Lecture 1 Flashcards
What is qualitative research?
FULL DEFINITION IN SMALLER PARTS:
* begins with the assumption and the use of interpretive/theoretical frameworks that inform the study of research problems by addressing the meaning individuals or groups ascribe to social or human problems
* To study this problem, QR uses an emerging qualitative approach to inquiry, the collection of data in a natural setting, sensitive to the people and places under study, and data analysis is both inductive and deductive and establishes patterns and themes.
* The final written report or presentation includes the voices of the participants, the reflexivity of the researcher, a complex description and interpretation of the problem, and its** contribution to the literature or a call for change **
Keywords:
- Interpretive/theoretical frameworks
- Meaning indvs or groups ascribe to social/human problems (meaning-making - how do people experience the world?)
- emerging qualitative approach
- in a natural setting
- sensitive to people and places
- both inductive and deductive
- voices of participants
- reflexivity of the researcher (understanding own biases)
- complex description and interpretation
- contribution to literature (add to the body of knowledge) VS call for change
Focus on HOW and WHAT ipv HOW MANY
Meaning making, interpretations and perceptions
Demonstrate the research process (+ situate philosophy and interpretive frameworks within the research process)
PHASE 1: the researcher as a multicultural subject
-> history and research tradition
-> conception of self and the other
-> ethics and politics of research
(perspectives & experiences)
PHASE 2: philosophical assumptions and interpretive frameworks
-> philosophical assumptions: ontology, epistemology, axiology, methodology
-> frameworks: postpositivism, pragmatism, …
PHASE 3: Research strategies and approaches
-> design, case study, ethnography, grounded theory, …
PHASE 4: methods of collection and analysis
-> observing, interviewing, oral history, textual analysis, focus groups, …
PHASE 5: the art, practice, and politics of interpretation and evaluation
-> criteria for judging adequacy, writing as interpretation, evaluation traditions, policy analysis
Why are philosophical assumptions important?
- gives direction to the research goals and outcomes (-> how we formulate our problem and research questions, how we seek information, …)
- says something about the scope of training and research experience (assumptions = deeply rooted in training and reinforced by the scholarly community in which we work)
- basis of evaluative criteria for research-related decisions
Philosophical assumptions influence the research question, and affect the type of data collection chosen, …
Can philosophical assumptions change?
- can change over time and over a career
- multiple assumptions can be taken during a given study -> but dependent on research experience, openness, and acceptability of ideas taken, …
What are the 4 philosophical assumptions?
- ontology
- epistemology
- axiology
- methodology
What is ontology?
= researcher’s view on reality
- Addresses questions?: What is the nature of reality; what is existence and what does it mean to exist? is there a single reality out there?
- dominant view in QR: multiple realities, reflected in using multiple forms of evidence (quotes, perspectives, …)
- evidence of multiple views?
-> use of multiple forms of evidence in themes using the actual words of different indvs OR/AND presenting different perspectives
! importance? ontology gives direction nat whether 1 single factual reality or multiple => impact on how you design your research
What is epistemology?
= how the researcher knows reality (= nature of knowledge)
- addresses questions: what counts as knowledge? how are knowledge claims justified? what is the relationship between the researcher and that being researched?
- eg. knowledge = something that you can justify; or from observation; or from experiences; or from common sense: or from scientific knowledge; or
- dominant view in QR: knowledge = based on subjective experiences of people -> ‘first hand’ information from people, getting to know people => researcher attempts to lessen the distance between himself and that being researched (fieldwork)
EG. following stories/trajectories of migrants to understand how the bureaucratic contacts effect integration of migrants in the long-term
What is axiology?
= the value-stance taken by the inquirer
- study of values (from pers experience, gender, race, …) + what role do values have in research? -> researchers need to position on values (! need to be made explicitly!)
- various views in QR: postpositivism VS value-driven (Cresswell)
! need to acknowledge bias ! eg. I acknowledge my privilege to sit at the planning table; I do not realize that my race impacted my participants and my research findings
What is methodology?
= the procedures used in the study
- the study of research procedures and methods: focus on the process of doing research
- views in QR:
Varies from inductive to deductive
Researcher studies topic in (social, historical, etc) context
Emergent research design (inductive reasoning vs deductive reasoning)
What is inductive reasoning?
observation -> pattern -> hypothesis -> theory
What is deductive reasoning?
theory -> hypothesis -> observation -> confirmation
What are paradigms/worldviews/interpretative frameworks?
= ‘basic set of beliefs that guides action’; OR theories/theoretical orientations that guide the practice of research
2 categories:
1. social science: shape how the researchers view the problems and data (postpositivism, social constructivism, pragmatism)
2. social justice science: addressing problems or even calling for action in the context of a specific social issue (feminist theory, queer theory, …)
What is postpositivism? (general)
- no strict cause and effect BUT cause and effect = probabilities
- e-: reductionist, logical, empirical, cause-and-effect oriented, deterministic based on a priori theories
- when used? indvs w prior quantitative research training + to support quantitative research
- practice?
-> inquiry = logically related steps + rigorous methods of qualitative data collection and analysis -> multiple levels of data analysis for rigor, employ computer programs to assist, encourage validity approaches, write qualitative in form of scientific reports w structure resembling quantitative articles
What is postpositivism in relation to philosophical assumptions?
Ontology:
– A single reality exists beyond ourselves, out there
– Reality = discovered following a series of logically-related steps ->! Researchers may not be able to understand it perfectly!
Epistemology
– Reality can only be approximated/discovered ipv ‘constructed’ – It is revealed through research and statistics
– Limit interaction with research subjects
– Validity comes from peers not participants
Axiology
– Control researcher bias
– No need to explicate them (because they are controlled)
Methodology
– Rigorous scientific methods are important: measuring and objectiving.
