The Importance of Qualitative Research in Mixed Methods:

Part I

John W. Creswell, Ph.D., Tim Guetterman, M.A.University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Presentation to the University of the Western Cape, South AfricaApril 17, 2014

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TopicsUse of qualitative research in mixed methodsKey features of qualitative researchTypes of problems addressed through qualitative research

Philosophical assumptionsQualitative purpose statements and research questions

Qualitative data collectionQualitative data analysis and softwareValidation/accuracy

How Qualitative Research Fits into Mixed Methods

Useful inProviding multiple perspectivesExplaining quantitative resultsExploring before administering an instrumentValidating quantitative resultsHearing participant viewsUnderstanding process in evaluation

Key Features of Qualitative Research

Follow the scientific method(e.g., problem, questions, method, results)

Listen to participants’ viewsAsk open-ended questionsBuild understanding based on participants’ viewsDevelop a complex understanding of the problemGo to the setting to gather dataBe ethicalAnalyze data inductively-let findings emergeWrite in user-friendly, literary way Include rich quotesResearcher presence in the study

Types of Problems

Need to exploreImportant to listen to participantsUnusual culture, sampleDo not know questions to askUnderstand processNeed to tell a story

Philosophical Assumptions: Worldview, Beliefs, Values

Issue Post-positivism Critical Theory Constructivism Participatory

Ontology Critical realism-”real” reality but only imperfec and probabilistic.

Historical realism-virtual reality shared by social, political, cultural, economic, ethnic, and gender values.

Relativism-local and specific co-constructed realities.

Participative reality-subjective-objective reality, co-created by minds.

Epistemology Modified dualist/objectivist; critical tradition/community; findings probably true.

Transactional/subjectivist; value-mediated findings.

Transactional/subjectivist; co-created findings.

Critical subjectivity in participatory transaction; experiential, propositional, and practical knowing; co-created findings

Methodology Modified experimental/manipulative; critical multiplism; falsification of hypotheses; may include qualitative methods

Dialogic/dialectical Hermeneutical/dialectical

Political participation in collaboration; primacy of the practical; use of language grounded in shared context.

Adapted from Lincoln, Lynman, & Guba , 2011

How are philosophies implemented?

Multiple realitiesSubjectivityExplicit valuesEmerging designLanguage is personal

8Writing a Good Qualitative Purpose StatementWhat it includes: Single sentence “The purpose of this study . . .” Central phenomena Qualitative words (e.g. explore,

understand, discover Participants Research site

Sample Purpose Statement ScriptPurpose Statement Script:“The purpose of this qualitative study (replace later with type of qualitative approach later) will be to ______(understand, describe, develop, discover) the ________(central phenomenon) for _______(participants: person, process, groups) at ______________(site)

We therefore conducted a qualitative study to explore the care seeking behaviour, access to treatment, and knowledge and perceptions about TB among men and women of The Gambia, West Africa.

Qualitative Purpose Statement Example

QualitativeApproach

What I hope to do in the

study

Central Phenomenon

Participants

Site

Definition of Central

Phenomenon?

Eastwood & Hill, 2004

11Understanding a central phenomenon

QuantitativeExplaining or predicting variables

QualitativeUnderstanding or exploring a central phenomenon

X Y

The independent variable (X) influences a dependent variable (Y)

Y

In-depth understanding of Y; external forces shape and are shaped by Y

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Qualitative Research Questions

Open-ended Broad 1 or 2 central questions 5 to 7 subquestions Single phenomenon Exploratory verbs Participants and site

13Sample Script for the Central Question___(How or what) is the ___ (“story for” for narrative research; “meaning of” the phenomenon for phenomenology; “theory that explains the process of” for grounded theory; “culture-sharing pattern” for ethnography; “issue” in the “case” for case study) of ___ (central phenomenon) for ___ (participants) at ___ (site)?

14Qualitative Central Question ExampleWhat is the theory that explains the process of accessing TB services among women of The Gambia?

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Methods for a Qualitative Study Data collection Data analysis Data representation Data interpretation Validation strategies

Data CollectionSampling (purposeful)Site selection (gate keepers, permissions)

Recruitment (incentives)

Types of data (observation, interview, public/private documents, audio-visual)

Locating Site/Individual

Gaining Access and

Making Rapport

Purposefully

Sampling

Collecting

Data

Recording

Information

Resolving Field issues

Storing Data

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Interview Types

Decide on the type of interview to useIndividualFocus groupTelephonee-mail

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Interview Procedures

Create an interview protocolAsk open-ended questions (5-7)allows the participant to create options for responding

participants can voice their experiences and perspectives

If possible, record and transcribe for analysis

Interview Protocol for (Title of Study)Interviewer:

Interviewee:

Date: Time: Place:

Interviewer IntroductionStart RecordingThe purpose of this study is (briefly describe purpose}

Interviewee information: (e.g., position, role)

Questions:1. What…

2. What…

Closing Comments(Write out comments and thank the participant for the interview)

Observations

Create an observational protocolRecord descriptive notesRecord reflective notes

Decide on your observational stanceEnter site slowlyConduct multiple observationsSummarize at end of each observation

