QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH

I. Characteristics A. Focuses on phenomena

occurring in natural settings. B. Involves studying phenomena in

all their complexity. C. More concerned with

authenticity than generalizability. D. Does not allow for identification

of cause-and-effect.

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH II. Field Research Designs A. Case Study 1. Description – in-depth

study of individual, program, or event for a specified time

period. 2. Method – uses variety data

sources, including observation, artifacts, interviews, etc.

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH II. Research Designs (con.) B. Grounded Theory Study 1. Description – a. focuses on the process related to

particular topic, especially individuals’ actions, reactions, and

interactions. b. purpose is to use data from the field

to create theory, especially when current theory is inadequate or

simply doesn’t exist. 2. Method – uses interviews, observations,

artifacts, etc.

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH III. Data Collection A. Observation – field journal B. Interviews 1. Informal conversational interview a. Unplanned and unanticipated

interaction between researcherand respondent occurring naturally during course of fieldwork.

b. Most open-ended form of interviewing.

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH III. Data Collection (con.) B. Interviews (con.) 2. General interview guide approach a. More structured than informal

conversational interviewing. b. Lists in outline form topics and

issues that researcher should cover, but allows interviewer to adapt sequencing and wording questions to each particular interview.

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH III. Data Collection (con.) B. Interviews (con.) 3. Standardized open-ended

interview a. Most formal. b. All interviews conducted in

consistent, thorough manner, with minimum interviewer effects and biases.

c. Least used.

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH III. Data Collection (con.) B. Interviews (con.) 4. Focus group a. Researcher interviews 10-12

people together at the same time.

b. Discuss a particular issue for 1-2 hours.

C. Artifacts

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH IV. Data Analysis A. Computer assisted qualitative data analysis

software (CAQDAS) 1. Pros a. efficiency in managing and organizing

data b. frees you from manual and clerical

tasks c. way to manage huge amounts of data d. newest packages can analyze social

media, YouTube videos, & web pages

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH IV. Data Analysis A. CAQDAS (con.) 2. Cons a. increasingly rigid and deterministic

processes b. increased pressure to focus on

volume and breadth rather than depth and meaning (more quantitative bent)

c. time spent learning program rather than getting into & analyzing the data

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH IV. Data Analysis A. CAQDAS (con.) 3. Examples a. Aquad (open source; windows) b. CAT (coding analysis kit; open source) c. Compendium (open source; windows;

mac) d. HyperRESEARCH (proprietary; mac;

windows) e. MAXQDA (proprietary; windows) f. NVivo (proprietary; windows)

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH IV. Data Analysis (con.) B. Using Software in

Qualitative Research by Ann Lewins and Christina Silver (Sage, 2007)

C. Saturation D. Transcription

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH IV. Data Analysis E. Specific Data Analysis Method --

Successive Approximation 1. Reading/Memoing a. Read field notes, transcripts,

memos, and observer comments to get a sense of data.

b. Write notes in margins or underline sections or issues

that seem important so that have record initial thoughts and

sense data.

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH

IV. Data Analysis (con.) E. Successive Approximation (con.) 2. Description a. Addresses issue: What is going

on in this setting and among these participants?

b. Aim to provide true picture settings and events taking place so that researcher and reader have

understanding context in which study took place.

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH

IV. Data Analysis (con.) E. Successive Approximation (con.) 3. Classifying a. Involves ordering field notes or

transcriptions into categories representing different aspects of data.

b. Lower-level categories can themselves be organized into

even higher, more abstract conceptual categories.

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH

IV. Data Analysis (con.) E. Successive Approximation

(con.) 4. Interpreting – involves

synthesizing organized data into general conclusions or understandings.

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH

V. Analyzing What is Missing from Data A. Negative Evidence 1. Nonappearance of something can

reveal great deal and provide valuable insights.

2. Kinds of negative evidence to consider a. events that do not occur; b. events of which population is

unaware; c. events the population wants to hide;

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH

V. Analyzing What is Missing from Data (con.) A. Negative Evidence (con.) 2. Kinds (con.) d. overlooked commonplace

events; e. effects of researcher’s

preconceived notions; f. unconscious nonreporting; and g. conscious nonreporting.

QUALITATIVE (FIELD) RESEARCH

V. Analyzing What is Missing from Data (con.) B. Limitation by Omission 1. Need be aware alternative perspectives

and not let limits specific social group to which belong, or which studied, blind

you to broader view. 2. Need be sensitive to distinctions race,

sex, age, and other social distinctions.