Title: Qualitative Research 1
1Qualitative Research 1
2Lecture Objectives
- To introduce qualitative research and understand
the sort of questions that can be answered using
qualitative methods - To examine a broad range of research approaches
(methodologies) giving an overview of the
different approaches that might be used
(including, but not limited to grounded theory,
phenomenology, discourse research, ethnography)
3Importance of lectures Qual 1 and 2
- Can you identify research questions that might be
more appropriately answered using qualitative
research? - Can you match your own research questions to a
specific qualitative method? - Do you understand the scope of qualitative
research and can you identify different
qualitative methodological approaches?
4Key Issues
- Qualitative research and research questions
- 4 Qualitative research approaches or methodologies
5Description of qualitative research
- Inductive/abductive
- Iterative
- Subjective
- Closeness between researcher and researched
- Thick description
- Can deal with ambiguity, multiplicity,
contradictions - Multi methods
- Researcher as involved bricoleur
6Key Issue 1Qualitative research questions
- Why and how
- Interpreting and understanding meanings and
behaviour - Depth not (usually) breadth
- Generates data that are rich and time-consuming
to analyze - When the topic is
- Sensitive
- Complex
- Non measurable
- Concerned with interaction and process
- Examples of methodologically relevant questions
in next section
7Methodology
- Why have a specific methodology?
- What is a methodology?
- The sort of questions you wish to answer
- Personal choice/preference
- Methodology in qualitative research is VERY
IMPORTANT
8Key Issue 2Qualitative research approaches
- Grounded theory
- Phenomenology
- Discourse theory
- Ethnography
9Grounded theory
- The phrase "grounded theory" refers to theory
that is developed inductively from a corpus of
data - An emergent research process
- Begins with a research situation
- Sampling is defined by the choice of the research
situation, aiming for diversity of respondents
and is also an emergent process - Literature is also seen as part of the data
collection process - The aim is to develop an understanding of, and to
theorise this research situation - Methods that fit
- Unstructured/semi structured interviews, focus
groups, observation, group feedback
10The grounded theory process
Assumptive research question
Sample defined by question
Choose Method And data collection
Underlying form of question is What (theory or
explanation) emerges from an analysis of (the
data collected about this phenomenon)?
Who might you ask to take part?
Any ideas?
Assumptive question should be generated
through literature, media reports, personal
experience anecdotal evidence etc.
E.G. What are the consumption processes involved
in re-imaging after a significant loss of body
weight?
Think about the who, what, where, when, how
11The grounded theory process
Data collection
Coding
Dependent on method recording, field notes video
Theory generation and contribution To literature
Feedback loop until saturation
Feedback/iterations important in grounded
theory, adapting sample, methods, codes and so
on until saturation point is reached
12Phenomenology
- Lived experience
- Focuses on the meaning of human experience
- The aim of the research is to collect accounts of
the experience of something (a phenomenon) and to
identify the structures across different
experiences - Your phenomenological research would produce rich
descriptive accounts of experiences and then
produce a framework to explain the experience
of that can be generalised - Sampling is defined through the phenomenon under
study - Methods the phenomenological interview, focus
groups, observation and discussion with
participants - Can be useful for researching sensitive subjects
e.g. workplace bullying, addictive consumption,
and generating a generalised experiential
framework by which to understand that phenomenon
13The phenomenological process
Question generation
Underlying form of question is What is the
meaning, structure, and essence of the lived
experience of (a phenomenon) by (an individual or
by many individuals)? This is the basic
phenomenological question.
E.G. What is the lived experience of consumers in
debt?
Questions generated from literature, media
reports, personal experience, anecdotal evidence
In phenomenology frameworks, theories and
concepts about the phenomenon are collected From
these sources and used to inform the data
collection
Method
The phenomenological interview Participation/obser
vation Focus groups (?)
14The phenomenological process
Coding and thematic sorting
Theory generation Locating contribution to
existing frameworks
15Discourse theory
- Constructivist questions
- Discourse a shared way of talking or writing
about a topic or phenomenon that constructs our
ideas about what it is/how it works - Discourses construct our views and possible
discussions about a phenomenon, they construct
that phenomenon in language - Can reveal conceptual underpinnings shared by a
discourse community - Sampling is defined by the discourse community
under study - Discourse analysis is like riding a bicycle, the
more you do it the better you get but there is no
definitive guide to how to do it, you just need
to get on and have a go(adapted from Potter and
Wetherall 1998) - Reading between the lines, the story behind the
story, the hidden rules and laws that shape the
way phenomena are constructed in talk and text - Methods anything (qualitative) goes
16Discourse theory process
Question generation
Questions generated from literature, media
reports, personal experience, anecdotal evidence
Underlying form of question is What activities
constitute (this experience/ concept or
phenomenon) by (these actors)? or What
discursive resources are used to construct
(these individuals, organization or group) as
(individuals, an organization or a group)?
E.G. How are new university employees at Bradford
University socialized into workplace rituals?
What is being constructed?
17Discourse theory process
Methods
Written word literature for new staff, diaries,
transcripts, minutes of meetings Spoken word
interviews, observation, focus groups With DA
many different methods may have to be used to see
commonalities in constructions across data
Analysis
Identifying relevant constructions across talk
and text
Theory generation
Generating a model or framework explaining the
phenomenon
18Ethnography
- Is not just participant observation!!
- Ethnography is about understanding the everyday
activities of people within local settings - The cultural characteristics of a group
- Very good for identifying and theorising cultural
behaviours not easily explained (hence
observation is a good method to use) - Native habitats (16/17/18/19/20th C) a remote
tribal village - Native habitats (21st C) a call centre, a
restaurant kitchen, a large supermarket, a home,
a hospital, an office - Captures the complexity, richness, interactions,
processes, behaviours and ambiguities of the
chosen research setting - Sampling defined by the target group
- Methods anything goes, but observation should be
a significant part of the design
19The ethnographic process
Question generation
Questions generated from literature, media
reports, personal experience, anecdotal evidence
Underlying form of question is What are the
defining cultural characteristics of (group x)?
E.G. What are the cultural characteristics of a
highly innovative organization?
Method
20The ethnographic process
Analysis
Generation of codes and themes relating to
processes as well as categories
Theory generation Contribution to literature
21Fit within overall topic
- Methodologies are a crucial part of a qualitative
research project - methods alone will not
suffice!! - Overview of some relevant methodologies