Qualitative vs. Quantitative Research Flashcards
What guides the choice between qualitative and quantitative research designs?
The research question defines the need for either qualitative or quantitative design.
What are the defining features of Qualitative Research?
Qualitative research emphasizes researchers as key instruments, focuses on “data generation” in natural settings, is emergent, and requires flexibility.
Name some qualitative strategies of inquiry and their characteristics.
Qualitative strategies include Narrative (capturing participant voices and offering thematic understanding), Ethnography (describing and interpreting cultural features), Phenomenology (exploring lived experiences), Case Study (in-depth study of a single case), Qualitative Description (comprehensive description of a phenomenon), and Grounded Theory (focus on data generation and theory construction).
How does Narrative strategy contribute to qualitative research?
Narrative strategy involves life history, oral history, and storytelling, capturing participant voices and offering thematic understanding.
What does Ethnography focus on, and what are its variations?
Ethnography describes and interprets cultural features. Variations include critical ethnography and autoethnography.
What is Phenomenology, and what are its forms?
Phenomenology explores lived experiences. Forms include Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and Empirical Phenomenology.
What characterizes a Case Study, and what are its types?
A Case Study is an in-depth study of a single case or “bounded system.” Types include intrinsic, instrumental, and collective case studies.
What is the goal of Qualitative Description?
Qualitative Description aims for a comprehensive description of a phenomenon through individual or group interviews.
How does Grounded Theory contribute to qualitative research?
Grounded Theory focuses on data generation and theory construction, resulting in a theory through an iterative process.
What role does theory play in Qualitative Research?
Theory informs the research problem, purpose, or outcome and is used as a theoretical lens or interpretative framework.
What is purposeful sampling, and what are some techniques within it?
Purposeful sampling is central to qualitative studies. Techniques include extreme case sampling, maximum variation sampling, and snowball sampling.
Why do qualitative studies typically have small sample sizes?
Small sample sizes are justified by saturation, where new information ceases to emerge. Factors affecting sample size include scope, nature of the topic, quality of data, number of interviews, and study designs.
What is saturation in the context of qualitative research?
Saturation occurs when no new information or themes emerge from the data, justifying the adequacy of the sample size.
What are the factors that affect the sample size in qualitative studies?
Factors include the scope of the study, nature of the topic, quality of data, number of interviews, and study designs.
In qualitative research, what is the primary focus when conducting interviews?
The primary focus in qualitative research interviews is on exploring the depth and richness of participants’ experiences and perspectives.
