Methodology

Question 1

Ethnography

Answer 1

This approach involves studying people in their natural environment, observing and interpreting their cultural practices and daily life. Researchers often immerse themselves within a community or group for an extended period.

Question 2

Phenomenology

Answer 2

Focused on understanding lived experiences, phenomenological research explores how individuals perceive and make sense of particular phenomena, often through in-depth interviews.

Question 3

Case Study

Answer 3

This method involves an in-depth exploration of a single case (or a small number of cases), which could be an individual, group, organization, or event. It’s used to understand complex issues within real-life contexts.

Question 4

Grounded Theory

Answer 4

Grounded theory seeks to develop new theories by systematically gathering and analyzing data. Researchers often use this method to generate a theory based on patterns they observe in the data.

Question 5

Narrative Research

Answer 5

This type focuses on collecting and analyzing individuals’ stories or personal accounts to explore how people interpret their experiences and give meaning to their lives.

Question 6

Action Research

Answer 6

In action research, the researcher collaborates with participants to solve a problem or improve a situation. It’s a cyclical process of planning, action, and reflection, often used in educational or organizational settings.

Question 7

Discourse Analysis

Answer 7

This type examines language and communication in various forms, focusing on how language is used in social contexts. It’s often used to study power dynamics, identities, and social interactions.

Question 8

Content Analysis

Answer 8

While sometimes considered mixed methods, qualitative content analysis focuses on interpreting textual or visual data, identifying patterns, themes, and meanings from written or recorded content.

Question 9

Descriptive Research

Answer 9

This type focuses on describing characteristics or phenomena as they exist. It often involves surveys, questionnaires, or observations to collect numerical data that provide a snapshot of the current state of affairs.

Question 10

Correlational Research

Answer 10

Correlational studies explore relationships between two or more variables to determine whether and how they are related. However, this type of research does not establish causality—just whether a relationship exists (positive, negative, or none).

Question 11

Causal-Comparative/Quasi-Experimental Research

Answer 11

This method attempts to identify cause-and-effect relationships by comparing groups based on an independent variable, though without random assignment. Quasi-experiments are useful when randomization isn’t possible but still seek to understand relationships.

Question 12

Quantitative research

Answer 12

A systematic investigation primarily focuses on quantifying data and applying statistical, mathematical, or computational techniques to analyze it. This type of research is often used to test hypotheses, establish patterns, and generalize findings from a sample to a larger population.

Question 13

Experimental Research

Answer 13

Experimental research involves manipulating one variable (independent variable) to determine its effect on another variable (dependent variable), with strict control over external factors. This method often includes randomly assigning participants to different groups or conditions to establish causality.

Question 14

Survey Research

Answer 14

Surveys are commonly used in quantitative research to collect data from a large group of people using structured questions. The survey data is then analyzed to make inferences about a population.

Question 15

Longitudinal Research

Answer 15

This type involves studying the same variables over an extended period to track changes or developments over time. It can help researchers identify trends and patterns that unfold over years or even decades.

Question 16

Cross-Sectional Research

Answer 16

In cross-sectional studies, researchers analyze data from a population at a specific point in time. It provides a snapshot of a particular phenomenon, often used to compare different groups within a population.

Question 17

Meta-Analysis

Answer 17

This type involves systematically combining and analyzing results from multiple studies to draw broader conclusions. It provides a statistical approach to aggregating research findings to identify overall trends.

Question 18

Qualitative Research

Answer 18

This type of research seeks to understand individuals’ experiences, behaviors, and the meanings they ascribe to their surroundings. It is exploratory and often used to gain deeper insights into complex issues that can’t be easily quantified. Unlike quantitative research, which focuses on numerical and statistical analysis, qualitative research uses non-numerical data (such as words, texts, or images) and focuses on subjective experiences.

Question 19

Exploratory and Open-Ended

Answer 19

It aims to explore phenomena, concepts, or issues in depth rather than test hypotheses. The approach is often open-ended, allowing for rich descriptions and in-depth exploration of participants’ perspectives.

Question 20

Natural Setting

Answer 20

Data is usually collected in the participants’ natural environment, which helps researchers capture the context of their behaviors and experiences.

Question 21

Subjectivity

Answer 21

Researchers actively participate in interpreting data, often acknowledging their own influence on the research process. The goal is to understand the meaning of phenomena from the participant’s point of view.

Question 22

Holistic

Answer 22

Qualitative research looks at the “whole picture” and tries to understand the complexity of a situation, often involving multiple perspectives.

Question 23

Flexible Methodology

Answer 23

Research design in qualitative research is often adaptive and evolves as the study progresses, allowing researchers to explore emerging themes or insights as they arise.

Question 24

Data Collection Methods

Answer 24

Common methods include interviews, focus groups, participant observation, document analysis, and open-ended surveys. Data collection is usually intensive and time-consuming.

Question 25

Non-Numerical Data

Answer 25

The data is usually in the form of words, images, or objects, rather than numbers. Researchers look for patterns, themes, or narratives in the data.

Question 26

Inductive Analysis

Answer 26

Data analysis in qualitative research is typically inductive, meaning that themes, patterns, and categories emerge from the data rather than being imposed by a prior framework.

Question 27

Strengths of Qualitative Research

Answer 27

Rich, Detailed Data: Provides deep, contextualized insights that can capture the complexity of human experiences.
Flexibility:

Allows adaptability during data collection and analysis, making it suitable for exploring evolving or complex issues.

Exploration of New Ideas: This is ideal for generating new theories or understanding new areas where little research has been done.

Participant-Centered: Gives voice to participants and allows them to express their perspectives in their own words.

Question 28

Limitations of Qualitative Research

Answer 28

Subjectivity: The researcher’s interpretations can introduce bias, which may affect the validity of the findings.

Time-Consuming: Data collection and analysis can take considerable time, especially with in-depth interviews or participant observation.

Limited Generalizability: Because the sample sizes are usually small and context-specific, it is difficult to generalize findings to larger populations.

Reliability Issues: The findings may not always be replicable due to the nature of qualitative research, which is often context-specific.