Research Methods - Qual Flashcards
what is purposeful sampling
- selecting ‘useful, information rich’ cases
- involves sampling of events, concepts, time, processes & place
what’re the characteristics of qualitative research (x6)
- ethnography
- phenomenology
- case study
- critical
- grounded theory
- mixed methods
Ontological position typically adapted by qualitative researchers?
considering reality between concepts, categories & multiple realities
Epistemological position typically adapted by qualitative researchers?
knowledge is co-constructed between researcher & researched
Axiological position typically adapted by qualitative researchers?
individual values honoured, negotiated among individuals
Methodological position typically adapted by qualitative researchers?
inductive methods most common, understanding & interpretation
Ethnography is one tradition within qualitative research. Identify two distinguishing characteristics.
- being within the group & learning the culture
- living through research & gathering data as it happens/gaining some experiences
Phenomenology is one tradition within qualitative research. Identify two distinguishing characteristics.
- looking at the nature of events/meanings instead of just what they are
- study of phenomena and how they’re consciously perceived
Grounded theory is one tradition within qualitative research. Identify two distinguishing characteristics.
- has 6 pointers for creating ‘optimal conditions’
- flexible methodology for collecting & analysing qualitative data to construct theories
Critically/openly ideological research is one tradition within qualitative research. Identify two distinguishing characteristics.
- provides knowledge which engages prevailing social structures
- challenges those, seen by critical researchers, as oppressive in nature
Life history & narrative (biographical method) is one tradition within qualitative research. Identify two distinguishing characteristics.
- focuses on the generation analysis & presentation of the data of a life history, life story, personal experiences
- data generated from interviews & personal documents
strengths of semi-structured interviews (x3)
- greater control to participants than structured
- allows participants degree of flexibility to express opinions/feelings/attitudes/ideas
- reveal more about meanings they attach experiences to
limitations of semi-structured interviews (x4)
- barriers between interviewer & participant = experiences not shared
- difficult to conduct
- risks losing complexity of people’s lives
- more difficult to analyse than structured
strengths of unstructured interviews (x4)
- good at eliciting & inviting stories/meanings
- useful for exploring a topic in broad terms
- often allows for more spontaneous dialogue
- allows for unanticipated ideas/phenomena/affects to emerge
limitations of unstructured interviews (x4)
- data is more difficult to analyse & to compare
- time consuming
- (can) produce large amounts of data not useful to study
- need experienced researcher to conduct
strengths of focus groups (x3)
- good for exploratory studies (spontaneous views)
- allows dynamic dialogue (social interactions examined)
- participants have high degree of control over direction & content of discussions
limitations of focus groups (x5)
- people might not share intimate details with groups
- one individual may dominate discussions
- getting people together may be difficult
- difficult to transcribe
- maintaining anonymity of those involved difficult