Lesson 15: General structure of a qualitative report Flashcards
What are the parts of a conventional qualitative report?
- Title
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- Conclusion (optional or sometimes merged with the Discussion as Discussions and Conclusions)
- List of references
- Appendix
What are the parts of a qualitative report?
- Title
- Abstract
- Introduction
- Methods
- Results and Discussion (alternatively Findings or Analysis and Discussion)
- Conclusions (optional)
- List of references
- Appendix
What is informative about the general content of the report wherein often a title and subtitle are used?
Title.
What is the title in a qualitative report?
It is informative about the general content of the report wherein often a title and subtitle are used.
What is the common fault of the title?
Not sufficiently informative about the contents of the report.
What is in the abstract?
(a) Brief summary of reason for the research
(b) Brief summary of method of the research
(c) Brief summary of findings of the research
(d) Brief summary of conclusions
What is the common fault of the abstract?
Failure to summarize all major components of the report; especially common not to summarize findings and conclusions in qualitative reports.
What part of the qualitative report has the following:
(a) Brief summary of reason for the research
(b) Brief summary of method of the research
(c) Brief summary of findings of the research
(d) Brief summary of conclusions?
Abstract.
What does the introduction in a qualitative report contain?
(a) Orientating paragraph
(b) Justification and clear statement of the aims of the research
(c) Literature review as appropriate
(d) What has emerged from the literature review which impinges on the research that you carried out?
(e) Explanation of why a particular qualitative method was selected as being appropriate. Avoid writing a general justification for choosing qualitative and not quantitative methods. There are many qualitative approaches.
(f) Statement of the specific research question you wish to address in your study
What part of the qualitative report has the following:
(a) Orientating paragraph
(b) Justification and clear statement of the aims of the research
(c) Literature review as appropriate
(d) What has emerged from the literature review which impinges on the research that you carried out?
(e) Explanation of why a particular qualitative method was selected as being appropriate. Avoid writing a general justification for choosing qualitative and not quantitative methods. There are many qualitative approaches.
(f) Statement of the specific research question you wish to address in your study?
Introduction
What are the common faults in an introduction?
- Material not sufficiently focused towards the study carried out – that is, too general and wasteful of reader’s time;
- Material does not have a coherent structure especially the literature review. The use of sub-headings may help considerably;
- Material vague and insufficiently detailed because original sources have not been read
What is in the method?
(a) Rationale for the methodological approach (if not more appropriately placed in the introduction).
(b) Design of the study including interviews/focus groups, etc.
(c) Procedures, interviews and other data collection methods used
(d) General information about participants in the research.
(e) Ethical considerations.
(f) Transcription of data
(g) Strategy for the data analysis
(h) Procedures for assessing the reliability and validity of the analysis
What part of the qualitative report that has the following:
(a) Rationale for the methodological approach (if not more appropriately placed in the introduction).
(b) Design of the study including interviews/focus groups, etc.
(c) Procedures, interviews and other data collection methods used
(d) General information about participants in the research.
(e) Ethical considerations.
(f) Transcription of data
(g) Strategy for the data analysis
(h) Procedures for assessing the reliability and validity of the analysis?
Method
What are the common faults of the method?
- Failure to present detail of data collection methods used (e.g. focus groups or in-depth interviews) which may be very pertinent to the interpretation of the data
- Very common to gloss over the details of the qualitative research analysis, leaving considerable doubt about what was done – or even whether it was truly a qualitative analysis.
What does the results and discussion contain?
(a) The analysis of the textual material,
(b) Quotes illustrating aspects of the analysis or for detailed discussion.
(c) Possibly simple quantification to indicate the incidence of different features of the analysis.
(d) Tables (e.g. several quotes illustrating a theme or perhaps contrasting the quotes from one sample with those of another).
(e) Reflections on methodology and analysis.
(f) The major features of the analysis.
(g) How the research findings relate to those from other studies in this area of research.
(h) Describe attempts to validate the analysis such as discussing it with the original participants.
(i) Any methodological issues which place limitations on the research findings.
(j) Further implications of the research in terms of possible fruitful lines of inquiry.