Qualitative Research
Original Editors - Scott Buxton
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Definition[edit | edit source]
It can be hard to give just one clear definition of what qualitative research is because its broad and in-depth nature and what it is trying to achieve. It would be hard to give it justice with a fleeting glance but here are a couple.
Qualitative researchers are interested in understanding the meaning people have constructed, that is, how people make sense of their world and the experiences they have in the world.[1]
Qualitative research is ressearch using methods such as participant observation or case studies which result in a narrative, descriptive accont of a setting or practice. Sociologists using these methods typically reject positivism and adopt a form of interpretive sociology.[2]
Qualitative research is a situated activity that locates the observer in the world. It consists of a set of interpretive, material practices that makes the world visible. These practices transform the world. They turn the world into a series of representations, including field notes, interviews, conversations, photographs, recordings, and memos to the self. At this level, qualitative research involves an interpretive, naturalistic approach to the world. This means that qualitative researchers study things in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of, or to interpret, phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them[3].
“Qualitative research involves any research that uses data that do not indicate ordinal values.[4]
For some qualitative research can be seen as a simple data collection method but for others can be a complex, deep and meaningful insight into the world.
Basic Approaches [edit | edit source]
Quaitative research can appear to be a complex topic which may push many prospective researchers towards the comforts of a quantitative approach, however, the outcomes of performing qualitative research can have equally important ramifications.
Types of Approach | Defining Features | Data Collection Implications |
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Phenomenology |
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Ethnography |
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Inductive Thematic Analysis |
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Grounded Theory |
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Case Study |
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Discourse/Conversation Analysis |
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Narrative Analysis |
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Mixed Methods |
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Glossary[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Merriam, S. (2009:13). Qualitative research: A guide to design and implementation. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
- ↑ Parkinson, G., & Drislane, R. (2011). Qualitative research. In Online dictionary of the social sciences. [ONLINE] accessed on 15/11/2014 Found at http://bitbucket.icaap.org/dict.pl
- ↑ Denzin, N., & Lincoln, Y. (Eds.). (2011). Handbook of qualitative research (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage
- ↑ Nkwi, P., Nyamongo, I., & Ryan, G. (2001). Field research into socio-cultural issues: Methodological guidelines. Yaounde, Cameroon, Africa: International Center for Applied Social Sciences, Research, and Training/UNFPA
- ↑ Guest, G. Namey E. Mitchell M. Collecting Qualitative Data. A Field Manual for Applied Research. 2013:10 . Sage Publications, Inc.