Qualitative methods 2 Flashcards
(38 cards)
1
Q
How much is enough for an interview?
A
- no strict rules
- depends on:
- the amount of detail
- constraints
- nature of the research
- type of research and the purpose - if it is homogeneous (6-8 cases) or heterogeneous (10-20 cases)
2
Q
Good semi-structured interview
A
- Broad topics and some questions
- Pace and direction = depends on the individual
- Don’t refer to interview guide to much
- Steer convo if it goes off topic
3
Q
Setting up an interview
A
- entire privacy
- make sure the sound of the environment won’t drown out the conversation
- obtain consent to record and make sure they are aware of the implications of recording
4
Q
Interviewing process
A
- knowing your scedual so it can flow
- interviewee = a co-enquirer rather than a research subject
- conversation not questions and answers
- be aware of questioning errors
5
Q
Ending the interview
A
- usually from 20-90 mins long
- people find it hard to concentrate over 90 mins
- ask the pp if they would like to add anything
- make arrangements for a follow up interview
- store tape recording in a safe place - and it is password protected
- write process notes
- transcribe the interview
6
Q
Transcribing
A
- 60 min interview may take up to 6+ hours to transcribe
- transcribe everything, add fillers, make notes about interpretation
- re-listen to recording and follow transcribed text
- return transcription to interviewee or follow up for confirmation of accuracy of transcription
- do not change word order or summaries
- include pauses, laughs, gestures etc
- transcribe soon after interview so you don’t forget non-verbal elements
7
Q
What is special about qualitative interviews
A
- are social encounters - from a place of trust
- not just extracting information
- need to think carefully about how we establish relations with the people we are researching
8
Q
What constitutes data
A
- more than just words
- how pps present themselves
- emotions they convey
- identifications
- the relations they establish with the researcher - for example if the pp is male does he talk over his female researcher
- reflexivity
9
Q
Guidlines to good qualitative research
A
- be friendly
- treat pps with respect and gratitude
- treat pps as experts
- participants = co-inquirers
- listen intently, encouraging them to elaborate
10
Q
Feminist research
A
- empower participants - equal relationship
- democratize research relationship
- research about women by women
- challenges the notion of being mutual and detached
11
Q
How does qualitative research try correct the methodological issues with qualitative research
A
- seeing participants as agents and co-producers of knowledge
- giving a voice to the disempowered groups
- participant lead interviews
- Kvale disagrees with this and just says that it is ‘masking the power’ of a researcher
12
Q
Asymmetric power distribution in an interview
A
- it is not dominance free - there are hierarchical and instrumental form of conversation where the interviewer sets the stage and script in accordance to the research
- interviewer = seeks understanding; interviewee = serves as a means
- meaning it is a one-way dialogue
- However pps can practice their agency by:
- not answering a question
- talking about something unrelated
- tell the researcher who they believe they want to hear
- start to question the interviewer
- withdraw from the interview
13
Q
Interviewers monopoly of interpretation
A
- interviewer hold the monopoly of interpretation
- seen as the big interpreter
- is the only one who can report what the pp really meant
14
Q
What is thematic analysis
A
Thematic analysis involves the searching across a data set…to find repeated patterns of meaning (themes).
15
Q
What constitutes a theme
A
- something important about the data in relation to your research question
- represents some level of patterned response
- more instances does not necessarily mean the theme is more crucial
16
Q
the phases of TA - Braun and Clarke (2006) (6)
A
- familiarize yourself with the data
- generating initial codes
- searching for themes
- reviewing themes
- defining and naming themes
- producing report
17
Q
Theme 1 of TA
A
Familiarise yourself with the data
- listen to your interview recordings
- read, read and re-read your transcription
- make preliminary notes
18
Q
Theme 2 of TA
A
Generating initial codes
- selecting segments of data that appear interesting to you to, in relation to your research
- some codes will become themes (broader units of analysis) and some you might discard
- codes for as many themes as possible
- a code may end up belonging to more than one theme
- expect contradictions
- code using highlighters, software, stickynotes etc
19
Q
Theme 3 of TA
A
Searching for themes
- you will have a long list of codes and extracts of data
- interpretive analysis of the data occurs
- how can different codes combine to make themes
- some themes are likely to have sub-themes
20
Q
Theme 4 of TA
A
Reviewing themes
- initial themes might merge into broader theme
- some themes you might discard
- some themes might need to be broken down
- aim for ‘internal homogeneity and external heterogeneity’ - themes should fit together meaningfully, but there should be distinctions between them
21
Q
Theme 5 of TA
A
Defining and naming themes
- depends on the satisfaction of thematic map
- you should have an idea of what the themes are
- define the essence of each theme
- determine what aspect of the data each theme captures
- write an analysis for each theme
- assess how themes fit into the broader story
- assess what themes say about your research question
22
Q
Theme 6 of TA
A
Producing the report
- analysis should be concise, coherent, logical, non repetitive and interesting of the story the data tells
- don’t just summaries what the pp said in the interview
- explain the implications of each theme
- back up with evidence
- use quotes to provide evidence and help the reader to understand
- link your findings to literature
- tell the story of your data
23
Q
Pitfalls to prevent in TA
A
- failure to analyze the data at all
- using interview schedule as themes
- weak/ unconvincing analysis - too much overlap, inconsistent, bad examples
- mismatch between data and analytic claims = UNFOUNDED ANALYSIS
- fails to spell out its theoretical assumptions
24
Q
Advantages of TA
A
- Flexibility.
