Steps in Qualitative Research Flashcards
What is the first step in qualitative research?
Identifying the research problem by defining its background, context, and significance.
Why is the preamble important in qualitative research?
It sets the background and context, defining why the research problem is important.
What role does the rationale play in qualitative research?
It highlights gaps in the literature, justifies the study’s importance, and explains why addressing these gaps matters.
What should qualitative research questions look like?
They should be open-ended, non-directional, and start with ‘How’ or ‘What’.
Example: “How do professionals manage complex client needs?”
What is the purpose of a literature review in qualitative research?
To synthesize ideas from different sources, structure findings, and tell a coherent story.
How should a literature review be structured?
It should focus on research questions, use relevant keywords, synthesize ideas, and present findings in a structured way.
What are common data collection methods in qualitative research?
Observations, interviews, and focus groups, with an emphasis on participant perspectives and meaning.
Why is participant perspective important in qualitative research?
Because qualitative research focuses on meaning-making and understanding lived experiences.
What is the first step in qualitative data analysis?
Organizing and preparing the data for analysis.
What does step 2 of qualitative data analysis involve?
Reading through all data to get a general sense of the information and its overall meaning.
What is the purpose of coding in qualitative research?
To label sentences or paragraphs with terms that summarize their meaning, often using participants’ language.
How are codes used to generate themes?
By grouping similar codes into categories or themes for analysis.
Why are sub-themes important in qualitative research?
They help refine main themes and provide deeper insight into the data.
What does the final step of qualitative data analysis involve?
Evaluating data and making interpretations to extract meaningful insights.
Can you give an example of thematic analysis?
Categorizing coping strategies as adaptive or maladaptive based on participants’ descriptions.
What is triangulation in qualitative research?
A method of verifying data credibility by using multiple sources, researchers, theories, or methodologies.
What is data triangulation?
Using data from different times, spaces, and people to validate findings.
What is investigator triangulation?
Having multiple researchers collect or analyze data to reduce bias and increase validity.
What is theory triangulation?
Using multiple theoretical perspectives to interpret data and strengthen findings.
What is methodological triangulation?
Applying different methodologies to study the same research problem for cross-validation.
Why is triangulation important in qualitative research?
It enhances credibility, reliability, and validity of findings.
How should qualitative research findings be reported?
By presenting a table with themes and sub-themes, supported by descriptions and examples linked to literature.
What is the role of figurative language in reporting qualitative findings?
It helps label themes more effectively and makes findings more engaging.
Why is linking findings to literature important?
It contextualizes results, strengthens arguments, and connects new insights to existing knowledge.
