What is qualitative research? What makes it different than quantitative research? How is it related to quantitative research?

Qualitative Research Qualitative research methods involve the systematic collection, organization, and interpretation of textual material derived from talk or observation. It is used in the exploration of meanings of social phenomena as experienced by individuals themselves, in their natural context.

Relatively new to the education fields, but has been in use in anthropology, sociology, and psychology for many years.

Has many names: (they have a strong family resemblance to each other Erickson, 1986, p.119) Ethnographic Naturalistic Interpretive Grounded Phenomenological Subjective Participant observational

Some believe the interpretive content is most important rather than an over concern about procedure (Thomas & Nelson, 1996). Yet, much disagreement among researchers about methodologies and theoretical presuppositions that would need to be addressed.

Franz Boas Collect the data Report it Offer little comment or interpretation as possible..

Thomas & Nelson Interpretative quality more important than an over concern about procedure.

Some common characteristics (Bicklen, 1992): 1. Has the natural setting as the direct source of data and the researcher is the key instrument. Concerned with the context--action best observed the setting in which it occurs.

2. It is descriptive: Data collected are in the forms of words and pictures 3. Concerned with the process rather than simply with outcomes or products. Suggests how the expectations are translated into daily activities, procedures, and interactions

4. Tend to analyze the data deductively They do not search out data or evidence to prove or disprove hypotheses they hold before entering the study. The abstractions are built as the particulars that have been gathered are grouped together. Theory emerges from bottom up rather than top down.

5. Meaning is of essential concern: Interested in the ways different people make sense of their lives. Interested in participant perspectives ie) what assumptions do people make about their lives? What do they take for granted? Concerned about capturing the perspectives accurately.

Five Common traditions (Cresswell, 1998): Biography Phenomenology Grounded Theory Ethnography Case Study

Biography: The study of an individual and her or his experiences as told to the researcher or found in documents and archival material. “studied use and collection of life documents that describe turning point moments in an individual’s life”. Denzin, 1989, p. 69.

Phenomenology Describes the meaning of a lived experience for several individuals about a concept or the phenomenon. Explores the structures of consciousness in human experiences.

Grounded theory: Purpose is to generate or discover a theory, an abstract analytical schema of a phenomenon, that relates to a particular situation.

Shows how people act and react to the phenomenon, the researcher collects primary data, makes multiple visits to the field, develops and interrelates categories of information, and writes theoretical propositions or hypotheses or presents a visual picture of the theory.

Ethnography A description and interpretation of a cultural or social group or system. Researcher examines the group’s observable and learned patterns of behavior, customs, and ways of life.

As process research involves prolonged observation of the group, typically through participant observation in which the researcher is immersed in the day-to day lives of the people or through one-on-one interviews with members of the group.

Case Study Some consider the case an object of study and others consider it a methodology. An exploration of a bounded system or a case (or multiple cases) over time through detailed, in-depth data collection involving multiple sources of information rich in context.

What are the differences between qualitative and quantitative? Qualitative researchers concern themselves not with whether the findings are generalizable, but rather with the question of to which other settings and subjects they are generalizable.

Some differences (there are many) Inductive Purposive, small Natural, real world Researcher is primary instrument Flexible, may change Descriptive/ interpretive Deductive Random, large Laboratory Objective instrumentation Determined in advance Statistical methods 1. Hypothesis 2. Sample 3. Setting 4. Data gathering 5. Design 6. Data analysis