Week 7

Question 1

Qualitative Research is used when?

Is useful to EBP because?

Answer 1

Qualitative research is undertaken when there is a need to explore the reasons underlying behaviour or beliefs

It is useful as it helps bridge the gap between scientific and clinical practice and gives the ‘why’!

Question 2

Qualitative Research Philosophical frameworks

Answer 2

INTERPRETIVE (constructivist)
- reality is socially constructed through the use of language and shared meanings. Therefore we all form/construct our own reality.
This framework is about understanding a phenomena from watching and listening what people do to see what drives/contributes to their reality

CRITICAL

• Not every person will react in the same way, knowledge is value laden and shaped by historical, social, political, power, gender and economic.
• About finding the why, so we can understand then help and bring change.

Question 3

Aims of Qualitative Research?

Answer 3

Naturalism
Interpretation
Process
Interaction
Relativism

Question 4

Methods of Data Collection

Answer 4

FOCUS GROUPS
STRENGTH:
- first hand experience
- depth
- range

WEAKNESS

• cost
• fatigue
• conflicting views/experiences

INTERVIEW
can either be structured, semi structured or unstructured. 
STRENGTH:
- first hand experience
- depth
- good for culture reasons

WEAKNESS

• cost
• time consuming
• quality of data can differ

PARTICIPANT OBSERVATION
understanding a phenomena through direct observation

Question 5

Sampling and its types

Answer 5

Sampling in qualitative research is PURPOSIVE (there is a purpose, you are trying to find people with a story)

DIFFERENT TYPES
INTENSITY SAMPLING
- rich information from few people who have experienced the phenomena in a very personal way.

PURPOSIVE SAMPLING
- purposely selecting people who have a story to tell, demonstrate characteristics

SNOWBALL SAMPLING
- used for delicate cases like HIV, talk to one person who knows 2 others and those 2 know 4 more etc.

CONVENIENCE SAMPLING (worst one)
- only selecting people due to convenience

MAIXMUM VARIATION SAMPLING
- have people with varying opinions

Question 6

SAMPLE SIZE

Answer 6

There is no set number in qualitative research however researcher determines the size by

• DATA SATURATION: researcher is satisfied with the amount of data and won’t get any new information
• RESOURCES AND MONEY DECLINE: exhausted all of it