Qualitative methods 2 Flashcards
1
Q
How much is enough for an interview?
A
- no strict rules
- depends on:
- the amount of detail
- constraints
- nature of the research
- type of research and the purpose - if it is homogeneous (6-8 cases) or heterogeneous (10-20 cases)
2
Q
Good semi-structured interview
A
- Broad topics and some questions
- Pace and direction = depends on the individual
- Don’t refer to interview guide to much
- Steer convo if it goes off topic
3
Q
Setting up an interview
A
- entire privacy
- make sure the sound of the environment won’t drown out the conversation
- obtain consent to record and make sure they are aware of the implications of recording
4
Q
Interviewing process
A
- knowing your scedual so it can flow
- interviewee = a co-enquirer rather than a research subject
- conversation not questions and answers
- be aware of questioning errors
5
Q
Ending the interview
A
- usually from 20-90 mins long
- people find it hard to concentrate over 90 mins
- ask the pp if they would like to add anything
- make arrangements for a follow up interview
- store tape recording in a safe place - and it is password protected
- write process notes
- transcribe the interview
6
Q
Transcribing
A
- 60 min interview may take up to 6+ hours to transcribe
- transcribe everything, add fillers, make notes about interpretation
- re-listen to recording and follow transcribed text
- return transcription to interviewee or follow up for confirmation of accuracy of transcription
- do not change word order or summaries
- include pauses, laughs, gestures etc
- transcribe soon after interview so you don’t forget non-verbal elements
7
Q
What is special about qualitative interviews
A
- are social encounters - from a place of trust
- not just extracting information
- need to think carefully about how we establish relations with the people we are researching
8
Q
What constitutes data
A
- more than just words
- how pps present themselves
- emotions they convey
- identifications
- the relations they establish with the researcher - for example if the pp is male does he talk over his female researcher
- reflexivity
9
Q
Guidlines to good qualitative research
A
- be friendly
- treat pps with respect and gratitude
- treat pps as experts
- participants = co-inquirers
- listen intently, encouraging them to elaborate
10
Q
Feminist research
A
- empower participants - equal relationship
- democratize research relationship
- research about women by women
- challenges the notion of being mutual and detached
11
Q
How does qualitative research try correct the methodological issues with qualitative research
A
- seeing participants as agents and co-producers of knowledge
- giving a voice to the disempowered groups
- participant lead interviews
- Kvale disagrees with this and just says that it is ‘masking the power’ of a researcher
12
Q
Asymmetric power distribution in an interview
A
- it is not dominance free - there are hierarchical and instrumental form of conversation where the interviewer sets the stage and script in accordance to the research
- interviewer = seeks understanding; interviewee = serves as a means
- meaning it is a one-way dialogue
- However pps can practice their agency by:
- not answering a question
- talking about something unrelated
- tell the researcher who they believe they want to hear
- start to question the interviewer
- withdraw from the interview
13
Q
Interviewers monopoly of interpretation
A
- interviewer hold the monopoly of interpretation
- seen as the big interpreter
- is the only one who can report what the pp really meant
14
Q
What is thematic analysis
A
Thematic analysis involves the searching across a data set…to find repeated patterns of meaning (themes).
15
Q
What constitutes a theme
A
- something important about the data in relation to your research question
- represents some level of patterned response
- more instances does not necessarily mean the theme is more crucial
16
Q
the phases of TA - Braun and Clarke (2006) (6)
A
- familiarize yourself with the data
- generating initial codes
- searching for themes
- reviewing themes
- defining and naming themes
- producing report
17
Q
Theme 1 of TA
A
Familiarise yourself with the data
- listen to your interview recordings
- read, read and re-read your transcription
- make preliminary notes
18
Q
Theme 2 of TA
A
Generating initial codes
- selecting segments of data that appear interesting to you to, in relation to your research
- some codes will become themes (broader units of analysis) and some you might discard
- codes for as many themes as possible
- a code may end up belonging to more than one theme
- expect contradictions
- code using highlighters, software, stickynotes etc
19
Q
Theme 3 of TA
A
Searching for themes
- you will have a long list of codes and extracts of data
- interpretive analysis of the data occurs
- how can different codes combine to make themes
- some themes are likely to have sub-themes
20
Q
Theme 4 of TA
A
Reviewing themes
- initial themes might merge into broader theme
- some themes you might discard
- some themes might need to be broken down
- aim for ‘internal homogeneity and external heterogeneity’ - themes should fit together meaningfully, but there should be distinctions between them
21
Q
Theme 5 of TA
A
Defining and naming themes
- depends on the satisfaction of thematic map
- you should have an idea of what the themes are
- define the essence of each theme
- determine what aspect of the data each theme captures
- write an analysis for each theme
- assess how themes fit into the broader story
- assess what themes say about your research question
22
Q
Theme 6 of TA
A
Producing the report
- analysis should be concise, coherent, logical, non repetitive and interesting of the story the data tells
- don’t just summaries what the pp said in the interview
- explain the implications of each theme
- back up with evidence
- use quotes to provide evidence and help the reader to understand
- link your findings to literature
- tell the story of your data
23
Q
Pitfalls to prevent in TA
A
- failure to analyze the data at all
- using interview schedule as themes
- weak/ unconvincing analysis - too much overlap, inconsistent, bad examples
- mismatch between data and analytic claims = UNFOUNDED ANALYSIS
- fails to spell out its theoretical assumptions
24
Q
Advantages of TA
A
- Flexibility.
