Lecture 6 & 7: Qualitative Research Flashcards
What is Qualitative Research? (8)
Creative
Contextual- Considers the context from which the data was obtained
Inductive- no fixed hypothesis
Flexible- not predetermined
Adaptive of the situation- no controlled conditions
Interpretive of Reality
In-depth understanding, more focused on causation vs. correlattion
Relationships with participants
Ontology (Being)
What is the nature of reality and the viewpoints towards different things
The researcher reports all the different perspectives
Epistemology (knowledge)
What is evidence for that Paradigm?
What is considered to be knowledge?
Axiology (Values)
Bias is present because research is value laden
The researcher should include what the participants values are
Methodology (practise)
Process of research, inductive in research design, continually revising questions from experiences in field
Positionality
Should consider it as it:
- shapes the questions that we ask
- how we relate to participants
- how we understand the world that they bring
and therefore this impacts on the findings, and the interpretation of them
Rigour
It is how we show integrity, competence and legitimacy of the research
Makes sure that research is non-fictional, and that knowledge is correct
Why do we apply different criteria to Qualitative Research to assess whether it is trustworthy?
Generalisability: Findings from one context can’t be applied to another because we can’t separate the context from the understanding
Validity: Reality is Socially Constructed and can’t be measured
Reliability: Repeating the experiment won’t give the same results, due to contextual factors
Aspects of Rigour in Qualitative Research (5)
Theoretical Rigour- Matching the research problem with the correct methods and concepts
Interpretive Rigour- Accurate representation of the understandings of the people involved in the study
Methodological Rigour- Carefully document and explain how you got to your findings- recruitment of participants, methods used…
Evaluative Rigour - Did the researchers have formal ethical approval? Safety of the Participants and the researchers
Reflexive Rigour- The role of the researcher, bias, providing accounts of all possible influence and also sharing all the different accounts fairly- not just the ones that make it easier to advocate for a certain issue
Lincoln and Guba “Criteria to assess trustworthiness of qualitative research”
Credibility (Internal Validity) - Authentic and accurate descriptions. Should be automatically identifiable by the participants and others.
Transferability - The findings don’t have to be generalisible, but there should be a degree of applicability of the theoretical knowledge to other contexts.
Ability to compare and contrast populations
Dependability - The findings should fit the data from which they were obtained
Qualitative research is flexible, so we an audit trail (record changes, decisions), which is a clear and descriptive logic that others can follow
Confirmability (Objectivity) - Ensure that none of the findings are influenced by biases or motivations of the researcher
The researcher should comment on their own opinions and how they could have and affect on interpretations
What are the Four Rigouros STRATEGIES
- Thick Description: Write in full detail so that readers understand the setting, participants, research and methods process.
Issues: Word count and Confidentiality - Triangulation/ Crystallisation: Bringing together multiple sources of researchers and paradigms. Gives many different kinds of perspectives, ideas, can have more participants. Making it more reliable
- Reflexivity: Constantly reflecting on and scrutinising your own lens, and how your ideas may be changing.
- Reflecting on Positionality: Treating people with integrity, honesty and fairness
Being aware of your own views and your philosophical, political, SEP standpoints and how they can be impacting on research and your relationships with your participants.
