WEEK 2 READING - CHAPTER 1 OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH AND ITS USED IN SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

Question 1

WHAT ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH?

Answer 1

• Flexibility, coherence and consistency
• Priority of data
• Context sensitivity
• Thick description
• Immersion in the setting (natural setting)
• Insider/outsider perspectives
• Reflexivity and ‘critical subjectivity’

Question 2

EXPLAIN FLEXIBILITY, COHERENCE AND CONSISTENCY AS A CHARACTERISTIC OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Answer 2

• Need flexibility
o Design carried out is emerging and evolving and not wholly predetermined.
o Research can change in early stages and be adapted due to developing ideas.
o Patton (2002): qualitative research is iterative - not unilinear or straightforward.
• Work grounded in the data
• Open-ended and flexible strategies to give ppt freedom in their responses to allow appropriate follow up by the researcher.
• Consistency and coherence established through modification and rejection of research (Holloway and Todres, 2003).

Question 3

EXPLAIN PRIORITY OF DATA AS A CHARACTERISTIC OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Answer 3

• Qualitative research initially inductive (moves from specific instances to discover patterns/regularities).
• Data has primacy.
• Inductive reasoning doesn’t start with a hypothesis or theory.
• Patterns in data allow theory development.
• Inductive reasoning allows flexibility.
• Deductive element as working propositions are followed up and explored to come to a broader theory/conclusion.

Question 4

EXPLAIN CONTEXT SENSITIVITY AS A CHARACTERISTIC OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Answer 4

• Context-bound research (referring to locality, time and culture as well as beliefs of ppts and researchers).
• Patton (2002) observes qualitative research takes holistic perspective.
• Context influences how ppts and researchers think and behave.

Question 5

EXPLAIN THICK DESCRIPTION AS A CHARACTERISTIC OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Answer 5

• Linked to contextualisation.
• Detailed, contextual description which includes feeling, meanings and intentions of people.
• Use of quotes to enhance description and make more vivid.
• Portrays context of ppts lives.
• Grounded in a theoretical base and not merely factual.

Question 6

EXPLAIN IMMERSION IN THE SETTING AS A CHARACTERISTIC OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Answer 6

• Allows thick description to be possible.
• Researchers immerse themselves in the setting and situation they are studying and engage fully with ppts.
• Researcher builds relationship of trust with ppts.
• Critical events observed, feelings uncovered, and routine behaviours understood.

Question 7

EXPLAIN INSIDER/OUTSIDER PERSPECTIVES AS A CHARACTERISTIC OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Answer 7

• Emic and etic view (Harris, 1979).
• Emic perspective refers to ppts understanding and voice (insiders voice).
• Patton; importance of being empathetic and non-judgemental.
• Etic view (outsider view); view of researcher/social scientist.
• Etic view less empirical/concrete than view of ppts.
• Etic view is theory based and abstract and has more general applications.

Question 8

EXPLAIN REFLEXIVITY AND ‘CRITICAL SUBJECTIVITY’ AS A CHARACTERISTIC OF QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Answer 8

• Reflexivity refers to the location of the researchers in the study (‘the situated self’). They need to reflect on their position in the study and how their assumptions influence it.
• Researchers’ values, beliefs, and status, etc, affect the research.
• Researchers are ppts in study and can’t distance themselves from it.
• Research never neutral and wholly objective.
• Own subjectivity drawn on as a resource to assist in understanding ppts.
• Researchers need critical stance to their assumptions and predispositions while focusing on their ppts ideas.