Observation Protocol for (Title of Study)Date:Time:PlaceDescriptive Notes Reflective Notes

(Portrait of informant, physical setting, event description)

(Personal reflections, insight, ideas, confusion, hunches, initial interpretation)

Types of Audio-visual MaterialsExamine physical trace evidence (e.g., footprints in sand or snow)

Videotape or film a social situation, individual, or group

Examine website main pagesCollect soundsCollect email or social network messages (e.g., Facebook, Twitter)

Examine favorite possessions or ritual objects

Steps in Qualitative Data AnalysisReading through

databases (margin notes)

Coding

Collapsing codes into themes

Interrelating themes

Representing findings (figures, theme passage)

Checking accuracy of account (validity)

Common Software Packages Available

MAXQDANVIVOAtlas.tiHyperResearch

How to Code

Reduce Codes to5-7 Themes

Initially readthrough data

Divide text into segmentsof information

Label segments of informationwith codes

Reduce Overlap andredundancyof codes

Collapsecodes intothemes

ManyPages of Text

ManySegments of Text

30-40codes

Codesreducedto 20

How to Code

Select Climbing Wall Narratives, Fall, 2011, Section 002, #1 As I walked into the gym, I was bombarded with the smell of old

gym shoes, a smelly locker that had seen the many wins and losses of a team. Around me was a juxtaposition of sights. The old wood floors and brick foundation of the gym did not fit with what was inside; badminton nets, an open view of different workout rooms, and lastly a climbing wall. The climbing wall was separated by two activities: instruction and climbing. To the left of the wall, an instructor was giving a tutorial, with a typed handout, on how to use the necessary equipment to climb. The new climbers were asked to read a portion of the handout, as the instructor provided a visual demonstration on the equipment. The new climbers asked questions regarding the handout and the demonstration. This process continued for some time; a detailed process, yet very relaxed and informal. Another instructor came in, wearing jeans and a tank top.

Code Term

Theme

Physical description of wall

Instructor

Physical description

Process of climbing

How to Write a Theme Passage

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Major Validation Strategies

Member checking: Members check the accuracy of the account

Triangulation: Looking for themes across different types of data; different researchers; different participants

Others: peer review, external audit, report disconfirming evidence, clarify researcher’s stance, thick description, prolonged time in the field

Writing the Qualitative Research StudyDescription5-7 themes (including multiple perspectives, good quotes, useful dialogue, even metaphors or analogies)

DetailRealistic, note tensions/contradictionsEngaging/persuasive/storytelling

Checklist for a Rigorous Qualitative StudyGeneral:___ Provide a rationale for why qualitative research is well-suited for

studying the research problem (e.g., participant views, context, complex understanding, lack of known variables, capturing voices)

___ Describe the type of qualitative research design (e.g., narrative research, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, or case study) that will be used

___ Explain why the design is well-suited to address the problemQualitative Data Collection:___ Discuss the site(s) that will be studied___ Identify permissions that have been granted (include something

about IRB permissions)___ Indicate how participants will be recruited to the study___ N of participants___ Discuss the type of purposeful sampling to be used (inclusion

criteria)___ Demographics of participants___ Indicate how the participants will benefit from the study

(reciprocity)___ Indicate the types of data to be collected (perhaps a table of data

collection?)___ Indicate the extent of data collection___ Mention the use of protocols (interview, observations, records)

used to record the data___ State the research questions that will be asked (if interviews

occur) 

Checklist for a Rigorous Qualitative Study (continued)

Data Analysis:___ Discuss preparing the data (transcriptions)___ Indicate the general procedure of data analysis (reading through

the data and writing memos, coding the data, description, developing themes, interrelating the themes)

___ Indicate any specific procedures related to the approach to qualitative research (e.g., in grounded theory, use open coding, axial coding, and selective coding)

___ Discuss the use of qualitative data analysis software to help analyze the data (e.g., MAXQDA, etc.)

___ Discuss use of multiple coders (i.e., intercoder agreement) if used in the study and how this process was accomplished with the percent agreement

___ Discuss validity strategies (e.g., member checking, triangulation, negative case analysis, peer audit, external audit, immersion in the field)

___ Discuss reflexivity—how the researchers’ experiences and role will influence the interpretation of findings.

 

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TopicsUse of qualitative research in mixed methodsKey features of qualitative researchTypes of problems addressed through qualitative research

Philosophical assumptionsQualitative purpose statements and research questions

Qualitative data collectionQualitative data analysis and softwareValidation/accuracy

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Questions AskedJournal to publish inOnline course to learn aboutUse of theoryFunding sources for projectsConvincing faculty advisorsVariation in how to write up

? ?

Key Readings

Qualitative journals: http://www.slu.edu/organizations/qrc/QRjournals.html

Marshall and Rossman, 2011

Bazeley, 2013

Kuckartz, 2014

Saldana, 2013

Creswell & Guetterman, 2015

The Importance of Qualitative Research in Mixed Methods:

Part I

John W. Creswell, Ph.D., Tim Guetterman, MAUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln

Presentation to the University of the Western Cape, South AfricaApril 17, 2014