Intro to Interpretive Inquiry

Question 1

what is the goal of qualitative research?

Answer 1

the development of concepts which
help us to understand social phenomena in natural
(rather than experimental) settings

Question 2

what does qualitative studies give emphasis to?

Answer 2

meanings/ experiences, and perspectives of participants

Question 3

why might we engage in qualitative research?

Answer 3

To explore complex phenomena not amenable to quantitative research

Precursor or as follow-up to quantitative research

Supplemental (triangulation) to quantitative dat

Question 4

what is the difference between methods and methodology?

Answer 4

methodology outlines the overall approach and theoretical framework of the research, while methods detail the specific techniques and procedures used to implement that approach and collect/analyze data.

Question 5

what are 6 common qualitative methodologies?

Answer 5

Grounded theory
Ethnography
Critical Discourse Analysis
Narrative Inquiry
Phenomenology
Case Study/Multiple Case Stud

Question 6

what is grounded theory?

Answer 6

used to develop theories or explanations for phenomena based on systematically collected and analyzed data. It emphasizes the generation of theory directly from the data, allowing theories to emerge from the data rather than being imposed on it

Question 7

what is ethnography?

Answer 7

used to study and understand people and cultures in their natural settings. It involves immersing oneself in the culture or community being studied, observing behaviors, interactions, and social practices, and documenting these observations in detail.

Question 8

what is critical discourse analysis?

Answer 8

provides a framework for examining the role of language in social and political processes, uncovering hidden meanings, and challenging dominant discourses and power structures. It is often used in fields such as media studies, political science, education, and sociology to analyze texts and discourses in relation to broader social issues and power dynamics

Question 9

what is narrative inquiry?

Answer 9

used to explore and understand people’s experiences, stories, and lived realities through the collection and analysis of narratives or stories.

Question 10

what is phenomenology?

Answer 10

a framework for exploring and understanding the depth and richness of human experiences from the perspective of the individuals who live them.

Question 11

what is case study?

Answer 11

focuses on the in-depth exploration of a single case or a small number of cases. It involves studying a specific individual, group, organization, event, or phenomenon in detail to gain insights into its complexities, dynamics, and contextual factors.

Question 12

what are common qualitative data collection methods?

Answer 12

Interviews
Focus Groups
Observations
Documents/Visuals

Question 13

when would you choose to do an interview method?

Answer 13

When you want in-depth exploration of a particular topic

When you want a flexible, iterative, responsive approach

When you want to access participants’ understandings,
attitudes, perceptions

Question 14

how long does an interview typically last?

Answer 14

45-90 minutes or longer

Question 15

what are different types of interviews?

Answer 15

structured
semistructured
non structured

Question 16

what are focus groups?

Answer 16

6 to 12 (give or take) individuals interviewed together

Participants usually similar in some way; or otherwise
purposively chosen.

Question 17

when would you choose to use a focus group method?

Answer 17

When the interaction amongst group members is desirable.

When the perspective of a group is desirable.

When group ‘consensus,’ or capturing divergent views, is
a goal.

Question 18

what should you consider when choosing focus groups?

Answer 18

Dominant people may take over

Challenging to moderate

May fall victim to social desirability biases

Question 19

what are observations?

Answer 19

Naturalistically observing people in their setting

Recording detailed descriptions, which become detailed
fieldnotes

Capture anecdotes, reflections, including geography of
space; relations among people and objects; atmosphere
or tone

Question 20

when should you choose an observation method?

Answer 20

When you want to move beyond individual thinking, attitudes, perceptions and instead captures behaviours and actions

When you want to study the cultural and relational
aspects of social phenomena

When you want to build a thick description of a particular
context

Question 21

what should you consider when choosing observations?

Answer 21

They do not capture cognitive processes, perceptions or
attitudes

Researcher meanings might be inconsistent with the
meanings participants ascribe to their experiences

Participant reactivity: researcher may impact participant
behaviour

Time consuming, often with little data; gatekeeper issues

Question 22

what are documents/visuals?

Answer 22

Texts: could take the form of a policy
document, protocol/procedure, promotional materials, handout (online/hardcopy), photograph, video, art/creative output etc.

Some texts accessed through public domain (do not require ethics approval)

Some texts created by/co-created with participants (requires ethics approval)

Question 23

when should you use documents/texts?

Answer 23

Methodology calls for it (ex. discourse analysis,
arts-based research, photovoice)

Informs interview guides/observations

Tool box approaches- often used with children

Topics that are hard to access through dialogue alone