Lecture and Recitation 1

Question 1

What is Quantitative

Answer 1

Thought of as Objective
Research questions like “How many” and “strength of association”
Tests a theory
Measurable 
Researcher is separate from process
Strives for generalization → leads to prediction
Basic element of analysis is numbers
Context free
“Counts the beans”

Question 2

What is Qualitative

Answer 2

Thought of as Subjective
Research questions like “what”, “how” and “why”
Develops a theory
Interpretive
Researcher is part of the process
Strives for uniqueness → leads to understanding
Basic element of analysis is words/ideas
Context dependent
Provides information as to “which beans are worth counting”

Question 3

Definitions

Answer 3

● Collecting, analyzing and interpreting data by observing what people do and say. Qualitative research refers to the meanings, concepts, definitions, characteristics, metaphors, symbols and description of things.
● Qualitative research is subjective and uses very different methods of collecting information, including individual, in-depth interviews and focus groups. The nature of this type of research is exploratory and open-ended.

Question 4

(Features of Qualitative Research)

Naturalistic

Answer 4

○ Context dependent
○ Actions are understood within settings
○ Circumstances are important

Question 5

(Features of Qualitative Research)

Descriptive Data

Answer 5

○ Narrative form of reporting is common, quotations are used to illustrate and substantiate.
○ Data includes interviews, field notes, photographs, video footage, personal documents, etc.

Question 6

(Features of Qualitative Research)

Concerned with process

Answer 6

Process is just as, or more, important than outcomes or products.
○	Attention to:
■	How meaning is derived 
■	How labels come to be applied
■	How assumptions are made

Question 7

(Features of Qualitative Research)

Inductive

Answer 7

○ Theories develop from bottom-up rather than top-down
○ The direction you will travel comes after you are been collecting data and spent time with the participants
○ “You are not putting together a puzzle whose picture you already know” - you are not coming with assumptions there may be surprises along the way.
○ Use parts of the study to learn what important questions are

Question 8

(Features of Qualitative Research)

Meaningful

Answer 8

○ Participant perspectives are important - what they think about the world, not what you think
○ Accuracy of interpretations can be checked with the participants - you have to confront your assumptions, subjective of the research and they can help you understand better
○ Interplay or dialogue between researchers and participants

Question 9

What are the Strengths of Qualitative Research?

Answer 9

● Research done in natural settings (usually/mostly)
○ Not only observe but also participate, engage with what you are researching, become part of it.
● Emphasis on informant interpretations and meanings
○ To really understand
● Seek understanding of informants world
○ Thick Description (Clifford Geertz)
● Humanizing research process by raising the role of the researched
● High level of flexibility in research process
○ Serendipity: when you are looking for something and you find something else

Question 10

What are the Weaknesses of Qualitative Research?

Answer 10

● Problems of reliability - the difficulty of replicating findings
● “Subjectivity” of nature of data collection and analysis
● Risk of collecting meaningless and useless information from participants
● Problems of ethics: entering the personal world of the participant
○ Sensitive issues/breaking the rules, is it okay to document?
● Very time consuming

Question 11

Name the FIVE historical moments:

Answer 11

1. The traditional (1900-1950): associated with the positivist paradigm where qualitative research aims to reflect the principles of (natural) scientific enquiry.
2. The modernist or golden age (1950-1970): where we see the appearance of post-positivist arguments. This is also part of
3. The blurred genres (1970-1986): where a variety of new interpretive, qualitative perspectives come into the foreground: hermeneutics, structuralism, semiotics, phenomenology, cultural studies and feminism. The humanities also became a central resource for critical and interpretive theory. The blurred genres phase gave rise to
4. The crisis of representation (1986-1990): where researchers struggled with how to locate themselves and their subjects in reflexive texts
5. The postmodern or present (1990-today): a new sensibility that doubts all previous paradigms