Primary Qualitative Methods Flashcards
study using unstructured questionnaire?
dean and taylor - employment
what is an unstructured questionnaire?
series of questions in no set order and wording can be adapted for circumstances and inappropriate Qs taken out.
practical strengths of unstructured questionnaires?
personal characteristics won’t affect as researcher doesn’t have to be present.
access gained.
practical weaknesses of unstructured questionnaires?
don’t actually know who’s completed it.
low response rate.
expensive.
time consuming.
ethical strengths of unstructured questionnaires?
if anonymous, protects person more than other methods.
no obligation to answer sensitive Qs.
may be able to explore more sensitive topics.
informed consent can be obtained.
ethical weaknesses of unstructured questionnaires?
asking about sensitive topics may cause emotional harm.
if data is shared unknowingly - deception.
theoretical strengths of unstructured questionnaires?
produces qualitative data.
can clarify meanings
provides in depth understanding.
gain verstehen.
theoretical weaknesses of unstructured questionnaires?
lacks reliability
can’t gain quantitative data
not representative
data may be biased
what is an unstructured interview?
guided conversation with interviewer having themes and topics that they want to discuss. no set structure.
what is a focus group?
researcher may start discussion but then withdraws encouraging respondents to talk to each other.
what is a group interview?
multiple interviewed at once, may be used to investigate group dynamics or for children who may feel threatened in one to one interview.
what is a panel interview?
researcher asks questions to group.
studies using unstructured interviews?
dobash & dobash
carlen
studies using focus groups?
zoe james
paul willis
practical strengths of unstructured interviews?
informal nature allows rapport
can check understanding
can ask follow up Qs
flexible
gain more detailed insights
practical weaknesses of unstructured interviews?
time consuming
interviewer needs training
interpersonal skills required
ethical strengths of unstructured interviews?
building rapport can gain trust and help to open up
don’t have to reveal anything they don’t want to
informed consent
ethical weaknesses of unstructured interviews?
may be uncomfortable discussing sensitive issues face to face.
recalling negative experiences may cause emotional harm.
theoretical strengths of unstructured interviews?
can gain verstehen
build trust and understanding
flexibility increases validity
can express views detailedly
theoretical weaknesses of unstructured interviews?
unstandardised reduces reliability
social desirability
practical strength of focus groups?
quicker than interviews
can generate more ideas that wouldn’t have got one on one.
practical weakness of focus group?
takes long time to analyse data
may be difficult to control big group
ethical strengths of focus groups?
informed consent gained
suitable for younger groups as mirrors small groups in classroom.
ethical weaknesses of focus groups?
may be uncomfortable if sensitive issues are discussed.
may not feel able to withdraw due to group dynamic.
theoretical strengths of focus groups?
can build rapport and gain verstehen.
may feel more comfortable with others and open up more.
theoretical weaknesses of focus groups?
social desirability
may not be representative
all interviewees may not contribute.
what is a longitudinal study?
study which follows same group over a long period of time.
study who used longitudinal study?
national child development study.
7up.
millenium cohort study
practical strengths of longitudinal studies?
none!
practical weaknesses of longitudinal studies?
hard to maintain everyone
obvs time consuming
expensive
ethical strengths of longitudinal studies?
informed consent
ethical weakness of longitudinal studies?
may feel obliged to continue
theoretical strengths of longitudinal studies?
valid
correlations
theoretical weaknesses of longitudinal studies?
hawthorne effect
not very representative
low reliability
what is hawthorne effect?
participants change behaviour as they know they’re being observed.
what is ‘going native’?
researcher becomes so embedded in group that they lose objectivity.
what is covert observation?
participants do not know about research and researcher is undercover
what is overt observation?
participants do know about research.
what is ethnographic research?
involves direct observation of group studying culture and structure of social group.
strength of ethnographic research?
high in validity
weakness of ethnographic research?
not very generalisable.
what is a grounded theory?
trying to understand group first before forming hypothesis.
example of ethnographic study?
blackman - homeless people in brighton.
what is action research?
collaboration between researcher and participants. noone in power.
what is non participant observation?
researcher observes group without getting involved, stay detached.
what is participant observation?
researcher joins in with activities of group as member.
studies who used covert participant studies?
Patrick- glasgow gangs
Humphreys- gay men in tearooms.
studies who used overt participant observation studies?
Barker - unification church
Venkatesh - chicago gang.
studies using non participant observation?
Willis.
practical strengths of participant observations?
rapport developed.
overt allows for naive questions only outsider would ask.
covert gives access to ppl who would say no.
practical weaknesses of participant observations?
difficult to get in stay in and get out.
covert requires keeping up an act.
if covert, relying on memory
if overt, may refuse permission.
ethical strengths of participant observations?
overt, don’t have to use deception
don’t have to illegal things
debrief - participants are told at the end
able to keep participants names anonymous.
ethical weaknesses of participant observations?
deception
lack of informed consent
may have to lie about reason for leaving group.
may have to do illegal things.
theoretical strengths of participant observations?
valid
less chance of hawthorne effect
verstehen
theoretical weaknesses of participant observations?
lacks structure
can’t be objective
overt, hawthorne effect.
practical strengths of nonparticipant observations?
is observation schedule can be quicker than participant.
usually in neutral setting so easier to gain access.
practical weaknesses of nonparticipant observation?
hard to get access to certain groups
time consuming
ethical strengths of nonparticipant observations?
informed consent
safer for researcher
don’t have to worry about cover being blown
ethical weaknesses of nonparticipant observations?
lack of informed consent if group was unwilling to cooperate.
deception if they dk what its for.
theoretical strengths of nonparticipant observations?
more structured so more reliable.
don’t have to ‘go native’
less bias
theoretical weaknesses of nonparticipant observation?
no verstehen
hawthorne effect
validitity affected as researcher has to make judgements.
