Week 10 Flashcards
(19 cards)
What is qualitative research
collects and analyzes non-numerical data: words rather than numbers. (Typically inductive)
When to use qualitative research?
helpful to generate insights into less mature topics: in order to clarify key constructs and develop new theoretical frameworks. uncover unexpected pain points or opportunities to add value
Interview meaning
conversation where the researcher asks questions and listens while the respondent answers. It must be transcribed afterwards
Structured/Unstructured/Semi-structured interview
Structured interview - has a carefully worded set of interview questions
Unstructured interview - the interviewer does not have a planned sequence of questions to be asked to the interviewee. The interviewer’s next questions are very much dependent on the answers given by the interviewee.
Semi-structured interview - based on a set of predetermined questions, but it also leaves room for the interviewee to elaborate on his/her responses and for the interviewer to introduce additional questions based on the interviewee’s answer (Favorite approach for collecting data)
Focus group meaning
unstructured interview conducted by a moderator with a small group of participants, varying from approximately 8 to 14 participants.
The role of the moderator in focus groups
ensure that all members participate in the discussion and that no member dominates the group
Focus-group types of data
tape recordings
transcripts of those recordings, and
the moderator’s notes from the discussion
Choosing between focus groups and interviews
Focus groups: when interaction helps (building on each others answers), respondents can say what is relevant in <10mins
Interviews: sensitive topics, detailed answers needed, complex topics, expert respondents
Observational studies
systematically recording the behaviors of small groups of people in their natural surroundings
4 types of observational research
- Complete participant - researcher takes part in activity; Covert/Concealed id. of researcher
- Complete observer - researcher does NOT take part; Covert/Concealed identity of researcher
- Observer as participant - researcher does NOT take part; Overt/Unconcealed (researcher’s identity is revealed)
- Participant as observer - researcher takes part; Overt/Unconcealed
Complete participant type of observational research
the researcher tries to become a member of the group which s/he is researching and
does not reveal his/her true purpose to those he is observing; [researcher may participate as a co-worker in an organization to evaluate some of the company’s working practices]
Complete observer type of observational research
researcher does not reveal his/her purpose to those he is observing and
does not take part in the activities of those s/he is observing [researcher may observe consumers’ behavior at a supermarket’s checkout]
Observer-as-participant type of observational research
researcher does not take part as a member of the group which s/he is observing
reveals his/her true purpose to those he is observing; [you may observe a team-building course as a spectator]
Participant-as-observer type of observational research
takes part as a member of the group which s/he is observing
reveals his/her true purpose to those he is observing [you may participate in a strike and completely immerse yourself in it, spending long hours with those on strike, without being an employee of the company involved]
Notes in observational studies must include:
- Primary observations (what happened/what was said)
- Experiental data (Perceptions and feelings as I experience the process of research)
- Contextual data (research setting; organizational structure, communication patterns, that may help you interpret other data)
Choosing between observations and interviews research
Observational research - interested in direct info about subjects’ behavior, directly asking subjects would lead to distorted info
Interview - need to identify reasons underlying subject’s behavior, when observation would affect subjects’ behavior
Threats to internal validity in qualitative research
- Researcher bias - influence of researchers’ prior knowledge and assumptions on their study.
- Respondent bias - participants not providing honest responses to the researcher.
How to increase the internal validity of a qualitative research study
- Triangulation - research will be conducted from different or multiple perspectives
- Peer debriefing - receiving feedback from other people at different stages of your research
- Member checking - testing the emerging findings with your research participants
- Negative case analysis - analyzing those cases that do not match the trends or patterns emerging from the rest of the data
Ways to perform member checking (improve validity in qualitative research)
You may send your participants the interview transcripts, and ask them to read these transcripts and provide comments or corrections.
You may send participants an e-mail and ask them to verify your interpretations before you jump to conclusions.
You may schedule a ‘validation’ interview. This is a follow-up interview.
