Chapter 21: Qualitative Research Flashcards
Purposes of qualitative research include all of the following, EXCEPT?
a. Describing social phenomenon
b. Developing theory to explain observed phenomena
c. Generating hypotheses that can be tested by further research
d. Identify relationships between variables
d
Rationale: Finding relationships between variables is a purpose of quantitative research such as exploratory/observational studies. The others are purposes of qualitative research.
What is the most common form of sampling in qualitative research is?
a. Convenience sampling
b. Probability sampling
c. Purposive sampling
d. Snowball sampling
c
Rationale: The most commonly used form of sampling in qualitative research is purposive in which the investigator identifies individuals who will be most useful to study given the experiences the investigator wishes to the study. Convenience sampling and snowball sampling are other forms of nonprobability sampling that may be used in qualitative research. Probability sampling is usually not appropriate in qualitative research.
Qualitative research is based on which of the following?
a. Social constructivism
b. Logical positivism
c. The scientific method
d. Measurement under standardized conditions
a
Rationale: Social constructivism is focused on the belief that all reality is fundamentally social, and therefore the only way to understand it is through an individual’s experience. Qualitative research focuses on the investigation of these socially constructed realities through immersion, interviews and observation.
Which of the following terms related to qualitative research most aligns with the term reliability in
quantitative research?
a. Credibility
b. Transferability
c. Dependability
d. Confirmability
c
Rationale: Dependability in qualitative research has been likened to reliability in quantitative research. Methods to improve dependability include an audit trail and triangulation of data.
Methods to improve credibility in qualitative research include all of the following EXCEPT?
a. Member checking
b. Negative case analysis
c. Reflexivity
d. Triangulation
c
Rationale: Credibility refers to actions that are taken to ensure the results of a qualitative study are believable. Member checking, negative case analysis and triangulation may be used to enhance credibility. Reflexivity refers to systematic consideration of how researchers shape and are shaped by the qualitative research project and relates more to confirmability than credibility
Methods of qualitative data collections include all of the following EXCEPT?
a. Participant observation
b. Semi-structured interviews
c. Unstructured interviews
d. Fixed response surveys
d
Rationale: Fixed response surveys are used to provide descriptive data, however are not used in qualitative research as they limit the responses of the participants. Observation and different formats of interviews are frequently used in qualitative research.
Qualitative research may contribute to which component of evidence-based practice?
a. Best research evidence
b. Clinical expertise
c. Patient values
d. B and C
d
Rationale: Qualitative research is well suited to clarify patient values and has also contributed to understanding of clinical expertise.
In which of the following qualitative research approaches does an investigator immerse themselves in the setting and activities studied?
a. Ethnography
b. Grounded theory
c. Phenomenology
d. Semi-structured interviews
a
Rationale: Ethnography is a qualitative approach with a history in anthropology. In ethnographic research the investigator immerses themselves in the setting and activities studied.
A research study assessing challenges in the discharge planning process in a hospital from the perspectives of the healthcare workers and patients would most likely use which of the following qualitative techniques?
a. Ethnography
b. Grounded theory
c. Phenomenology
d. Structured interviews
c
Rationale: A phenomenological approach is built on the premise that lived experience and meaning are fully knowledgeable only to those who experience them. This approach allows for themes and meanings to be identified.
Which of the following would be considered a good qualitative interview question?
a. How often do you exercise?
b. Do you like to exercise?
c. Tell me about barriers you have to exercising.
d. When was the last time you exercised?
c
Rationale: A good qualitative question asks the respondent to provide meaning in their own words and goes beyond yes or no answers or one-word answers. The other questions are limited by themselves as they do not delve into understanding the experience of the individual.
A form of mixed methods research in which the investigators collect quantitative data to assess efficacy and conduct interviews after the study to better understand the experiences of the participants is known as which type of design?
a. Convergent
b. Embedded
c. Multiphase
d. Sequential
b
Rationale: An embedded design is where a qualitative technique is combined with a quantitative efficacy study to understand the participants experiences. This is similar to a convergent design with the main distinction in a convergent design the collection of quantitative and qualitative data is often simultaneous.
