Qualitative data

Question 1

What type of paradigm is often associated with the qualitative research process?

Answer 1

Interpretive paradigm

Question 2

Name the steps in the data collection process in an interpretive study:

Answer 2

1. Choose a sampling method
2. Select a sample or cases
3. Choose the data collection method
4. Determine what data will be collected and design any questions
5. Conduct a pilot study and modify methods as necessary
6. Collect the research data

Question 3

Methods for a non-random sampling in an interpretivist study:

Answer 3

Networking
Snowball sampling
Judgemental/purposive
Piggyback sampling
Screening
Convenience sampling

Question 4

Describe snowball sampling

Question 5

Describe judgemental sampling

Question 6

Name the two different interview methods under un interpretivist paradigm

Answer 6

Unstructured

Semi-structured

Question 7

Describe the semi-structured interview method

Question 8

Discuss any problems regarding the interpretivist study approach

Question 9

Name the data collection methods for an interpretivist study and discuss these

Answer 9

• critical incident technique
• interviews
• focus groups
• protocol analysis
• diaries
• observation

Question 10

Describe contextualisation

Answer 10

Qualitative data need to be understood within context, therefore you need to collect some background information first.
Ex. Time, location, social & economic influences.

Question 11

Name different type of interview questions and which should be used when

Answer 11

o Open questions (tell me what happened when..)
o Closed questions (Who did you consult?)
o Multiple questions (more than one in a sentence)
o Probes (..What happened next?)
o Hypothetical question (What might happen that could change your opinion)
o Comparison questions (e.g do you prefer weekly or daily meetings?)

Question 12

Key elements in analysing the qualitative data analysis process

Answer 12

• Comprehending – Acquiring a full understanding of the setting, culture and study topic before the research starts. (Ongoing discussion regarding how much knowledge the researcher should have)
• Synthesising – Drawing together different themes and concepts from the research and forming them into new patterns. Items of data are reduced and sifted to give a general explanation.
• Theorising – The constant development and manipulation of theoretical schemes until the best theoretical scheme is found.
• Recontextualising – Through the process of generalisation, so that the theory can be applied to other settings and population.

Question 13

Discuss the three simultaneous flows of activity in a general analytical procedure:

Answer 13

• data reduction
• data display
• conclusions & verification

Question 14

Describe how you would use a general analytical procedure

Answer 14

• Add labels/codes to words, phrases, paragraphs and label them as examples of a particular thing
• Make reflections and comments
• Connect codes to each other throughout the material
• Group codes into broader themes to help focus further data collecting
• Analyse patterns

Question 15

Describe the content analysis

Answer 15

It is method by which selected items of qualitative data are systematically converted to numerical data for analysis.

(Usually associated with a positivist paradigm but also qualitative data such as open-ended material)

Question 16

Describe the discourse analysis:

Answer 16

Refers to a number of approaches to analysing the use of language in a social-psychological context.

Question 17

Define the 4 variables for evaluating the analysis:

Answer 17

• Credibility – If the research was conducted in a manner that the subject of the inquiry was correctly identified and described
• Transferability – Whether the findings can be applied to another situation that is sufficiently similar to permit generalisation
• Dependability – whether the research processes are systematic, rigorous and well documented.
• Confirmability – Whether the research process has been described fully and it is possible to assess whether the findings frow flow the data.

Question 18

Define the different ways of analysing qualitative data

Answer 18

• Content analysis
• Discourse analysis
• Grounded theory
• Thematic analysis
• Cognitive mapping

Question 19

Describe the key characteristics for the Grounded Theory

Answer 19

• Iteration
• Purpose and theoretical sampling
• Coding
• Theorizing
• Making comparisons
• Theoretical density

Question 20

Process of grounded theory:

Answer 20

1. Coding: three levels
   o Open coding – Take your text and break in up in different parts, then you create codes
   o Axial coding – Draw connections between the codes you developed in open coding. Group codes into categories
   o Selective coding – Connect all you axial (category) codes into a core category
2. Theorizing

Question 21

Explain step-by-step the general analytical procedure of qualitative research

Question 22

Explain the use of interviews and observations for collecting qualitative data.
Additionally, discuss the advantages and disadvantages of these data collection
methods?

Question 23

Critically reflect upon the learning from your research proposal in connection to the
different steps from the research process.

Explain why certain issues turned out well, and
discuss the difficulties you have faced during your research proposal, how you would do
some issues differently and for which reason.

In your answer, integrate specific examples,
deep reflections and specific conclusions.

Question 24

Critically discuss two different interview approaches of your choice and explain suitable
research settings for each of them.

Question 25

Explain issues, which are important to consider when applying the general analytical
procedure in qualitative research a