- easy and quick method to learn, and do.
- don’t need experience of qualitative research.
- Results are accessible to educated general public.
- Can usefully summarise key features of a large body of data, and/or offer a “thick description”
- highlights similarities and differences across the data set.
- generates unanticipated insights.
- social as well as psychological interpretations of data.
- Can be useful for producing qualitative analyses suited to informing policy development.
25
What is narrative?
1. Often used synonymously with stories:
- Connecting events over time through stories
- Means of making sense of the world
- Beginning, middle and end (linearity)
2. Distinguishing features of narrative
- Provides coherent causal account of event
- Brings order and meaning to details of events
- Provides a certain shape, structure and plot to sequence of events
3. Exists in the social world, structure is not fixed but is fluid
26
What is narrative in psychology - (Murray 2003)
- accepts that we live in a storied world
- is concerned with the structure, content and function of the stories that we exchange in social interactions
- through narrative we shape the world and ourselves AND they are shaped for us
27
Social nature of narratives
- narratives are social constructs
- not factual accounts of events as they happened
- versions of the truth = fluid and changing
- draw on culture and discourse to create our won stories
- narratives are not neutral
28
Narratives and identity
- through narratives we shape and maintain our personal identities
- key interests lie in
(1) what stories pp's choose to tell
(2) how they portray these stories
(3) they identities they contract through these stories
- telling a narrative = telling a preferred vision of their identity which they wish to display
- may tell different stories depending whether the recording is on or off
29
What is the narrative research process
1. Research question
2. Research design and data collection (narrative interviews)
3. Transcription
4. Analysis and interpretation (forms of narrative analysis)
5. Presenting findings
30
Narrative interviews - role of the interviewer
- More passive, good listener, follows up with questions
- Empathetic and supportive; get to know pp
- Make the pp feel that you value their stories
- Importance of reflexivity
- Researcher expectations that inhibit / encourage narratives
- Presence can shape the interview
- Stage of life and how it influences the narrative interview
- gained certain distance from the life one has lived and are able to draw connections over time
31
Types of narrative interviews
1. Life history (unstructured)
- broad area of experience
- emphasis on how pp connects events together
- chronological sequence
- e.g. 'what happened next'
2. episodic (semi-structured)
- more focused specific issue
- introduces series of topics
- e.g. 'tell me your experience of having pain'
32
3 approaches of narrative analysis
1. linguistic and literacy = focus on the structure
2. grounded = focus on the content
3. social context = focus on the context
33
Breakdown of linguistic narrative analysis
1. abstract - provides summary
2. orientation - sets the scene (who, when, where)
3. Comlicating action - central details
4. Evaluation - so what? why is the story important?
5. Results - 'punch line'
6. Afterword - conclusion, reflection, wrap up
34
4 main forms of literally narrative analysis
1. comedy
2. romance
3. tragedy
4. satire
35
5 steps of grounded narrative analysis
1. Make summary of each participant’s life story/interview.
- What is the narrative about?
2. Identify the most contrasting narratives
- How is the same topic constructed differently by participants?
3. Identify other distinctive narratives
4. Identify any other remaining types of narratives
5. Organise each participants transcripts according to these narratives/categories and consider in detail the content of each
36
What is grounded theory
analyzing content of a story
37
Analyzing the social context
- analyzing the broader socio-political context
- how peoples stories are reflective of broader cultural stories on the topic
- Narrative Research part of Social Constructionism, social context + influence of broader social forces on language are relevant
- looks into the interview-participant relationship
- requires detailed transcription AND great reflexivity on the part of the researcher.
38
Questions researchers may ask themselves
- How did the way I phrased questions facilitate the telling of certain stories and inhibit others?
- How did my own intersecting identities (age, race, class, gender, sexuality, level of education, religion) influence how I perceived the topic of study, the participant’s responses, and how I perceived the participant himself?
- How did my intersecting identities affect how the participants perceived me?
- How did my intersecting identities affect the kinds of narratives participants chose to tell me?
