Introduction to Qualitative Research
Philosophical Assumptions Ontology: Metaphysical study of being and the nature of reality Axiology: Study of nature of values and judgements (overriding goal) Epistemology: Study of the nature of knowledge, its presuppositions and foundations, and its extent and validity
Positivistic vs. Interpretive Ontological – nature of reality Objective Single Divisible Nature of social beings Deterministic Reactive Ontological – nature of reality Socially constructed Multiple Holistics/Contextual Nature of social beings Voluntaristic Proactive
Positivistic Vs. Interpretive Axiological Explanation via subsumption under general laws Axiological “Understanding” based on Verstehen
Positivistic Vs. Interpretive Epistemological Knowledge Generation Idiographic Time-bound Context-dependent View of Causality Multiple, simultaneous shaping Research relationship Interactive, cooperative No privileged point of observation Epistemological Knowledge Generation Nomothetic Time-free Context-independent View of Causality Real causes exist Research relationship Dualism, separation Privileged point of observation
Qualitative Inquiry Qualitative questions: why or how Fit of Question and Method Sampling and Saturation: Purposeful, convenience, nominated, theoretical Data saturation
Methods Ethnography Phenomenology Grounded theory Focused ethnography (decision making) Critical ethnography (aids emancipation) Phenomenology Experience snapshots Describing the essence of human experience Grounded theory Highly inductive Iterative process – evolving theory
Methods Narrative Case Study Story that reveals person’s experiences Represents larger social experience Case Study Intrinsic (understanding 1 case) Instrumental (refining theory) Collective (several instrumental cases, looking for broader context)
Methods Participatory Action Research Reflects needs of the people Group ownership of process (involvement of participants from design to results) Conducted to solve social or community problems
Data Collection Interviews (depth) Observation Field Notes Documents Video, photographs
Triangulation Uses a combination of more than one research strategy in a single investigation. Data: time, space, person Investigator: complimenting areas of expertise Theory: testing and comparison of theories Methods: simultaneous & sequential implementation (separate analysis)