– Deductive: theory testing
What is social constructivism? (general)
- indvs = seek understandings of the world in which they live and work -> develop subjective meanings of their experiences (= meanings directed towards certain objects or things)
- goal? to rely on the participant’s view of the situation
- subjective meanings = negotiated socially and historically -> formed through interaction with others
- inductive
- interpretation!
- practice? broad questions => participant can construct meaning of a situation + focus on specific contexts + closely study participants
What is social constructivism in relation to philosophical assumptions?
Ontology
– Multiple realities = constructed through our lived experiences and interactions with others
– Truth = derived from social interactions and experiences around us
Epistemology
– Important to understand how people construct reality, rather than ‘facts’
– Knowledge about reality: co-constructed between researcher and subjects
Axiology
– Individual values of researcher matter: ‘co-creation’.
Methodology
– Aimed at reconstructing subjective meanings of subjects, in context.
– First-hand information
– Inductive and emergent; bottom-up.
What are transformative frameworks?
= participatory action research
Why used?
- postpositivist impose laws and theories that do not fit marginalized individuals or groups + constructivists = do not go far enough in advocating action to help individuals
Basic tenet?
- knowledge = neutral + reflects the power and social relationships within society -> purpose of knowledge construction = to aid people to improve society
Goal?
- action agenda for reform
Features?
- recursive or dialectical -> focused on bringing about change in practices
- focused on helping individuals free themselves from constraints found in the media, in language, …
- emancipatory -> helps unshackle people from constraints of irrational and unjust structures -> aim? to create a political debate and discussion
- practical and collaborative -> participants help design, …
Encompasses? postmodernism + feminist theory/queer theory/disability theory/critical race theory
-> commonality? all encourage participation of research subjects + reflection on methods + social change
What is postmodernism? (general)
What?
- focus their critiques on changing ways of thinking ipv calling for action based on these changes
Basic concept?
- knowledge claims = set within the conditions of the world today + in multiple perspectives of class, race, gender and other group affiliations
-> negative conditions: eg. in presence of hierarchies, power, and control by individuals, multiple meanings of language
What is postmodernism in relation to philosophical assumptions?
Ontology
- There are multiple realities -> Reality = defined by our experiences AND concepts; there is no reality beyond that (no brute facts)
- (further than social constructivism)
Epistemology
– Knowledge = defined through language and social habits
– One’s position, and power structures, = crucial in knowledge development.
– Dominant neo-liberal ideology and discourse; emphasis on marginalized groups.
– Truth is relative to a certain frame of reference. There are multiple ways of knowing
Axiology
- respect for multiple value systems (indigenous values)
– Some value systems need to be problematized: transformative goal, deconstruct language and showing dominations and power structures.
Methodology
– Questioning of methods; meaning is fluid and messy. Be careful with generalizations
– Stress transparency by highlighting issues and concerns
Critique -> downplaying role of scientific knowledge
What is critical/social justice in relation to philosophical assumptions?
Ontology
– Multiple realities
– Reality = based on power and identity struggles. Privilege or oppression based on race, ethnicity, class, gender, …
Epistemology
– Knowledge influenced by identity
– Knowledge gained through study of social structures, oppression, power.
– Knowledge gained through research can help to change reality
Axiology
– Diversity of values = emphasized
Methodology
– General: Identify social structures that institutionalize social injustice, document that, and call for action and change
– (But quite some variation here)
Eg. unequal opportunities for black males
What is pragmatism? (general)
What?
- focus on the outcomes of the research (actions, consequences, situations of inquiry)
- concern w “what works” + solutions to problems
- less focus on methods
Basic ideas?
- not committed to any system of philosophy and reality
- freedom of choice for researchers -> free to choose methods, techniques, …
- world = not an absolute unity
- many approaches to collecting and analyzing data
- truth = what works at the time
- look to the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of the researcher based on its intended consequences
- always occurs in social, historical, political, and other contexts
- believe in the external world independent of the mind but also lodged in the mind
Practice
- multiple methods of data collection
- multiple sources of data collection
- focus on practical implications of the research
- emphasize the importance of conducting research that best addresses the research problem
What is pragmatism in relation to philosophical assumptions?
Ontology
– ‘Reality? Whatever’
– No commitment to a particular view of reality
– Pick a view on reality that works
Epistemology
– Knowledge developed through many research methods
– Use methods that work in that situation
Axiology
– Discuss values if they seem to influence the results
– Discuss or ignore values if needed to realize a particular goal (e.g. to convince the reader or to get published)
Methodology
– Depends on research question, and resources available
– Mixed methods
What is pragmatism? (general)
What?
- focus on the outcomes of the research (actions, consequences, situations of inquiry)
- concern w “what works” + solutions to problems
- less focus on methods
Basic ideas?
- not committed to any system of philosophy and reality
- freedom of choice for researchers -> free to choose methods, techniques, …
- world = not an absolute unity
- many approaches to collecting and analyzing data
- truth = what works at the time
- look to the ‘what’ and ‘how’ of the researcher based on its intended consequences
- always occurs in social, historical, political, and other contexts
- believe in the external world independent of the mind but also lodged in the mind
Practice
- multiple methods of data collection
- multiple sources of data collection
- focus on the practical implications of the research
- emphasize the importance of conducting research that best addresses the research problem
What is feminist theory?
What?
- center on and make problematic women’s diverse situations and institutions that frame those situations
- subject? often gender domination
- embraces tenets of postmodern and poststructuralist critiques as a challenge to the injustices of current society
Goals?
- to establish collaborative and nonexploitative relationships
- to place researcher within study as to avoid objectification
- to conduct research that is transformative
Aim?
- ‘to correct both the invisibility and distortion of female experience in ways relevant to ending women’s unequal social position’
