Key Terms and Definitions Flashcards
What is Qualitative Research?
A research method focused on exploring human experiences, meanings, and social phenomena through rich, detailed data collection.
Example: Conducting in-depth interviews to understand how individuals cope with grief.
What is Reflexivity?
A process where researchers critically reflect on their biases, assumptions, and influence on the research.
Example: A researcher examining childhood trauma may keep a journal to track how their own experiences influence interpretation.
What is Triangulation?
Using multiple data sources, methods, or theories to enhance credibility and confirm findings.
Example: Studying work stress by combining interviews, surveys, and workplace observations.
What is Thematic Analysis?
A method for identifying, analyzing, and reporting themes in qualitative data.
Example: Categorizing interview responses into themes like ‘workplace support’ and ‘job stress’.
What is Grounded Theory?
A qualitative research method aimed at developing theories based on systematically collected and analyzed data.
Example: Investigating workplace burnout by continuously refining categories like ‘job demands’ and ‘lack of autonomy’.
What is Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA)?
A method exploring how individuals make sense of their lived experiences.
Example: Examining how cancer patients interpret their diagnosis and treatment.
What is a Case Study?
An in-depth investigation of a specific individual, group, or situation within its real-life context.
Example: Studying how a particular school implemented inclusive education policies.
What is Narrative Inquiry?
A qualitative approach that focuses on individuals’ personal stories and how they construct meaning from their experiences.
Example: Analyzing the career narratives of teachers to understand professional identity formation.
What is Member-Checking?
A technique where researchers share findings with participants to confirm accuracy.
Example: Sending interview transcripts to participants to verify their statements were interpreted correctly.
What is Transferability?
The extent to which research findings can be applied to other settings or groups.
Example: A study on leadership in healthcare settings being transferable to corporate environments.
What is Credibility?
The trustworthiness of research findings and how well they reflect participants’ realities.
Example: Using multiple interviews and peer review to ensure consistency in qualitative research.
What is Thick Description?
Providing detailed, contextualized descriptions of participants, settings, and events to support transferability.
Example: Describing a rural healthcare facility’s challenges in implementing mental health programs.
What is an Audit Trail?
A documented record of all research decisions, processes, and changes to ensure transparency and dependability.
Example: Keeping a log of data coding decisions in a qualitative study.
What is Theoretical Saturation?
The point at which data collection stops because no new insights are emerging.
Example: Interviewing teachers about classroom stress until responses become repetitive.
What is Inductive Research?
A bottom-up research approach where theories emerge from data rather than being pre-determined.
Example: Observing students’ study habits and developing a model of effective learning strategies.
