1. intro to qualitative Flashcards
What is qualitative research
a research approach that provides a rich, contextualised and deep analysis
How does qualitative research differ from quantitive research
Qualitative research focuses on words and meanings, while quantitative research focuses on numbers and statistical analysis.
What are the three key qualitative methodological frameworks?
Phenomenology, Ethnography, and Grounded Theory.
What is phenomenology?
A method that captures an individual’s interpretation of a particular phenomenon, staying close to raw data.
What is ethnography?
A method that examines cultural group characteristics and how members ascribe meaning to everyday life.
captures wider perspective
does not focus on dynamic interactions between individuals in a group
What is grounded theory?
A method that generates inductive theory fundamentally grounded in the data.
What are common myths about qualitative research?
That it is biased, lacks rigour, is not empirical, and is just journalism.
What is epistemology?
The study of knowledge, including how we understand and justify what we know.
What is positivism?
A philosophical approach advocating for a realist perspective, causal knowledge, and deductive reasoning.
Who is associated with positivism?
Auguste Comte (1798-1857).
What is post-positivism?
A critique of positivism that acknowledges bias, reductionism, and the importance of lived experiences.
What is the main criticism of quantitative research from a qualitative perspective?
It reduces human experience to numbers, overlooking context and meaning.
What is mixed methods research?
A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to better understand a research topic.
What is the main challenge in mixed methods research?
Integration of qualitative and quantitative data.
What are the advantages of qualitative research?
Flexibility, exploratory nature, simultaneous data collection and analysis, and transparency.
What is deductive reasoning?
A top-down approach where a hypothesis is tested through structured data collection.
What is inductive reasoning?
A bottom-up approach where patterns emerge from collected data without a predetermined hypothesis.
What is an example of a qualitative interview question?
“How often do you see any of your family?” followed by prompts exploring the meaning of frequency.
What does Rubin and Rubin (1995) compare research design to?
Planning a holiday.
What is methodolatry?
An excessive devotion to a single research method without considering its limitations.
What is the main purpose of qualitative research?
To develop theory, understand marginalised voices, and explore human experiences.
What does Glassner and Hertz (1999) say about qualitative research?
It makes the ordinary extraordinary and shows the extraordinary as routine.
What is the importance of transparency in qualitative research?
It ensures systematic and rigorous analysis.
What are some challenges in qualitative research?
Subjectivity, data overload, and ensuring validity and reliability.
