Planning and designing qualitative research

Question 1

Summarise the principles of the quantitative research paradigm

Answer 1

Positivist i.e. there is only one reality and phenomena determine our perception of them
Only factual knowledge gained through observation
Researcher limited to data collection and interpretation, explaining how and why things happen
Measurement and statistical analyses
Researcher remains objective and independent from research material

Question 2

Summarise the principles of qualitative research

Answer 2

Interpretivist/constructionist research paradigm
Access to reality is only through social constructions
Recognise data is always partial and subjective and the knowledge obtained is not the only knowledge available
UNDERSTANDING how and why things happen
Relativist ontology
Focus on meaning
Interactive data collection

Question 3

What is meant by ontology?

Answer 3

Beliefs about reality and its existence i.e. what is true, is there only one context-free reality or multiple?

Think about ontology like a lens which shapes everything else a researcher does

Positivists adopt a realist ontology, for example i.e. believe that there is only one true reality

Question 4

What is meant by epistemology?

Answer 4

Beliefs about knowing and attaining knowledge i.e. how do we come to know what we know

Epistemology is driven by ontological beliefs e.g. positivists who believe there is only one truth will operate under a objective/empiricist epistemology (scientific method, observable and measurable facts, causal explanations etc)

Qualitative researchers commonly employ a phenomenological/social constructionist epistemology i.e. believe that knowledge is co-created through peoples interactions with others and the environment and needs to be interpreted to find meaning

Question 5

What is meant by methodology?

Answer 5

Research design, choice of methods/procedures.

Driven by both ontological and epistemological beliefs

Epistemological and methodological commitments constrain choice of method e.g. social constructionists methodology wouldn’t be compatible with measuring variables in a population, but would rather be concerned with the validity of such variables and exploring how they are “made real”

Question 6

What is meant by axiology?

Answer 6

Values and ethics e.g. in quantitative/positivist research, the axiology is that research should be value-free and the researcher should remain detached, independent and unbiased, objective

Question 7

What is meant by theoretical paradigm/perspective?

Answer 7

Set of beliefs about how research should be done - provides the basis for everything else a researcher does

Beliefs based on ontological, epistemological and methodological assumptions.

Question 8

What are some advantages and disadvantages of a positivist perspective?

Answer 8

ADVANTAGES - collection of large amounts of data, researcher maintains control, easily comparable data

DISADVANTAGES - Direction can’t change once research started, weak understanding of social processes, doesn’t discover the meanings individuals attach to social phenomena

Question 9

What are some advantages and disadvantages of an interpretivist perspective?

Answer 9

ADVANTAGES - Facilitates understanding of HOW and WHY, enables researchers to responds to changes in and to the research, suited to understanding social processes, allows for complexity and contextual factors

DISADVANTAGES - Data collection is time consuming, data analysis can be complex and challenging, uncertainty i.e. clear patterns may not be found, may be perceived as less credible by non-researchers

Question 10

What are the 6 key qualities of a qualitative researcher?

Answer 10

1) Does not prioritise cause and effect i.e. not looking for relationships in data but rather focus more on contextual differences
2) Critical and questioning
3) Awareness of own biases (reflexivity - researcher’s assumptions can shape data collection and analysis)
4) Responsive to the data
5) Interested in people
6) Need to have a thorough understanding of qualitative approaches to the research process

Question 11

What are the stages involved in the research process?

Answer 11

1) Coming up with research themes
2) Critically reviewing existing literature to identify possible confounds/gaps
3) Insights and theoretical foundations can then feed into the development of our CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
4) Framework influences development of the research plan which involves an initial statement of research purpose –> can be transformed into a research question. As part of the plan, also need to choose appropriate method of data collection

Question 12

What is meant by a conceptual framework?

Answer 12

Foundation upon which everything else is built e.g. methods of analysis, Framework chosen will depend on the research question you are wanting to answer.

An example of a framework is social constructivism

Question 13

What are some possible types of research questions?

Answer 13

Ontological (capturing ppts’ realities) - “what is the nature of…?”, “What is it like being…?”
Epistemological (understanding phenomena) - “How does…?”, “What does it mean to be…?”, “What factors influence…?”

Question 14

What are the qualities of a good research question?

Answer 14

Exploratory, open-ended, specific

Question 15

How does choice of method normally occur?

Answer 15

Via a process of elimination i.e. have to review characteristics of the research question and eliminate any research approaches which aren’t consistent with that question e.g. observation wouldn’t be appropriate if you’re trying to understand the experience of divorce
Determine the kind of data that will be needed to properly answer the question, and compare the expected data with the methodological rationale of each research approach. Don’t be constrained by methods used in existing research answering a similar question

Question 16

Provide some examples of possible research methodologies

Answer 16

Phenomenology: describes the “lived experience” of a particular phenomenon
Ethnography: explores the social world or culture, shared beliefs and behaviours
Participatory: views the participants as active researchers
Ethnomethodology: examines how people use dialogue and body language to construct a world view
Grounding theory: assumes a blank slate and uses an inductive approach to develop a new theory

Question 17

What criticisms did Potter&Hepburn discuss regarding interviews as a research method?

Answer 17

Much analysis of interview data doesn’t pay attention to contextual factors e.g. interactional features, conversational status etc. Analysis takes the data generated at face value.

It is, however, important to reflect on the meaning and experience of the interview for both the interviewer and interviewee, taking care not to assume that the words used by the interviewee are simple and direct reflections of their thoughts/feelings. It is the INTERACTION in an interview that is ultimately responsible for generating the data

Question 18

In a semi-structured interview what should a researcher consider in order to encourage free speaking of the ppt and maximise their own understanding?

Answer 18

The possible effects of their social identity on the interviewee, the ppt’s cultural milieu and the status of “the interview” within this, and linguistic variability i.e. focus on understanding what the interviewee MEANS regardless of how it was actually said.
It is also important to ensure that the questions being asked are relevant and meaningful within the culture of the interviewee.

Question 19

Distinguish between radical and moderate social constructionism

Answer 19

Refers to the degree of relativism
RADICAL - concerned with the flexibility and variability in people’s use of discursive resources in constructing realities which suit their specific needs at a specific time
MODERATE - concerned with how the wider social context shapes and constrains what can be said, how and when in specific social contexts, referencing a discursive reality outside of the original text

Question 20

Distinguish between naive and critical realist aspirations to knowledge generation

Answer 20

NAIVE - assume that data more or less directly represents reality i.e. take ppts’ accounts at face value
CRITICAL - assume that, although our data can tell us something about what is going on in the “real” world, it does not do so in a self-evident, unmediated way i.e. the data needs to be interpreted in order to further our understanding of the underlying structures which generate the phenomena we’re studying

Question 21

What are the 4 types of constructivism?

Answer 21

1) Trivial - most basic form; knowledge constructed by the learner through interpretation of personal experiences based on own cognitive/mental abilities
2) Radical - Glasersfeld theorized that we, as learners, construct new knowledge on the foundations of our existing knowledge. This knowledge tells us nothing about REALITY, it only helps us to function successfully as individuals.
3) Social - Our social environment influences our experiences and learning. Vygotsky presented social constructivism as a learning theory suggesting that the primary means of constructing new knowledge is through social interaction, especially through language. Zones of proximal development
4) Cultural - culture and traditions influence a person’s perspective and opinion of things