1. INF5220 - 1 Lecture 27th of December 2005 Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods

2. About the course Content and Learning Objectives –Theory about research –Research Skills –Research Design (Master thesis) Lectures and assignments Literature Evaluation and Grading: Research Proposal to be submitted by June 15th.

3. Qualitative Research in the IS field Research: an activity that contributes to the understanding of a phenomenon Research methods are the means by which a discipline acquires and constructs knowledge. Information Systems Research (ISR) has many stakeholders with different interests and opinions. There are therefore different philosophical assumptions about what constitutes relevant knowledge, which results in different strategies of inquiry (general procedures of research), and consequently in different methods (detailed procedures of data collection, analysis and writing) Qualitative research, quantitative research and combinations (mixed methods research).

4. Ontology, epistemology and methodology (1) Ontological beliefs are our beliefs regarding reality (or what it is), epistemological assumptions are our assumptions regarding how we come to know about the world (i.e. our sources of knowledge, or how we make sense of reality); and methodological choices are the means we choose in attempting to achieve desired ends. … Particular ontological beliefs leads us to make particular epistemological assumptions. … That is, our explanations of how people come to know about the world depend on what we believe the world to be. Likewise particular epistemological assumptions lead us to choose certain methodologies over others. We choose to carry out activities that fit with how we assume humans come to know” (Rowland 1995, p. 278)

5. Ontology, epistemology and methodology (2) Your knowledge claims informs your strategies of inquiry and your choice of methods: –What is the researcher’s underlying ontology (fundamental worldview) and epistemology (theory of knowledge)? –What strategies of inquiry governs our choice and use of methods? –What methods of data collection and analysis do we propose to use?

6. Four fundamental approaches Positivist research Interpretivist research Critical research Design research Four groups will present these four approaches (approx. 20 min presentations). We will meet again here at…?