- easy and quick method to learn, and do.
- don’t need experience of qualitative research.
- Results are accessible to educated general public.
- Can usefully summarise key features of a large body of data, and/or offer a “thick description”
- highlights similarities and differences across the data set.
- generates unanticipated insights.
- social as well as psychological interpretations of data.
- Can be useful for producing qualitative analyses suited to informing policy development.
25
Q
What is narrative?
A
- Often used synonymously with stories:
- Connecting events over time through stories
- Means of making sense of the world
- Beginning, middle and end (linearity) - Distinguishing features of narrative
- Provides coherent causal account of event
- Brings order and meaning to details of events
- Provides a certain shape, structure and plot to sequence of events - Exists in the social world, structure is not fixed but is fluid
26
Q
What is narrative in psychology - (Murray 2003)
A
- accepts that we live in a storied world
- is concerned with the structure, content and function of the stories that we exchange in social interactions
- through narrative we shape the world and ourselves AND they are shaped for us
27
Q
Social nature of narratives
A
- narratives are social constructs
- not factual accounts of events as they happened
- versions of the truth = fluid and changing
- draw on culture and discourse to create our won stories
- narratives are not neutral
28
Q
Narratives and identity
A
- through narratives we shape and maintain our personal identities
- key interests lie in
(1) what stories pp’s choose to tell
(2) how they portray these stories
(3) they identities they contract through these stories - telling a narrative = telling a preferred vision of their identity which they wish to display
- may tell different stories depending whether the recording is on or off
29
Q
What is the narrative research process
A
- Research question
- Research design and data collection (narrative interviews)
- Transcription
- Analysis and interpretation (forms of narrative analysis)
- Presenting findings
30
Q
Narrative interviews - role of the interviewer
A
- More passive, good listener, follows up with questions
- Empathetic and supportive; get to know pp
- Make the pp feel that you value their stories
- Importance of reflexivity
- Researcher expectations that inhibit / encourage narratives
- Presence can shape the interview
- Stage of life and how it influences the narrative interview
- gained certain distance from the life one has lived and are able to draw connections over time
31
Q
Types of narrative interviews
A
- Life history (unstructured)
- broad area of experience
- emphasis on how pp connects events together
- chronological sequence
- e.g. ‘what happened next’ - episodic (semi-structured)
- more focused specific issue
- introduces series of topics
- e.g. ‘tell me your experience of having pain’
32
Q
3 approaches of narrative analysis
A
- linguistic and literacy = focus on the structure
- grounded = focus on the content
- social context = focus on the context
33
Q
Breakdown of linguistic narrative analysis
A
- abstract - provides summary
- orientation - sets the scene (who, when, where)
- Comlicating action - central details
- Evaluation - so what? why is the story important?
- Results - ‘punch line’
- Afterword - conclusion, reflection, wrap up
34
Q
4 main forms of literally narrative analysis
A
- comedy
- romance
- tragedy
- satire
35
Q
5 steps of grounded narrative analysis
A
- Make summary of each participant’s life story/interview.
- What is the narrative about? - Identify the most contrasting narratives
- How is the same topic constructed differently by participants? - Identify other distinctive narratives
- Identify any other remaining types of narratives
- Organise each participants transcripts according to these narratives/categories and consider in detail the content of each
36
Q
What is grounded theory
A
analyzing content of a story
37
Q
Analyzing the social context
A
- analyzing the broader socio-political context
- how peoples stories are reflective of broader cultural stories on the topic
- Narrative Research part of Social Constructionism, social context + influence of broader social forces on language are relevant
- looks into the interview-participant relationship
- requires detailed transcription AND great reflexivity on the part of the researcher.
38
Q
Questions researchers may ask themselves
A
- How did the way I phrased questions facilitate the telling of certain stories and inhibit others?
- How did my own intersecting identities (age, race, class, gender, sexuality, level of education, religion) influence how I perceived the topic of study, the participant’s responses, and how I perceived the participant himself?
- How did my intersecting identities affect how the participants perceived me?
- How did my intersecting identities affect the kinds of narratives participants chose to tell me?
