Week 2 - Process

Question 1

Naturalistic Approach

Answer 1

A method in qualitative research that focuses on studying phenomena in their natural settings.

Question 2

Interpretive Approach

Answer 2

A qualitative research method that seeks to understand the meanings and interpretations individuals give to social phenomena.

Question 3

Reflexivity

Answer 3

The process in qualitative research where the researcher acknowledges their influence on the study and how their perspectives shape the findings.

Question 4

Ethnography

Answer 4

A qualitative research method involving close observation and immersion in a culture or social group.

Question 5

Positivism

Answer 5

A scientific approach that emphasizes objective knowledge and the use of the scientific method.

Question 6

What is Qualitative Research (QLR)?

Answer 6

Qualitative research is a situated activity that uses interpretive and material practices to make the world visible through field notes, interviews, and other methods. It involves an interpretive, naturalistic approach to understanding social phenomena.

Question 7

Where did QLR originate?

Answer 7

quantitative methods dominated the social sciences, influenced by modernism and positivism. Early qualitative research mimicked physical sciences and adopted similar rigid methods.

Question 8

How has QLR evolved over time?

Answer 8

QLR began with traditional ethnographies in the early 20th century, following rigid scientific methods. However, social turmoil and new theoretical understandings from the 1950s-1970s helped formalize the method. Today, there is renewed appreciation for QLR.

Question 9

What are the features of QLR?

Answer 9

uses rich, thick descriptions, works with small samples, and provides depth through direct quotations and detailed descriptions of events and interactions.

Question 10

How does QLR approach data analysis?

Answer 10

employs open analysis, allowing themes and patterns to emerge naturally from the data. No variables are eliminated at the outset, making it a flexible, creative process.

Question 11

Why has QLR faced resistance?

Answer 11

criticized as unscientific and subjective, reflecting political struggles. It challenges traditional positivist and post-positivist approaches that prioritize reason and objective truth.

Question 12

What are some of the goals of QLR?

Answer 12

seeks to understand social issues, explores subjective and multiple perspectives, and focuses on how meaning is embedded in objects, experiences, and interactions.

Question 13

Inductive Reasoning

Answer 13

A research approach that starts with specific observations and develops broader generalizations or theories based on those observations.

Question 14

Deductive Reasoning

Answer 14

A research approach that starts with a theory or hypothesis and tests it through data collection and analysis.

Question 15

Symbolic Interactionism

Answer 15

A theoretical approach that suggests meanings are socially constructed through interactions between individuals.

Question 16

Verstehen (Sympathetic Understanding)

Answer 16

A qualitative research principle where researchers try to understand participants’ perspectives by putting themselves in their shoes.

Question 17

Ethnomethodology

Answer 17

The study of everyday practices and how people produce social order by following implicit, often unspoken rules.

Question 18

Two-Eyed Seeing

Answer 18

A research approach that integrates Indigenous knowledge systems and Western science for mutual benefit.

Question 19

Operationalization

Answer 19

The process of putting a theoretical concept into a measurable and testable form in quantitative research.

Question 20

Theoretical Saturation

Answer 20

The point in qualitative research when no new themes or insights are emerging from data collection, signaling that the research can conclude.

Question 21

What is the basic assumption of qualitative research?

Answer 21

Qualitative research assumes that human lived reality is complex, meaning is key, and social settings influence outcomes. It uses inductive reasoning to understand these complexities.

Question 22

What is the definition of a situation in qualitative research?

Answer 22

In qualitative research, if individuals define a situation as real, it has real consequences. People act according to their definitions of the situation, reinforcing those definitions.

Question 23

How do qualitative and quantitative methods differ in terms of knowledge and participant roles?

Answer 23

Qualitative methods often start with little or no advance knowledge and let participants guide the study, while quantitative methods rely on advance knowledge, with limited participant input.

Question 24

What are the main characteristics of symbolic interactionism?

Answer 24

suggests that individuals create meaning through interactions, meaning evolves based on shared understandings, and our self-concepts are shaped by how others perceive us.

Question 25

What are breaching experiments in ethnomethodology?

Answer 25

Breaching experiments involve breaking unspoken social rules to reveal how people maintain social order and understand interactions in everyday life.

Question 26

What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative research questions?

Answer 26

Qualitative research typically asks “how” questions to explore processes and meanings, while quantitative research asks “why” questions to test hypotheses and examine cause-effect relationships.

Question 27

What is the mixed methods research approach?

Answer 27

Mixed methods research combines both qualitative and quantitative approaches to provide both depth (qualitative) and breadth (quantitative) of understanding.

Question 28

How does the qualitative approach to data collection differ from the quantitative approach?

Answer 28

Qualitative research allows for flexible, emergent designs and collects data simultaneously with analysis, while quantitative research follows a structured, pre-planned approach with separate phases for data collection and analysis.

Question 29

What challenges arise in mixed methods research?

Answer 29

A key challenge in mixed methods research is ensuring that the qualitative component, with its depth and richness, is not lost or overshadowed by quantitative analysis.