Qualitative Research Design Flashcards
State the THREE types of methodologies
Ethnography, grounded theory, and phenomenology
Explain ethnography
Methodology of observing life as it happens as a means of learning about how societies/groups and individuals function. Involves fieldwork, observing and immersing in setting.
Explain grounded theory
When data collection and analysis occur simultaneously. Categories and codes developed from data. Pre-conceptualisations not to be used.
Explain phenomenology
Primarily concerned with looking at ‘what’ and ‘how’ of people’s life experiences. Believes that the ‘truth’ or ‘reality’ is individually experienced from a person’s perspective.
Explain why quantitative studies are used
They are objective by being detached and impartial. They have a fixed design and method and can be completed quickly. They require a large number of participants for statistical power.
Explain why qualitative studies are used
They value personal involvement and subjectivity. They have designs and methods that are less fixed, where shifts in focus are accommodated. They tend to take longer to complete and have fewer participants.
Explain the 3 step process of generating a question
Start with a topic.
Formulate a central research question related to the topic.
Generate sub-questions.
State THREE data collection methods
Interviews.
Focus groups.
Secondary sources.
Provide examples of the types of interviews, and discuss the advantages and disadvantages.
Face-to-face, virtual, formal, on the spot, incorporation of takas.
Advantages - standardised range of topics covered, potential control by the researcher, allowing participants to develop elaborate answers, active involvement, flexibility, on-the-spot follow-up, and rich and detailed information.
Disadvantages - lack of reliability, researcher influence, traumatising for researcher, time consuming
Explain focus groups, and discuss advantages and disadvantages.
A relatively unstructured conversation among a group of people focused on a particular topic.
Advantages - open and supportive, participants interact with each other, reduced control from the researcher, gives participants free rein, can be good for sensitive research
Disadvantages - not good for in-depth probing, silencing, over-disclosure, confidentiality, less researched control, logistics
Provide examples of secondary sources.
Marketing material, news, websites, diaries.
Explain the 4 factors of evaluating qualitative research
Credibility - findings presented match the participants’ response
Transferability - the extent to which decisions can be made based on findings.
Dependability - the extent to which replication of the study with the same or similar participants in the same or similar context would produce similar results
COnfirmability - the extent to which study findings and conclusion reflect the data collected.
Explain essentialism
Events are seen to result from fixed qualities that are impervious to the social context
Explain social constructivism
The world and what we know of it to be constructed through various discourses and systems of meaning, rather than being naturally or inherently true in any acultural, ahistorical sense.
Explain positivist approaches
Seeks to identify universal laws that govern the relationship between things. Believes an objective reality is ‘out there’ waiting to be discovered.
Theory first, data second.
