qualitative analysis

Question 1

why is it important that qualitative research is good quality?

Answer 1

• research is expensive
• can shape future policies
• can shape future research

Question 2

how is quality measured in qualitative research?

Answer 2

reliability, internal and external validity

Question 3

why is it more difficult to measure quality in qualitative research?

Answer 3

• understanding individual’s experience is more important than objective truth
• context understanding more important than general laws
• subjective analysis of data means bias will always be presents

Question 4

What are Yardley’s principles for evaluating the quality of qualitative research?

Answer 4

• sensitivity to context
• commitment and rigour
• transparency and coherence
• impact and importance

Question 5

Yardley’s quality principles: sensitivity to context in qual research

Answer 5

• awareness of broader context (e.g SES etc)
• predispositions of ppt should be considered

Question 6

Yardley’s quality principles: commitment and rigour in qual research

Answer 6

• completeness of data collection - through triangulaiton, validation through PR, engage with data for long enough, have large enough samples etc

Question 7

Yardley’s quality principles: transparency in qual research

Answer 7

• achievable through a process of audibility - describing every aspect of data collection in report
• achievable though reflexivity - reflexive statements from researchers, acknowledgement of prior assumptions and aims of research

Question 8

Yardley’s quality principles: coherence in qual research

Answer 8

• quotations to back up themes
• clear narrative
• discussion section linking to prev knowledge
• coherence between research question, perspective adopted, and what was understood from the interviewees

Question 9

Yardley’s quality principles: impact and importance in qual research

Answer 9

• discussion section considering potential theoretical, practical and socio-cultural impacts
• considerations of the transferability of findings by disclosing ppt SESs etc

Question 10

what is mixed methods research?

Answer 10

combining aspects of both qual and quan research for a fuller understanding

Question 11

how do we gain a fuller understanding from mixed methods research?

Answer 11

a fuller understanding by aiming to be exploratory, confirmatory and hypothesising

Question 12

what are the main 5 purposes of mixed methods research?

Answer 12

• TRIANGULATION PURPOSES
• COMPLEMENTARY PURPOSES- different methods to investigate different aspects of a theory and deepen understanding
• DEVELOPMENTAL PURPOSES - results from one method to inform another
• INITIATION PURPOSES - different methods used to investigate same or different aspects
• EXPANSION PURPOSES - different methods used to study same thing and expand understanding

Question 13

what is morgan’s priority sequence model?

Answer 13

a model used to determine which method of research (i.e qualitative or quantitative) should be more dominant in the experiment, analysis, or both

Question 14

Morgan’s PSM: what is a concurrent mixed method design?

Answer 14

the combination both qual and quan methods at the same time in experimentation or analysis - weighting not necessarily 50/50

Question 15

Morgan’s PSM: what is a sequential mixed method design?

Answer 15

the use of qual and quan methods one after another, and not the same time - usually one is used for analysis and one is used for the experiment - weighting not always 50/50

Question 16

Morgan’s PSM: when is a qualitative preliminary method used?

Answer 16

• quant dominant
• smaller qualitative study for helping guide data collection in a principally quant study
• generating hypothesis and content for questionnaires etc

Question 17

Morgan’s PSM: when is a qualitative follow-up method used?

Answer 17

• smaller qualitative study to evaluate findings from a principally quantitative study
• help interpretation of unclear results

Question 18

Morgan’s PSM: when is a quantitative preliminary method used?

Answer 18

• smaller quantitative study to guide date collection for a qualitative study
• guide purpose sampling, establish results which need to be understood in depth

Question 19

Morgan’s PSM: when is a quantitative follow-up method used?

Answer 19

• smaller quantitative study to analyse and interpret results of a principally qualitative study
• generalisation to different samples, tests elements of emerging theories or observed patterns etc

Question 20

Morgan’s PSM: main 4 types of study

Answer 20

QUALITATIVE PRELIMINARY (quant focus)
QUALITATIVE FOLLOW-UP (quant focus)
QUANTITATIVE PRELIMINARY (qual focus)
QUANTITATIVE FOLLOW UP (quant focus)

Question 21

Morgan’s PSM: usually when is there a quan dominance and when is there a qual dominance?

Answer 21

Usually there is a quantitative dominance when research attempts validate existing knowledge or assumptions. Whilst, qualitative research is used when less is known/for exploratory rights.

Question 22

give an example of a sequential QUANT qual study

Answer 22

use QUANT findings to purposefully select a Qual sample

Question 23

give an example of a sequential QUAL quant study

Answer 23

use QUAL study to design quant survery

Question 24

give an example of a concurrent QUANT QUAL study

Answer 24

QUANT survey paired with QUAL interviews