Ch. 3 - Qualitative Research

Question 1

Qualitative

Answer 1

Nonnumerical characteristic

Question 2

Qualitative measure

Answer 2

Nonnumerical data

Question 3

Qualitative research is used for:

Answer 3

1) generate new constructs, theories, hypotheses
2) detailed descriptions
3) deeper understanding
4) improve quantitative measures quality

Question 4

What approach is used for theory development?

Answer 4

Inductive

Question 5

What do detailed descriptions of phenomenon entail?

Answer 5

Story, narration

Question 6

What does a deeper understanding of phenomenon entail?

Answer 6

Peripheral vision, relative truths, perspectives of those rarely heard.

Question 7

How do qualitative measures strengthen quantitative data?

Answer 7

More valid and outcomes exhausted.

strengthen survey; In-depth interviews

Question 8

What are the four qualitative traditions?

Answer 8

1) Ethnography
2) Participant observation
3) Field research
4) Grounded Theory

Question 9

Ethnography

Answer 9

Studying culture w/ field research.

Question 10

Participant observation

Give an example study.

Answer 10

Observation where researcher becomes participant in culture/context.

Bluebond-Langer’s study: sick children know more about their condition than adults thought.

Question 11

Field research

Give an example study.

Answer 11

Going to field to observe phenomenon in natural state.

Michelle Fine’s prison college study included prisoners as researchers. Critical perspective, no “sugarcoating”.

Question 12

Grounded theory

Give an example study.

Answer 12

Observation based theory. (NOT abstract)

HIV study of how patients choose treatment or alternatives; comparative method of analysis.

Question 13

Participant observation

Answer 13

Researcher becomes participant in culture/context.

Intensive, lot’s of time.

Question 14

Direct observation

Answer 14

Observing.

Less bias, more structured, less time.

Question 15

Unstructured interviewing

Answer 15

No predetermined protocol.

Flexible, broad exploration, harder to analyse.

Question 16

Case study

Answer 16

Intensive study on specific individual/context.

Question 17

Focus groups are for:

Answer 17

Marketing, social research

Question 18

Unobtrusive measures

Answer 18

Doesn’t interfere w/ respondent lives.

Less bias, potentially miss info.

Question 19

What are the two approaches to unobtrusive measures.

Answer 19

1) Indirect measures

2) Content analysis

Question 20

Indirect measures

Answer 20

Unobtrusive measure that occurs naturally.

Electronic, invisible.

Question 21

Content analysis

Answer 21

Systematic analysis of text (quantitative or qualitative).

• Thematic
• Indexing: keywords (exception dictionary)
• Unitising: large text into smaller parts
• Coding: categorising qualitative data

Question 22

Mixed methods research

Answer 22

Combines qualitative and quantitative methods.

Question 23

4 Criteria for judging qualitative research.

Answer 23

Credibility: believable perspective (participant’s opinion)

Transferability: generalised/transferred to other contexts (similar to external validity)

Dependability: accounting for changes (how conclusions affected by change)

Confirmability: confirmed by others (data audit)

Question 24

Secondary analysis

Answer 24

Data collected for other purpose/study.

Checks previous analyses or explores new research hypotheses.