Chapter 3-Qualitative Research Methods Flashcards
Differences between qualitative and quantitative research
- Conducted in a natural setting
- Seek to understand a complex human behavior or problem
- Develop a narrative description of the behavior or situation
- No manipulation of variable
A qualitative research report will be more personal, contain less scientific terminology/jargon. Results section may not report statistical measures/significance levels
How do researchers evaluate the quality of quantitative results?
- confirmability
- dependability
- credibility
- transferability (generalizability)
Confirmability
make sure it does not lean towards the researcher’s bias. You have other researchers carefully read drafts and report any findings of inconsistencies, contradictions, or other forms of bias. Researcher’s should also include the procedure they used so they can check, and recheck the data throughout the study
Dependability
the extent to which the researcher believes the study can be replicated again. It is important to include the nature of the study, because qualitative occurs in natural settings and violent outbursts or other problems can arise at any moment
Credibility
concerned with the accuracy of the identification and description of the subject of the study. It is possible to not have bias and check and recheck the data for cleanliness, but then not end up studying what you originally intended to study
Transferability (generalizability)
concerned with the transferability of their findings to other settings/groups. That’s why it is important to make any assumptions detailed, with a clean and clear report to follow, to make it easier on other researcher’s if they choose to transfer your findings to another study
Ethnographic Inquiry
used when a qualitative researcher’s goal is to learn about a culture or some aspect of a culture from the perspective of the members of that culture
Typically uses participant observation.
Participant observation
When using naturalistic observation, a researcher attempts to be as unobtrusive as possible; however, with participant observation the researcher becomes part of the group being studied
Example of ethnographic inquiry
when Jane Goodall studied the chimpanzees in the Gombe Stream Reserve in Africa (good example of a group of non-humans). This is because, Goodall spent so much time observing the chimpanzees each day that they finally treated her more as a member of the chimpanzee group than an outside observer.
2 Different types of participant observations
- Being observer as participant, which is where you only interact with those involved in the study 2. Being the participant as observer- when the researcher becomes part of the culture by working and interacting with everyone. There is good and bad with these. Because if you become so immersed in a culture you then lose your objectivity. And doesn’t bear the best results. Drawbacks are it may take forever to be accepted as a member of a culture. Do you have the funds and time to do that?? And just being there doesn’t guarantee you’ll be accepted-so you lose a lot of information-but if you are you lose objectivity.
Focus Group
consists of 7 to 10 participants who typically do not know each other but do have shared experiences or similar characteristics. They meet with a moderate for an hour, hour and a half to discuss a topic or questions. The focus group is effective in determining how people feel or why they hold certain beliefs
Case Studies
when you intensely observe/record the behavior of one or sometimes two participants over an extended period of time.
Results for case studies may only be applicable to that individual being studied. When using this method, researchers should not generalize beyond the participant who was studied.
Because the researcher doesn’t manipulate any variables, it is missing that cause and effect relationship. Don’t conclude/generalize about others. OKAY?!!
Examples of case studies
An example of a case study: might involve the observation of a rare animal in the wild/at a zoological park, a specific type of mental patient in a hospital, or a gifted child at school
Artifact Analysis
typically involve the examination and analysis of extant artifacts Text-based items such as books, magazines, newspapers, web sites, and annual reports belong in this category. It is not very common to find a artifact analysis that is not based on text-based materials.
Historiographies
this context refers to the collection and analysis of information and data in order to reconstruct past events
Researchers usually refer to first hand oral and written accounts, diaries, photographs, and so forth as primary resources of this study.
Materials not written by the person being studied, such as newspapers, magazine articles, textbooks, are secondary resources.
Symbolic Interaction
focuses on the common symbols that give meaning to human interaction within a social group context
Such symbols might include- religious jewelry/icons, gang-related graffiti, and merchandising/sports logos
It is a two-step process. 1. The researchers determine the symbols used by the social group they are studying 2. The researchers determine the relations between and among these symbols
Structured interview and advantage
Structured- follow a predetermined script, instrument, or protocol
Advantage: easier to analyze and draw conclusions, because of the standard format they follow
Unstructured interview and advantage
Unstructured- approach is free, beyond a few guiding principles, to allow the conversation to move in whatever direction the participant (s) or interviewer choose
Advantage: Can obtain a broader range of information
What is ultimate goal of grounded theory research?
to derive theories that are grounded in (based on) reality.
The grounded-theory approach is reminiscent of a detective’s attempt to build a theory about why certain types of crimes are committed. For example, by interviewing a number of arsonists, you might be able to develop a theory about why arson takes place.
What types of questions are appropriate for grounded theory research?
Ex. Wanted to know whether one drug is effective over another. Use quantitative. If you wanted to know what it was like to be a participant in a drug study, then you could engage in ground theory or some other type of qualitative study
How do you use literature differently in ground theory research?
Differs in using nontechnical aids instead of technical
Strauss and Corbin recommended against knowing the research literature too well before diving into a topic, because it might constrain your creativity in finding new formulations. Instead, read nontechnical materials such as letters, diaries, newspapers, biographies, etc.
Types of coding in grounded theory research
open coding, axial coding, selective coding
Open coding
is much like the description goal of science. During open coding, the researcher labels and categorizes the phenomena being studied
Axial coding
involves finding the links between categories and subcategories from open coding
Selective coding
entails identifying a core category and relating the subsidiary categories to this core
What does the researcher do after the last step of coding?
After the last step in coding, selective coding, the researcher moves toward developing a model of process and a transactional system. This essentially tells the story of the outcome of the research.
Process system
refers to a linking of actions and interactions that result in some outcome
Transactional system
grounded theory’s analytical method that allows an examination of the interactions of different events.
The transactional system is depicted in a conditional matrix.
Describe the format of the conditional matrix
The factors that are most pertinent to an event are shown at the interior; the least important factors, on the exterior.
