Text Ch.9

Question 1

How can interview research be used as a precursor to a large N study?

Answer 1

Interview Research:

. exploratory research=its a good way to get a sense of what is going on before doing a larger N study

Question 2

Key Differences in Approaches(3 each)

1. Quantitative
2. Qualitative

Answer 2

1.
.Test hypotheses
.Primarily deductive theory development
.Seeks to make generalizations “large N studies”

2.
.Address questions
.Primarily inductive theory development
.Seeks context-specific information à “small N studies”

Question 3

Key Differences in Methods(4 each)

Answer 3

1.
.Numerical Data
.Variables operationalized before research
.Mathematical data analysis
.Data presented in statistics, graphs

2.
.Non-numerical data
.Themes emerge during/after research
.Conceptual data analysis
.Data presented in words

Question 4

Credibility in Research

Answer 4

Credibility is not inherent to research studies and scientific evidence, but
rather is attributed to it by the
audience/end user

Question 5

Focus Group Research: Considerations 4

Answer 5

Types of questions:
• Depth
• Complexity
• Group dynamics
-group dynamics can affect answers
• Efficiency 
- quite efficient because your interviewing many people at a time

. Purposive sampling, snowball sampling
-not probability sampling

Question 6

Focus Groups: Possible effects

Answer 6

.Interviewer effect
• Social desirability
• Memory (recent versus
distant events)
• Salience(the quality of being particularly noticeable or important; prominence.)

Question 7

Salience

Answer 7

the quality of being particularly noticeable or important; prominence.)

Question 8

Choosing an Interview or Focus Group?

Consider..(4)

Answer 8

Consider:
• Population of study
• Sensitivity of information
• Individual knowledge versus group ‘co- production’ of
knowledge, themes
• Logistics/feasibility

Question 9

Observation Research

Answer 9

• Observing and recording actual behaviour
• Also known as:
– Ethnography
– Field research

Question 10

2 types of observation research

Answer 10

2 types: obtrusive(overt) and unobtrusive(non participant or participant)

Question 11

Hawthorne Effect

Answer 11

When subjects under observation alter their behaviour
in the presence of the researcher
. named after Hawthorne plant where behaviour was analyzed
-researcher turned light brightness up and saw increase in productivity but when the lights were dimmed it had the same effect, reason is because workers knew when they were being watched and were more productive as a result

Question 12

When conducting
qualitative research, what
should be considered?

Answer 12

• Informed consent?
• Right to withdraw?
• Confidentiality?
• Deception?
• Risk to participants,
researchers, others?

Question 13

explanatory research

Answer 13

research that aims to account for or explain some aspect of reality; involves questions of why and how

Question 14

interview framework

Answer 14

a set of questions to ask the respondent

-helps keep you on track during the interview and ensures that you ask the core questions in each interview

Question 15

data daturation

Answer 15

the point at which the interviews no longer provide the researcher with new relevent information

Question 16

observation research has the advantage that the events of interest occur in natural circumstances, which means that the ________ validity of the study is most likely high.

Answer 16

external

Question 17

obtrusive observation

Answer 17

occurs when the subjects are aware that they are being observed

Question 18

Unobtrusive observation

Answer 18

occurs when the subjects are unaware of the researcher

Question 19

participant observvation

Answer 19

researcher becomes part of the population being researched