is central to understanding why individual thinks, behaves, or develops in a particular manner; wide-variety of data like interviews, observations, documents, and artifacts used

Answer 7

Case Studies (can be single, multiple, holistic, or embedded)

Question 8

This type of qualitative research involves the “story” being the focus of inquiry; examine how individuals make sense of events in their lives; focuses on the broad contours of a narrative so stories are not fractured of dissected; underlying premise is that people make sense of their world and communicate these meanings (constructing, reconstructing, narrating)

Answer 8

Narrative Analysis

Question 9

A complete narrative consists of 1. abstract 2. orientation 3. complicating action 4. evaluation 5. results and 6. ____

Answer 9

coda (results returning back to present)

Question 10

This type of qualitative research involves integrating theory and practice such that people become aware of contradictions and disparities in their beliefs and social practice (become inspired to change them); calls for inquiry that fosters enlightenment, self-knowledge, and sociopolitical action; begins with thorough analysis of aspects of the problem; often triangulate multiple methodologies and emphasize multiple perspectives; typically interact with study participants in ways that emphasize participant expertise; mostly seen in other disciplines

Answer 10

Critical Theory

Book definition: critique of existing social structures; critical researchers strive to conduct inquiries that involve collaboration with participants and foster enlightened self-knowledge and transformation

Question 11

This type of qualitative research involves researchers and study participants collaborating in research process; aim is not just to produce knowledge but action and consciousness raising; produce an impetus that is directly used to make improvements; the researchers usually worked with groups or communities that are vulnerable to the control or oppression of a dominant group or culture

Answer 11

Participatory Action research

Book definition: produces knowledge through close collaboration with groups or communities that are vulnerable to control or oppression by a dominant culture