Strengths Limitations Qualitative

Question 1

What are strengths of qualitative research?

Answer 1

• provides rich data
• good for complex and sensitive issues
• helps explain phenomena - ‘the why’
• identifies and evaluates factors contributing to a problem
• can lead to solutions
• high ecological validity, people often studied in their natural environments

Question 2

What are limitations of qualitative research?

Answer 2

• time consuming
• analysis, finding themes is difficult
• interpretation is subjective and open to bias

Question 3

what are strenghts of semi structured interviews?

Answer 3

• helps researcher find specific information but still open to new info
• good for many interviews - keeps them standardised as well as flexible
• face to face, builds rapport and encourages disclosure
• rich data because can ask for elaboration

Question 4

what are limitations of semi structured?

Answer 4

• artificial
• may unintentionally limit or bias researcher on what is important
• nature of questions may unintentionally influence responses
• data analysis harder due to irrelevant info that may arise

Question 5

what are strengths of structured?

Answer 5

• all interviews standardised
• data analysis easier because set questions, closed-ended, means limited responses
• questions thought out beforehand so less chance of unintentional bias

Question 6

limitations of structured?

Answer 6

• might limit researcher too much, could miss out on information due to closed questions
• limited data

Question 7

what are strengths of unstructured?

Answer 7

• natural flow of conversation, can make participants more comfortable and willing to share, letting people talk may lead them to revealing more
• researcher has less control, less opportunity for bias
• nature of questions less likely to limit responses

Question 8

what are limitations of unstructured?

Answer 8

• makes finding specific information harder
• data analysis harder, too many irrelevant answers to sift through
• unfeasible for many interviews, not standardised at all
• high chance of unintentional bias

Question 9

strengths of participant observation?

Answer 9

• can provide valuable internal insight, especially value of subcultures
• avoids researcher bias because researcher is in the situation instead of imposing pre-existing ideas, assuming they understand, presumptions, etc.
• contributes to holistic understanding

Question 10

limitations of participant observation?

Answer 10

• difficult to record data promptly and effectively , could lead to memory distortion
• researcher more likely to influence results
• time consuming, deamnding
• hard to have multiple researchers
• researchers may lose objectivity

Question 11

strengths of non-participant observation

Answer 11

• easier to record data, just observing
• less likely to influence results
• less demanding
• less likely to lose objectivity

Question 12

limitations of non-participant

Answer 12

• less in depth insight
• more likely to have unintentional researcher bias, presumptions
• less holistic

Question 13

strengths of covert observation

Answer 13

• ethics, deception, informed consent
• if researcher makes up a reason to be there, unnatural activity may influence participants
• researcher could be in danger
• notes postponed - memory distortion

Question 14

strengths of overt observations

Answer 14

opposite to limits from covert

Question 15

limits of overt

Answer 15

opposite to strengths from covert

Question 16

strengths of case studies

Answer 16

• rich in data
• useful for developing new theories
• high ecological validity
• credible due to triangulation

Question 17

limtis of case studies

Answer 17

hard to generalise
cant replicate
amount of data, time consuming to sort through
objectivity issues