Data Collection in qualitative research Flashcards
What are the 2 main types of data collection in qualitative research?
1) Participant observation
2) Interviews
How to describe the observations that take place in qualitative research?
They will be unstructured but there will be clear questions to ask the partcipants
Why are observations carried out?
In order to explore something that can’t be easily articulated by participants (e.g behaviours)
How are observations recorded?
Field notes - there and then or very soon after the observation takes place
Why are interviews carried out?
In order to explore a person’s own feelings/experiences of a culture/phenomena
How is the interview constructed?
It is unstructured. Questions do not need to be asked in a specific order and questions will evolve throughout the interview
How are interviews recorded?
Using an audio-recorder (with consent of the participants)
What is a communication technique used in interviews?
Active listening
What are the 3 things involved in active listening?
1) Silence - encourages others to speak
2) Body language
3) Encouraging sounds
What is the role of the interview guide?
The interview guide does not ask questions but rather prompts and probes (e.g. So, how did that make you feel?)
What 3 questions should be avoided in an interview?
1) Closed questions
2) Long questions
3) Double questions
When are focus group interviews useful?
When the subject/issue is particularly sensitive
How are focus groups managed?
A topic guide - will enable the discussion to keep on track of the target and encourage quiet participants to speak
