Lesson 8 Flashcards
How is qualitative different from quantitative?
NO NUMBERS
Rich and meaningful conversation; depth > breadth
Not an “alternative” to quantitative research
Answers different types of questions IE Why? How?
Qualitative researchers are interested in _________?
Meaning
What are qualitative researchers mostly concerned with?
Process rather than outcomes/products
Which form of evaluation would be most appropriate for qualitative research?
Formative
What is the primary instrument for data collection and analysis for qualitative research?
The qualitative researcher
Pros of qualitative research?
Examine complex phenomena without relying on structured data collection
Can stimulate stakeholder engagement
What about statistics makes qualitative research less useful to report outcomes with precision?
Statistics are very concerned with precision and a confidence interval does not exist in qualitative research
Define “non-participant observers”
Unobtrusively observe ‘natives’ as they go about their daily activities
Evaluator personally observes the entity
What are some cons for non-participant observers?
Observations may become “snapshots” instead of “movies”
May influence performance
Most feasible in public settings
Explain “participant observers”
Has a legitimate role in the program
Provide detailed information about inner workings
What is a pseudoparticipant observer?
Faker
Acting as a person in need of services
Reconnaissance
What are the three primary elements of a social scene?
Actors
Actions/activities
Setting (where + when)
Why is the setting element of a social scene important?
People act different in different settings
Plays a role in shaping behavior
What is the goal of interview methods?
Inference development
Define “inference development”
Extraction of “deeper thought and meanings” that can be encoded in linguistics
Explain the “One-on-One” interview method
Broad “how” and “why” questions
These open ended questions make them talk; more talking = more info to go on
Explain the “Focus Groups” interview method
Used a lot in marketing
Interviewees interact with others and the evaluator
More people = enriched by other thoughts and conversation
Homogenous make-up (similar people) gives you “pure in voice”
As the facilitator, you should
Tailor the interview to respondent
Be neutral in response and body language
Don’t use direct or leading probes
Be nonjudgmental to everyone
As the facilitator, what methods are available to you to record answers?
Field notes (writing is less questioning) Audio recording (can be revisited) will have the tone of person Use pen and paper to jot down nonverbal cues to supplement recording Review of program documents Can be difficult to obtain
When do you stop data collection?
No built in stopping point, more concerned with situation
The more opportunities the evaluator has to observe…
The more generalizations can be drawn
Name a few methods to limit bias in qualitative research
Assure confidentially and/or anonymity of data
Establish audit trail (before and during data analysis)
Present/Admit author’s/evaluator’s own biases
Peer debriefing
Triangulate data
Perform member checks
How should you establish audit trail when trying to limit bias?
Thorough documentation of the steps and decisions taken
When triangulating data in order to limit bias, you must
Rely on more than one type of data to corroborate findings
