Research questions and data collection

Question 1

What do qualitative research questions emphasise?

Answer 1

Emphasise experience, understanding, meaning, exploration and on the perspectives of an individual or a group in a specific context

Question 2

What do qualitative research questions avoid?

Answer 2

Avoid quantification, assumptions about causality, reduction of complexity, generalisable observations

Question 3

Is this research question quantitative or qualitative? Why?

Does hearing impairment affect life satisfaction?

Answer 3

Quantitative

Because it is a question about causality

Question 4

Is this research question quantitative or qualitative? Why?

How do students with hearing impairments adapt to University life?

Answer 4

Qualitative

Because it is:
(1) Exploratory – focussed on the process
(2) Identifies a specific context
(3) Identifies a specific group

Question 5

Is this research question quantitative or qualitative? Why?

Do smaller class sizes increase the sense of belonging?

Answer 5

Quantitative

Because it is quantifiable and a question about causality

Question 6

Is this research question quantitative or qualitative? Why?

How do students make sense of community within a large University setting?

Answer 6

Qualitative

Because it is:
(1) Exploratory
(2) Identifies a specific context
(3) Identifies a specific group
(4) Focussed on individual meaning and understanding

Question 7

What are the 6 aims of qualitative research data collection?

Answer 7

• Preserve the richness of individuals’ experiences
• Access meaning
• Give voice to individuals, groups
• Facilitate the discovery of unanticipated insights
• Be sensitive to variation in experience
• Understand experiences in the context

Question 8

What are some unobtrusive methods of data collection in qualitative research? List 6

Answer 8

1) Published narratives
2) Archival documents
3) Simple observation
4) Visual images, films, adverts
5) Audio
6) Self-report/reflective diary

Question 9

What is the main problem with unobtrusive methods of data collection in qualitative research?

Answer 9

Limited ability to probe or question in order to gain a deeper understanding

Question 10

What is the main benefit of unobtrusive methods of data collection in qualitative research

Answer 10

Naturalistic

Question 11

Instead of using unobtrusive methods of data collection in qualitative research, what else can we use?

Answer 11

Interviews

Question 12

What is the purpose of an interview?

Answer 12

They were designed to tap the lived experience and, particularly in the semi-structured format, are the most popular method of qualitative data collection/generation in psychology

Question 13

Are interviews similar to casual or professional conversations?

Answer 13

Professional conversations with a purpose

Question 14

Getting a participant to talk about their experiences, beliefs and perspectives on a topic determined by the researcher is an example of…?

Answer 14

An interview (professional conversation with a purpose)

Question 15

In an interview, conversations are guided by…?

Answer 15

An interview schedule or topic guide

Question 16

What are interview schedules or topic guides?

Answer 16

A list of questions or topics that are relevant to the research question

Question 17

What are the 4 types of interviews?

Answer 17

1) Structured
2) Semi-structured
3) Unstructured
4) Focus group

Question 18

Which interview is the most interviewer-led?

Answer 18

Structured

Question 19

Which interview is the most interviewee-led?

Answer 19

Focus group

Question 20

Describe 5 features of a structured interview

Answer 20

• Interviewer follows the interview schedule
• Same questions, same order, same setting
• May have suggested response options
• Answers can be coded and quantified for statistical analysis
• Interviewee has a passive role

Question 21

What are the 3 main advantages of structured interviews?

Answer 21

1) A standardised approach for consistency and low bias

2) Reliable and replicable

3) Quick and doesn’t require strong interview skills

Question 22

What are the 4 main disadvantages of structured interviews?

Answer 22

1) NOT qualitative – more like a spoken questionnaire

2) Closes off theoretical avenues

3) Limited range of responses

4) Difficult to capture the complexity

Question 23

Describe 4 features of a semi-structured interview

Answer 23

• Interviewer uses the schedule flexibly, following up on interviewee responses and adapting the order of questions to fit the ideas introduced by the interviewee
• A form of guided conversation. Sometimes called a ‘focused interview’
• Questions are mostly open-ended but can use closed questions too
• Important to build rapport at the start of the
  interview

Simply = Interviewer may ask pre-determined questions at first but as the interviewee answers, the order of questions may be changed or the open-endedness of questions may be changed

Question 24

What are the 6 main advantages of semi-structured interviews?

Answer 24

1) Flexibility generates richer detail and allows a deeper understanding of the interviewees’ experiences

2) Some standardisation possible (has enough structure for analysis)

3) Captures complexities and inconsistencies

4) Provides insight into respondents’ views and experiences (has enough subjectivity for interviewees to answer using their own words)

5) Useful for exploring sensitive topics

6) Gives voice to/empowers participants (power balance tilted towards interviewees)

Question 25

What is the main disadvantage of semi-structured interviews?

Answer 25

Non-natural conversation

Question 26

Describe 3 features of an unstructured interview

Answer 26

• The interviewer has a topic guide but allows the interviewee to lead the interview
• Interviewer acknowledges they do not know in
  advance all issues or relevant questions
• Instead they develop and adapt questions and follow-up probes appropriate to the situation and interviewee

Question 27

What are the 4 main advantages of unstructured interviews?

Answer 27

1) Being respondent-led empowers interviewees to define and focus on what is important to them

2) Useful when little is known about a research topic and when the target group is hard to reach

3) Gives voice to/empowers interviewees

4) Rich, detailed, complex data

Question 28

What are the 4 main disadvantages of unstructured interviews?

Answer 28

1) Requires good interview skills (because there’s no IV schedule to rely on; you have to think about what is it that is interesting about a Ps experience that you want to get data on)

2) Little standardisation and reliability

3) Complex to analyse (difficult to analyse data and underline patterns)

4) Potential for bias (these interviews are quite long and have fewer participants; thus, the data are more prone to bias and reduced generalizability)

Question 29

Describe 7 features of a focus group interview

Answer 29

• Moderator has a topic guide but participants interact with each other, as well as the moderator so can challenge/extend/develop, undermine/qualify statements
• Group dynamics are integral to the process of data generation(Willig, 2008)
• Meanings are jointly constructed by different members of the group
• Groups can be homogenous or heterogeneous
• Often video recorded to identify who is speaking and capture group dynamics that may be nonverbal
• Requires a very skilled moderator to ensure all members contribute and make sure all viewpoints are explored
• Observed in real-time

Question 30

What are the 4 main advantages of focus group interviews?

Answer 30

1) Discourse can have higher ecological validity than individual interviews, more naturalistic (convos between group members are representative of convos that happen in the real world)

2) Different perspectives on a topic

3) Collect large amounts of data in a short time

4) Relatively inexpensive

Question 31

What are the 4 main disadvantages of focus group interviews?

Answer 31

1) Not always suitable for sensitive topics (disclosure not enhanced in a group; Willig, 2008) as people may be reluctant to talk in a group about personal and sensitive things

2) Video recording can reduce the quality of group interaction (when you’re recorded, it is harder to be yourself/authentic)

3) ‘Social desirability’ bias (Ps may present views they may not believe in but they’re worried about being judged by the rest of the group)

4) Group dynamics – power issues (interviewers have less control over what topics are addressed and some Ps may be more confident than others and dominate the convo; less confident Ps may simply agree with the majority opinion and not express their true views)

5) Ethical issues