Qualitative methods Flashcards
(18 cards)
What is qualitative research
Qualitative research is about meaning, experiences and perspectives. It comes from the perspective of the people or research participants NOT the researcher
What is ontology
The nature of being/existence. What is relaity?
What is epistemology?
The nature of knowledge. How can I know reality? These are theoretical perspectives that inform research methodology.
Theoretical perspectives are on a continuum, whats on each side?
Positivism- there is one single reality that can be measured. Researching from this perspective= quantitative measures
Interpretivism- there is no single reality, no simple truth, reality is interpreted by us. Qualitative methodologies more likely.
another perspective is post-positivism- accepting that the background, the knowledge and the values of the researcher influences what they’re observing, and so must be considered – a sort of bias if you like
But these two methodologies not in conflict, mixed methodologies increasingly encouraged.
Collecting data for qualitative study- INTERVIEWS- what are the advantages.
Done well, interviews allow the researcher to collect rich data from a relatively small number of people to understand, explore opinions, behaviour and experience
Interviews considerations- who are you going to ask?
- Sampling- convenience sampling (sample comes from part of the population that is close too hand). E.g. students in a lecture- cant say representative of all students. OR purposive sampling, more robust. Researcher is using own judgement to choose participants they think would provide most relevant data for their study.
Interview considerations- what are you going to ask?
Verbatim list of questions in a structured approach OR a semi-structured approach. Semi-structured interview most often in qualitative papers- use it as a topic guide, main themes you want to cover.
Interviews- practical considerations
Where is the best place to conduct the interview- easier to call people into uni but they may feel more comfortable in their own environment. Important your participants are not coming into harm or undue inconvenience. E.g. sensitive topics may be covered, so somewhere private is crucial.
Need good recording equipment. Consider how to transcribe that recording. Huge quantity of data can you transcribe all yourseld? Professional transcription devices cost money. Important to budget if you apply for funding.
Data collection: FOCUS GROUPS
Gathers a range of perspectives from 6-12 people making use of group dynamics to generate discussion. Typically about an hour in length.
How many researchers needed for a focus group?
At least two researchers for a focus group. One of these one of these might be the moderator or the facilitator, helping to keep the discussion on track, trying to encourage equal participation and trying to resolve any conflict that might occur sometimes in a group discussion. They probably use a topic guide. The other researcher may take the role of note taker or scribe. Although again if you can, record the session. Video recording may also be useful to capture nonverbal communication.
Practical considerations of focus groups
An easy to reach, neutral venue. This might not be easy for a focus group. You may have people of different ages, different physical abilities, different caring needs.
Consideration of ethnography + practical considerations
The researchers role can change activity in the setting. Participant observer (active participant) or non-participant observer.
Where do you sit? Close to whats happening or is that intrusive?
How would you write notes? if writing notes when sitting there can be off putting for people.
It might be better to have a space you can go to, to write up straight after the observation while it is still fresh in your memory.
Another consideration is how you explain who you are to the to the participants and to the people in that in that setting? The staff might feel judged. The participants might know you in another role if you are a SLT. This might change what you observe.
Data collection: OBSERVATIONS. Why are they not useful in certain circumstances.
They often take place in the context of something ethnography. This is a type of qualitative study where the researcher immerses themselves in a particular setting. For example, a hospital/school to understand better the culture and the processes that are happening in that setting.
THIS IS NOT EASY….
Analysing qualitative data. What is thematic analysis?
Most used technique. Braun and Clark describe this technique step by step in their 2006 paper. 1. Familiarise yourself with data. 2. Generate initial codes. 3. Identify themes e.g. codes ‘not enough time’ and ‘not enough money’ could come under ‘constraints’. 4. Once you have your themes check back data and find examples. 5. Come up with come up with names and descriptions of those themes. And use these in your report and analysis of what the data told you.
Analysing data- what is grounded theory?
Similar to thematic analysis (you go backwards and forwards through the data). However, you do not conduct all your interviews/observations before beginning analysis. Might only have 2 or 3, but analysis begins straight away. If the participants have spoken about a topic which you had not identified as part of your initial plan, you can at this stage change your topic guide for the following interviews and begin to probe new ideas. So, the data is truly being driven by participants.
Analysing data- content analysis
Content analysis can be used for gathering both qualitative and quantitative data. You can use scripts from interviews, or newspaper articles. You might want to count the number of times a given word is used which would give you a quantitative measure. You might want to analyse the text for themes as we have seen in previous qualitative methods.
Evaluating qualitative research- Hamersley proposed the research should be judged in terms of what?
its validity and its relevance.
What might make a paper hold more validity?
- Researchers have regularly discussed with others as going through the process of collecting and analysing the data.
- There is more than one researcher analysing the data; it is an iterative process.
- They have explained their analysis and how you’ve come to the decisions that you’ve come to through your analysis.
- Researchers come with their own experiences that are going to shape and inform the way they look at and interpret things. You must acknowledge that, be aware of it and write it down as well.
- Researchers have gone back to the participants with the themes to check they hold true for them.
